1.2. Food Security
Fundamentals
Food Security Cluster Needs Assessment Workshop
Dhaka, Bangladesh
19 – 20 February 2012
Session Objectives
After this session, participants should be able to:
• Define a number of key food security concepts, including
availability, access, utilisation, stability, livelihoods, coping, and
resilience
• Explain the chief differences between chronic and transitory
food insecurity
• Identify the key components of the food and nutrition security
conceptual framework
Food Security defined…
Food security exists
when all people, at all times,
have physical and economic access
to sufficient, safe and nutritious food
that meets their needs and food
preferences
for an active and healthy life
[World Food Summit Plan of Action, paragraph 1, 1996]
The “Pillars” of Food Security
Availability
the amount of food of appropriate quality physically present in
the area, and is expected to become available in that area
may be aggregated at the national, provincial, district or
community level. Food availability is determined by:
• production: food produced in the area
• stocks: food held by traders, in government reserves [and at
farm level] in the area
• trade: food brought into (and taken out of) the area through
market mechanisms
• bulk transfers: food brought into the area by the government
and/or aid agencies
Access
(of households in specific population groups) The ability of
households (in specific population groups ) to regularly acquire
adequate amounts of appropriate food for a nutritious diet
Means of access may include:
• own production – of crops, livestock or farmed fish
• hunting, fishing or gathering wild foods
• purchases at markets, shops, etc.
• barter exchange – exchange of items for food
• gifts from friends, relatives, community, transfers from
government or aid agencies (relief or safety net programmes),
food-for-work, cash/vouchers, etc.
Utilisation
The use that households make of the food to which they have
access, and individuals’ ability to absorb and metabolize the
nutrients. Food utilization depends on:
• how food is stored, processed and prepared (including the
water and cooking fuel available, and hygiene practices)
• feeding practices, particularly for special needs individuals: the
young & elderly; the sick; pregnant & lactating women
• sharing of food within the household; the extent to which this
meets individuals’ nutritional needs – growth, pregnancy,
lactation, etc.
• health status of each household member
Stability
consistency and reliability of food availability
and access
Stability means households should not risk
losing access to food as a consequence of
sudden shocks or cyclical events.
Livelihoods
• the capabilities, assets, and activities required for a means of
living linked to survival and (future) well-being. Livelihood
strategies are the practical means or activities through which
people access food and other necessaries, or income to buy
them.
Coping
• activities that people resort to temporarily in order to obtain
food, income and/or services when their normal means of
livelihood have been disrupted
Resilience
• the capacity to withstand and recover from food security shocks
A livelihoods approach examines:
• impact of shock on human, financial, social,
physical, & natural, assets (agricultural, livestock,
etc.
• impact of policies, institutions, other processes
• strategies the affected are using to survive
… tries to determine likely
outcomes for the affected:
changes in vulnerability,
food / nutrition security
status, etc.
Livelihood
Outcomes
Livelihood Assets
• Shocks
• Trends
• Seasonality
H = Human capital
N = Natural capital
F = Financial capital
P = Physical capital
S = Social capital
H
S
N Influence
& access
P
F
Policies
Institutions
&
Processes
Livelihoods
Strategies
to achieve
Vulnerability
Context
• More income
• Increased wellbeing
• Reduced
vulnerability
• Improved food
& nutrition
security
• Sustainable
use of Natural
Resources
10
Temporal aspects of food insecurity
Chronic Food Insecurity
• A long-term or
persistent inability to
meet minimum food
requirements
Transitory Food Insecurity
• A short-term or temporary
inability to meet minimum
food requirements,
indicating a capacity to
recover
• Without appropriate
attention, can lead to:
• Without appropriate
attention, can lead to:
STUNTING
WASTING
Temporal aspects & severity of food insecurity
Kcal/day
Transitory
2,200
2,100
Food Secure
2,000
1,900
Chronic
1,800
1,700
1,600
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Negative synergies between chronic
& transitory food insecurity
Transitory can become chronic:
▫ repeated crises can lead households towards chronic
food insecurity
Moderate chronic can become severe chronic:
▫ Households in chronic food insecurity are more
vulnerable to deterioration due to crisis, compared to
those who are in transitory food insecurity
Impact of crises on resilient households
600
Household
resources
400
200
0
Exposure to shocks
Shock 1
Shock 2
Shock 3
-200
t1
t2
t3
t4
t5
t6
t7
t8
t9
t10
t11
t12
Impact of crises on vulnerable households
600
Exposure to shock
Household
resources
Ability to cope
400
200
0
Shock 1
Shock 2
Shock 3
-200
t1
t2
t3
t4
t5
t6
t7
t8
t9
t10
t11
t12
Food & Nutrition Security Conceptual
Framework: Key Concepts
 Livelihoods
 Food security
 Nutrition security
Food and
Nutrition
Security
Conceptual
Framework
Focuses on causal analysis:
as in the UNICEF Malnutrition Framework
Malnutrition
Causes
Immediate
Underlying
Basic
Inadequate Food
Intake
Household
Food Security
Social & Care
Environment
Disease
Access to
Health Care &
Health
Environment
Productive Resources
Formal & Informal Infrastructure
Political Ideology
Conceptual Framework: levels of analysis (1)
Basic causes:
structural factors
that establish the
context in which
malnutrition and
food insecurity
exist
19
Conceptual Framework: levels of analysis (2)
Underlying causes:
characteristics of
individual households
that make them more,
or less, susceptible to
malnutrition and food
insecurity
20
Conceptual Framework: levels of analysis (3)
Immediate causes:
factors that can lead
directly to malnutrition
and death
Conceptual Framework: levels of analysis (4)
Outcomes:
malnutrition and
excess mortality
arising from failure
to resolve problems
at other levels
22
Wrap-up
Food security = stable food availability, access and utilisation
Distinguishing between chronic and transitory food security is
important for understanding the potential impact of food
security response options
A livelihoods approach orients the planning and design of the
assessment, as well as targeting the response options
The food and nutrition security conceptual framework helps to
guide the planning design of food security assessments