Qualitative Approaches for Food and Nutrition Security Assessments

Training Workshop

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments – prepared with ECHO financial assistance

Welcome and Introductions

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Let’s Get to Know Each Other

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Let’s Agree on Some Ground Rules

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Expectations

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Workshop Objectives

By the end of this workshop Participants are expected to:

• Demonstrate an improved understanding of the importance of qualitative data in food security assessments.

• Upgrade their skills in conducting qualitative data collection methods and using tools

• Be able to analyze qualitative FSNA data, including complementing it with quantitative data

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Workshop Agenda

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Before we get going…

I’m afraid it’s time for a

Test!Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

2010-03 WFP Initial QFSA A Learning Session 1: 9

Oh…it’s not that bad.

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

What is Food Security?

“Access by all people at all times to food required for health life”

“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.”

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Natural, Physical, Human, Economic,

Social Assets

Nutrition Status/

Mortality

Individual Food Intake

Health Status/ Disease

HH Food Access

Care/Health Practices

Health & Hygiene

Conditions

HH Food Production, Gifts, Exchange, Cash Earnings, Loan,

Savings, Transfers

Individual Level

Community/ HH level

Livelihood Assets

Context/Framework

Food Availability/Mark

ets

Basic Services & Infrastructure

Political, Economical,

Inst’l, Security, Social, Cultural,

Gender, Environment

Agro-ecological Conditions/

Climate

HH LevelLivelihood Outcomes

Livelihood Strategies

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Conceptual Framework: Sustainable Livelihoods

• It’s ONE WAY of “organising” the complex issues surrounding food insecurity, well-being, income, and sustainability of livelihoods

• It’s NOT the ONLY WAY• Like all frameworks, it needs to be:

o Modifiedo Adapted

o Made appropriate to local circumstances

o Made appropriate to local priorities

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

What is a “Livelihood”

A livelihood comprises the capabilities, assets (including both material and social resources) and

activities required for a means of living.

A livelihood is sustainable when it can cope with and recover from stresses and shocks and

maintain or enhance its capabilities (hence, resilience) and assets both now and in the future, while not undermining the natural resource base.

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Livelihoods assets

Financial Capital

NaturalCapital

Social Capital

Physical Capital

Human Capital

Household

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

The Asset Mix

• Different households with different access to livelihood “assets”

• Livelihoods affected by:o diversity of assetso amount of assets

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

So……..

Human capital• has labor capacity• no education• limited skillsNatural capital• landless• access to common property resourcesFinancial capital• low wage• no access to creditPhysical capital• poor water supply• poor housing• poor communicationsSocial capital• low social status• descrimination against women• strong links with family & friends• traditions of reciprocal exchange= an extremely reduced “livelihood pentagon”

Landless femaleAgricultural Laborer

head of household

Financial Capital

Social Capital

Physical Capital

Human Capital

Natural Capital

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

FP

H

NSHousehold

VulnerabilityContext

Shocks

Seasonality

Trends

Changes

Political Strife

Conflict

“Vulnerability” Context

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Policies, Institutions & Processes

• Policies• of government• of different LEVELS of government• of NGOs• of interational bodies

• Institutions

• Processes

• political, legislative & representative bodies• executive agencies• judicial bodies• civil society & membership organisations• NGOs• law, money• political parties• commercial enterprises & corporations

• the “rules of the game”• decision-making processes• social norms & customs• gender

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

PoliciesInstitutionsProcesses

FP

H

NS Household

Vulnerability

ContextShocks

Seasonality

Trends

Changes

influence

Policies, Institutions & Processes

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Livelihood Strategies

Combining:• the assets they can access

Taking account of:• the vulnerability context

Supported or obstructed by:• policies, institutions and processes. ………..………..leading to

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Livelihood Outcomes

Food insecurity, thus, is a “poor” livelihood outcome due to:

•a fragile or unbalanced set of livelihood assets (not enough or not the “right” mix)

•inability to sustain to shocks, changes or trends

•limited support/protection provided (policies, institutions)

•livehood options combined in a “bad” or unsustainable strategy

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework

PoliciesInstitutionsProcesses

NS

FP

H

Household

VulnerabilityContextShocks

Seasonality

Trends

Changes

influenceLivelihoodStrategies

LivelihoodOutcomes

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

UNDERSTANDINGgenerated

from applyingthe Sustainable Livelihoods

Framework

PRINCIPLESfor action to

address poverty and food

insecurity

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments

Break30 min

Qualitative Approaches for FS Assessments