Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Session 2.4.
Situation Analysis Step 2
Food Consumption & Food Access Indicators
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Learning ObjectivesAfter the session, participants should be able to: Explain the methodology of calculating the food
consumption score, and the limitations of the FCS in determining the status of food consumption
Explain the value - and limitations - of food access indicators and thresholds in determination of food security groups
Analyse a food consumption & food access cross tabulation table
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Where are we?
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EFSA Process
Adapt conceptual framework & objectives
Prepare analysis plan: indicators, data, sources
Collect, review secondary data
Collect primary data
Conduct situation analysis
Conduct forecast analysis
Analyse response options
Make response recommendations
Prepare report
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HH FS: estimated from combination of food consumption and food economic access:
=
Food Consumption
Poor? Borderline? Acceptable?
Food Access
Poor? Average? Good?
Food (In)Security
Severe? Moderate? Adequate?
+
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Food consumption indicator: Dietary Diversity and Food Consumption Frequency score Apply thresholds to define ‘poor’, ‘borderline’ and ‘acceptable’ food
consumption patterns
Food access indicator : Simple or combined Indicator(s) and thresholds are context-specific Selection of indicator(s) and thresholds should be based on:
Type of crisis Hypotheses made on the effects of crisis on food access Pre-crisis information (baselines, previous surveys) Key informants’ and experts’ judgement
Creating Food Security Groups
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Food consumption score (1)
Ideally detailed food consumption surveys are used to measure caloric intake.
Limitations – sample size (cost & time), expertise
Alternatively, food consumption scores (dietary diversity & food frequency) are used in HH surveys
Approach - widely adopted to analyze food consumption & assess shortfalls
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Proxy indicator reflecting quantity (kcal) & quality (nutrients) of people’s diet
Based on 7-day recall of food types & frequency of consumption
Data are collected at HH level
Additional information on food sources is collected to understand better HH food access
Food consumption score (2)
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Example – Darfur HH questionnaire
Food item/groupDAYS eaten in past
week (0-7 days)Primary source of food
(use code)
a Sorghum
b. Millet
c. Other cereals (wheat, maize)
d. Groundnuts, legumes
e. Meat/chicken, bush meat, etc.
f. Cooking oil
g. Vegetables
h. Fruits
i. Milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.
j. Eggs
k. Sugar
l. Wild foods (including leaves)
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Calculating food consumption scores (1)
Each food group is assigned a weight reflecting its nutrient density and expected quantity
For each HH, food consumption score is calculated by:
Merging food items into 8 food groups
Note: the maximum frequency for each food group is 7
Multiplying each food group frequency by food group weight, and then
Summing these scores into one composite score
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Calculating Food consumption scores (2)
Food item
Food group
Weight (A)
Days eaten in past 7 days
(B)
Score A x B
Maize, rice, sorghum, millet, bread and other cereals Cassava, potatoes and sweet potatoes
Cereals and tubers
2 7 14
Beans, peas, groundnuts and cashew nuts
Pulses 3 1 3
Vegetables, relish and leaves
Vegetables 1 2 2
Fruits Fruit 1 0 0 Beef, goat, poultry, pork, eggs and fish
Meat and fish
4 0 0
Milk, yoghurt and other dairy Milk 4 1 4 Sugar and sugar products Sugar 0.5 4 2 Oils, fats and butter Oil 0.5 2 1
Composite score 26
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Interpretation of FCS (1) HH score is compared with pre-established HH score is compared with pre-established thresholdsthresholds that that
indicate the status of HH’s food consumptionindicate the status of HH’s food consumption
21 scores is the minimum thresholds:21 scores is the minimum thresholds:7 days cereals/tubers = 14 7 days cereals/tubers = 14 + 5 days pulses/beans = 5 + 5 days pulses/beans = 5 + 4 days oils/fat = 2+ 4 days oils/fat = 2= 21= 21
Any HH or group of HHs falling below this minimum level of Any HH or group of HHs falling below this minimum level of consumption can be viewed as having consumption can be viewed as having poor food poor food consumptionconsumption
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Interpretation of FCS (2)
Poor food consumption: 0 to 21 (0 to 28)
Borderline food consumption: 21.5 to 35 (28.5 to 42)
Good food consumption: > 35 (>42)
Note: Thresholds can be adjusted if there is clear justification for doing so, e.g. small amounts of oil & sugar consumed daily
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Interpretation of FCS (3)
FCS Interpretation
< 21 Quantity and quality inadequate
21.5 - 35 Quality inadequate (quantity?)
> 35 Adequate diet
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Example: frequency and diversity
Household 1
Maize = 4 days Tubers = 3 days Rice = 1 day Beans = 5 days Meat = 1 day Cooking oil = 7 days Leaves = 3 days
Household 2
Rice = 7 days Tubers = 2 days Meat = 5 days Cooking oil = 7 days Vegetables = 3 days
1.What are the scores for each household?2.Who enjoys better food intake and why?
Household 1 = 41.5 scoresHousehold 2 = 44.5 scores
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Analysis of Food Consumption (1) Example
7.0
1.6 1.41.8
5.2
0.5 0.4
1.4 1.2
0.0
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
num
ber
of d
ays/
wee
k
Average number of days per week households consumed certain food items (7 day recall)
38.6 scores = adequate food consumption
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Analysis of Food Consumption (2) Example
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Limitations
Is only a snap-shot of one week food consumption
Does not:
capture seasonal changes
quantify the food gap
capture intra-HH food consumption
show how food consumption has changed as result of crisis, unless previous FCSs for same HHs are available
Thus, in an emergency, MORE ANALYSIS IS NEEDED to understand changes in HH food consumption
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Food Access
The measure of a population’s ability to acquire available food for the given consumption period through:
its own stockshome productionmarket transactionsother forms of transfers
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Food access indicators (1)
People’s access to food varies widely among & within areas
Indicators must be tailored to the livelihood strategies employed by the assessed population
e.g. purchasing power: HHs depend upon daily labour for their income & buy almost all their food at the market
Wage income
Prices (terms of trade – wage income/staple food)
Seasonality
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Examples: Food access indicators
Sources of food and income Consumption of “famine foods” Purchasing power Terms of trade Food self-sufficiency Asset ownership Remittances
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What would you choose as food access indicators? Why?
In a community, households keep about 1/2 of their harvested crops for own consumption.
This does not cover all their food needs, so they need to purchase food.
Income comes from sale of crops as well as fishing and livestock sales
Food access indicators:
Food stock duration Income source
(reliability)
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Food sources
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Food access indicators (2) Food access indicators are rated as poor/average/good using
context specific indicators
The key criteria for such a value judgement are:
Reliability: continuous & predictable supply of food / income
Sustainability: source is not dependent on temporary or unpredictable systems (such as food aid)
Quantity: Food or income sources provide sufficient quantity to cover needs
Quality: Food sources cover nutrition requirements; income sources are socially acceptable.
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Poor, average or good food access? (1)
A HH has recently moved to an IDP camp and acquires most of its food from relief assistance provided by an international humanitarian organisation.
The household has no income source.
Poor food access because of poor food and no income source
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Poor, average or good food access? (2)
Another HH in the camp receives most of its food from relief. This HH retains access to some of its fields and is able to harvest and sell some cash crops.
In addition, the HH receives regular remittances from a relative working in the capital.
HH’s income sources are good. Combination of poor food sources with good income sources leads to
average food access.
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2006 Darfur assessment :
Most people in area under study depend primarily on their own agricultural production for food and income
According to FAO/WFP references, average individual in Darfur needs 150 kg of cereal / year for consumption
According to 2005 EFSA, ave. yields of cereal are 450 kg/ha
Therefore, to produce enough food, HH must cultivate at least 0.33 ha of cereal / HH household member
Darfur food access indicator -establishing thresholds (1)
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Darfur food access indicator -establishing thresholds (2)
On the basis of this analysis, simple thresholds can be established:
< 0.3 ha / HH member = poor access
0.3 to 0.4 ha / HH member = average
> 0.5 ha / HH member = good
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Note of caution:Analysis within broader context. e.g. HH with 0.5 ha / HH member might have problems if
rains were less than usual, or if conflict restricted access to fields
Variations in the data. Average yield is estimated at 450 kg/ha, but perhaps half
the farms yield 750 kg/ha while the other half yield only 150 kg/ha.
Darfur food access indicator -establishing thresholds (3)
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Combining food access indicatorsFood source
Poor Average GoodIncome source
PoorPoor food access
Poor food access
Average food access
AveragePoor food access
Average food access
Good food access
GoodAverage food access
Good food access
Good food access
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Malawi – Food access indicators (1)
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Malawi – Food access indicators (2)
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Food consumption Poor Borderline Good
Food access
Poor Severely food-
insecureSeverely food-
insecureModerately
food-insecure
AverageSeverely food-
insecureModerately
food-insecureFood-secure
GoodModerately
food-insecureFood-secure Food-secure
Creating Food Security Groups (1)
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Creating Food Security Groups (2)
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Exercise 2.4.a. Food Access & Food Security Indicators
Construct a food access indicator
Estimate proportions of food insecure HHs
Use Exercise 2.4.a Worksheet
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Exercise 2.4.b. Cross-Tab: Food Consumption & Food Access
Calculate the number and proportion of HHs in:severe food insecuritymoderate food insecurityfood security
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In EFSAs in your countries…
What food access indicators have been used?
Why were these chosen?
What other indicators might help determine food access levels?
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