Transcript Advanced EFSA Learning Programme

Session 2.4.
Situation Analysis Step 2
Food Consumption
& Food Access
Indicators
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Learning Objectives
After 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?
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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Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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?
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Creating Food Security Groups
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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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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Food consumption score (2)

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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Example – Darfur HH questionnaire
Food item/group
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)
DAYS eaten in past
week (0-7 days)
Primary source of food
(use code)
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Calculating Food consumption scores (2)
Food item
Maize, rice, sorghum, millet,
bread and other cereals
Cassava, potatoes and
sweet potatoes
Beans, peas, groundnuts
and cashew nuts
Vegetables, relish and
leaves
Fruits
Beef, goat, poultry, pork,
eggs and fish
Milk, yoghurt and other dairy
Sugar and sugar products
Oils, fats and butter
Food
group
Weight
(A)
Days eaten in past
7 days
(B)
Score
AxB
Cereals and
tubers
2
7
14
Pulses
3
1
3
Vegetables
1
2
2
Fruit
Meat and
fish
Milk
Sugar
Oil
1
0
0
4
0
0
4
0.5
0.5
1
4
2
Composite score
4
2
1
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Interpretation of FCS (1)

HH score is compared with pre-established thresholds that
indicate the status of HH’s food consumption

21 scores is the minimum thresholds:
 7 days cereals/tubers = 14
 + 5 days pulses/beans = 5
 + 4 days oils/fat = 2
 = 21

Any HH or group of HHs falling below this minimum level of
consumption can be viewed as having poor food
consumption
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Interpretation of FCS (2)
Poor food consumption:
0 to 21
Borderline food consumption: 21.5 to 35
Good food consumption:
> 35
(0 to 28)
(28.5 to 42)
(>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
> 35
Quality inadequate (quantity?)
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 scores
Household 2 = 44.5 scores
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Analysis of Food Consumption (1)
Example
Average number of days per week households consumed
certain food items (7 day recall)
7.0
7.0
number of days/week
6.0
5.2
5.0
4.0
38.6 scores = adequate food consumption
3.0
2.0
1.6
1.4
1.0
1.8
1.4
0.5
1.2
0.4
0.0
oil
h
fis
ry
ult
po
its
at
fru
me
s&
ble
ta
ge
ve
ts
nu
nd
ou
gr
s
er
s
lse
pu
tub
als
re
ce
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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 stocks
 home production
 market transactions
 other forms of transfers

Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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
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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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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.
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Darfur food access indicator establishing thresholds (1)
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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Darfur food access indicator establishing thresholds (3)
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.
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Combining food access
indicators
Food source 
Income source 
Poor
Average
Good
Poor
Poor food
access
Poor food
access
Average food
access
Average
Poor food
access
Average food
access
Good food
access
Average food
access
Good food
access
Good food
access
Good
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Malawi –
Food access indicators (1)
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Malawi –
Food access indicators (2)
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Creating Food Security Groups (1)
Food consumption 
Poor
Borderline
Good
Poor
Severely foodinsecure
Severely foodinsecure
Moderately
food-insecure
Average
Severely foodinsecure
Moderately
food-insecure
Food-secure
Good
Moderately
food-insecure
Food-secure
Food-secure
Food access 
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Creating Food Security Groups (2)
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
Exercise 2.4.b.
Cross-Tab: Food Consumption & Food Access
Calculate the number and proportion of HHs in:
 severe food insecurity
 moderate food insecurity
 food security
Advanced EFSA Learning Programme
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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