Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems - Home
Objectives
  • Raise awareness about food security
    Glossary: food security
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    A situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
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    Nutrition Indicators and tools PDF Print E-mail
    In 2000, the United Nations member states met at the Millennium Development Summit, to reaffirm their commitment to fight against poverty and achieve sustainable development. In this occasion, eight fundamental Millennium development goals were established. Consequently, the need to monitor the progress of these goals was recognised and therefore also the importance of having specific indicators. Among such indicators, nutrition indicators are essential for assessing progress of the nutritional situation of the population and monitor public policies achievements.

    The Nutrition indicators for development reference guide, result of a FAO/IRD collaboration, helps to identify and choose the right indicators according to the context. As the nutritional situation of a given population is the result of a number of causes, nutrition indicators refer to a variety of sectors: nutrition, food security
    Glossary: food security
    Close
    A situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
    , care and caring capacity, health and demography, basic socio-economic and agro-ecological conditions. The guide provides characteristics and limitations of indicators in each sector, chosen among the most relevant and widely used, and steps to be followed while selecting the indicators and collecting data.

    National information systems often rely on anthropometric indicators (malnutrition
    Glossary: malnutrition
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    An abnormal physiological condition caused by deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in energy, protein and/or other nutrients. 
    in preschool children) to assess the nutrition and food security situation at household level. However, these indicators are late-stage and non specific outcomes of food deficits and do not allow to take into consideration the dimensions of household access to food and food consumption. Therefore FAO, through the Nutrition and Consumer Protection Division (AGN), has been supporting the use of simple and rapid assessment tools to monitor food security and nutrition: the Household food insecurity
    Glossary: food insecurity
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    A situation that exists when people lack secure  access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for normal  growth and development and an active and healthy life. It may be caused  by the unavailability of food, insufficient purchasing power,  inappropriate distribution, or inadequate use of food at the household  level. Food insecurity, poor conditions of health and sanitation, and  inappropriate care and feeding practices are the major causes of poor  nutritional status. Food insecurity may be chronic, seasonal or  transitory. 
    Access Scale (HFIAS) and the icon Dietary diversity (DD) questionnaire (33.46 kB). Nutrition Indicators for development reference guide: Organized in four chapters, the guide is clear and easy to use. Chapter one gives an overview of wider issues linked to choosing indicators, in particular refereeing to the Millennium development goals. Chapter two explains characteristics and limitations of the indicators and provides general concepts and principles to adopt while choosing them. Chapter three, groups the indicators in six sectors: nutrition, food security, care and caring capacity, health and demography, basic socio-economic and agro-ecological conditions. Finally, chapter four presents how to effectively collect and use the indicators.

    Dietary Diversity Questionnaire/Household Food Insecurity Access Scale: The tools are more specific and more sensitive to changes in the food situation than child anthropometry
    Glossary: anthropometry
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    Use of human body measurements to obtain information about nutritional status. 
    . They are easy to administer and analyze, with no specific software, which makes them particularly appropriate for analysis at decentralized level. Being standardized, the tools allow comparisons between regions and countries, and over time, to assess seasonal food insecurity.

    The work of the Nutrition Division of FAO focuses on the provision of technical assistance for adaptation, use and integration of these tools in food security information systems in several countries, as part of activities of the EC/FAO “Food Security Information for Action Programme”, and in collaboration with the FAO-FIVIMS programme and the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance (FANTA) Project.

    The tools can be used in early warning systems, as monitoring indicators for food security and nutrition information systems and for impact evaluation of any programme with the objective of improving the diet and food security of the beneficiary population. Other specific uses include vulnerability
    Glossary: vulnerability
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    The presence of factors that place people at risk of becoming food insecure or malnourished, including those factors that affect their ability to cope.
    assessment, community targeting and emergency phase classification in chronic or transitory food insecurity situations.

    Furthermore, many countries have identified dietary diversification as a major food security and nutrition policy theme or as an indicator for international initiatives such as Poverty Reduction Strategy.  In this context, the tools can also be used to assess the impact of such initiatives.

    For further information, please contact Marie Claude Dop ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it )
     
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    Key publications

    FAO Nutrition Country Profiles
    FAO Nutrition Country Profiles
    FAO Nutrition Country Profiles (NCP) provide concise analytical summaries describing the food and nutrition situation in countries
    Guidelines for Measuring Household and Individual Dietary Diversity
    Guidelines for Measuring Household and Individual Dietary Diversity
    The Dietary Diversity tool measures the number of different food groups eaten in the previous 24 hours by individuals or households, reflecting food access and quality of the diet.

    Resources

    Chronic Undernutrition among Children 2003 (an indicator of poverty)
    Chronic Undernutrition among Children 2003 (an indicator of poverty)
    These global maps show the distribution of chronic undernutrition at national and subnational levels using stunting in growth among children under five years of age as an indicator of poverty and/or chronic food insecurity.
    Household Food Insecurity Access Scale (HFIAS) for Measurement of Food Access: Indicator Guide
    The HFIAS (FANTA), a simple 9 question tool to measure household food access, asks about modifications households made in their diet or eating patterns during the previous month because of limited sources to obtain food.

    Relevant Links

    Contacts

    Marie-Claude Dop
    (+39)0657054864
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    Terri Ballard
    (+39)0657056704
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