FAO Food security vulnerability analysis

This approach is based on the belief that food security, production and
consumption are the most important aspects of a livelihood. Vulnerability,
therefore, is understood in terms of being "food insecure", which means a lack of
physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet a person's dietary needs
for a productive and healthy life. More specifically, it is defined as the combined
effects of "risk and of the ability of an individual or household to cope with those
risks and to recover from a shock or deterioration of current status". Although
the analysis distinguishes between the concept of food insecurity as an ex-
ante forward-looking concept and hunger, under nutrition, etc. as ex-
post outcomes of food insecurity, the focus is nevertheless on outcome
probability rather than actual vulnerability related to the risks and responses.
In terms of methodology, food insecurity analysts have focused primarily on the
search for identifying indicators that could signal food insecure areas. There is,
however, no single
variable that can measure food insecurity; thus, no specific variable exists to
which the indicators can be compared. Without indicators and variables, then,
there can be no benchmark of food insecurity either.

FAO FIVIMS and GIEWS

Definition

According to the FAO, food security is when all people, at all times, have
physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which
meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Contrarily, food insecurity is the condition in which a person is undernourished
due to the physical unavailability of food, their lack of social or economic access
and/or inadequate calorie requirements. The definition adds also anyone who
exhibits physical symptoms caused by energy and nutrient deficiencies resulting
from an inadequate or unbalanced diet, or from inability of the body to use food
effectively because of infection or disease. Those in need are divided between
the food insecure and those who are vulnerable to becoming food insecure.
Vulnerability, in this context, is the full range of factors that place people at risk
of becoming food insecure.

Methodology

The degree of vulnerability is determined by the unit's exposure to risk and its
ability to cope with or withstand stressful situations. More specifically, the factors
that determine a condition of vulnerability can be grouped into two types:

External factors: transitory, seasonal or chronic shocks and changes. These

factors essentially constitute factors of risk.
Internal factors: factors tied to the characteristics of the household or
individual, their general living conditions and the internal dynamics of the
household that limit its ability to avoid becoming "food insecure" and influence its
ability to be resilient against the above external factors. Such factors described
here can be classified as the household's characteristics.
The relationship between the two can be better understood if we consider that
households make use of these internal factors, i.e. a their assets (human, social,
natural, physical and financial capital), in order to survive, and that these assets
can be influenced by external factors, such as structural (policies, legislation,
cultural norms, market conditions) or transitory "shocks" (seasonal changes,
shocks).

Instrument

To measure and map food security vulnerability, FAO has established a Food
Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS)
that assembles, analyses and disseminates information about people who are
food insecure or at risk, i.e. who they are, where they are located, and why they
are food insecure or vulnerable. The idea behind
FIVIMS is that improved information can be actively used to produce better
results in efforts to reduce the number of undernourished and achieve food
security for all. The purpose is to provide focused and precise information about
the nature and extent of food insecurity and vulnerability and the underlying
causes and changes that occur over time. The overall goal is to be able to reduce
the incidence of food insecurity as well as prevent current vulnerability to food
security from becoming a reality.

FAO has also established the Global Information and Early Warning System
on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS). Whereas FIVIMS is the overall information
network between FAO and other early warning systems in food insecure areas,
GIEWS is FAO's own food security information system. Although the goal of
GIEWS is similar to that of FIVIMS - namely to provide policy-makers and analysts
with the most up-to-date and accurate information available on all aspects of
food supply and demand - its more specific aim is to warn of imminent food crises
so that timely interventions can be planned and suffering avoided (FAO,
GIEWS Brochure). GIEWS conducts field assessments, which provide qualitative
indications of agricultural emergency and rehabilitation requirements in affected
countries. These assessments, however, are used for policy/programme work in
post-disaster situations, rather than for food insecurity prediction and prevention
purposes.

Related Links:

1. FAO FIVIMS: http://www.fivims.org/

2. FAO GIEWS: http://www.fao.org/giews/english/index.htm

4. Tomorrows Hunger: A Framework for Analyzing Vulnerability for Food Insecurity

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/af140e/af140e00.pdf

5. Food Security Monitoring: http://www.fivims.org/index.php?

option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=24&Itemid=40

6. Food Security Analysis:

http://www.fivims.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=20&Itemid=37