CRISIS IN CONTEXT.

HOW IS FOOD INSECURITY AND HUNGER MEASURED?

Given the complexity of these issues, multiple indicators are used to monitor the many aspects of FI and Hunger. Two of the indicators most commonly used include the Prevalence of Undernourishment (PoU) and the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population found within the results of the Food Insecurity Experience Scale survey (FIES).

The PoU and the prevalence of food insecurity based on the FIES give different perspectives and utilize methodologies and sources of data. The PoU is used to monitor hunger at the global and regional level. It is based on country data regarding food availability, food consumption, and energy needs. It estimates the adequacy of a population’s dietary energy intake. A limitation of the PoU is that estimates cannot be sufficiently disaggregated and then used to identify specific vulnerable populations within countries. [7]

The FIES is used to look at the moderate or severe food insecurity in a population. Data is collected through direct interviews by asking people about experiences associated with constrained access to food. The FIES provides measures of food insecurity at the individual or household level as well as at different levels of severity. Estimates can be compared across countries and sub-populations within countries. Beyond national trends, this methodology can be used to highlight the “who” and “where” of the of food insecurity, answering the questions: which populations are the most food insecure, and where are they located? [8]