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What is it
The International Demonstration Centre (IDC) is an initiative
for capacity building in national statistics on food security.
This is done through tutorial training activities which utilize
existing data on food consumption from national household surveys.
Food security and consumption statistics are produced and used
to assess and monitor national and sub-national food and nutrition
security situations and identify food insecure population groups.
They are particularly useful in the context of monitoring progress
in fighting hunger through the prevalence of food deprivation
(indicator 5 of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)) and the
number of people undernourished (indicator of the World Food Summit
(WFS)). |
| Objective
Capacity building in food security statistics at national and
subnational levels in producing and using statistics and information
for food security policies within a multisectoral framework. |
Audience
National officers, representatives from producers and users of
food security information who form part of country multisectoral
technical teams on food security, coming from government or non-governmental
organizations, national or international institutions, universities
or other education centres; and individuals with responsibility
and/or interest in food security at national and international
levels and who are involved in food policy decisions. |
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Where
The training activities take place at FAO Headquarters in Rome.
FAO experts from the Economic and Social Department and other
departments are involved. The training activities are coordinated
by the FAO Statistics Division.
When and duration
The training activity lasts four weeks and sessions are held
between February and November each year. There are no deadlines
for application, but as the number of available periods and places
are limited, early requests are encouraged. |
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| How
Participants work as country teams and are tutored by experts
on statistics and food security. Participants perform actual work
using food consumption, total consumption, total expenditure,
income, household characteristics and household member information
from existing household surveys using computing tools, materials
and other inputs provided during the training. Participants will
be guided on how to interpret results and their implications on
food security policy. |
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| Output
The main output of this training activity is the elaboration
of a technical country report on “Food security assessment from
food consumption data collected in household surveys”. The members
of the country team, after successfully completing the assignment,
will be awarded a certificate and are expected to become trainers
when returning to countries. |
| Outline of training
The training will cover the principles and statistical bases of each of the subject
areas listed below with the aim of estimating food security and
consumption statistics at national and subnational levels.
Food deprivation (hunger)
Prevalence of undernourishment (one of the indicators of the MDG
on hunger reduction), number of undernourished people (indicator
of the WFS) and depth of hunger.
Food needs
Food need estimates, minimum and average dietary energy requirements
are inputs for estimating the proportion of undernourished people
and the food poverty and critical food poverty.
Food consumption
Food quantities consumed and nutrient conversion factors derived
from Food Composition Tables allow the estimation of dietary energy,
protein, fat and carbohydrates. Demographic data and nutrient
consumption are inputs for estimating statistics on nutrient consumption
per person on daily basis. The dietary energy consumption is used
for estimating the proportion of undernourishment (food deprivation).
Access to food (inequality)
The Gini coefficient and coefficient of variation (CV) of energy
consumption due to income. CV is an input for estimating food
deprivation.
Food consumption elasticities
Food price and income elasticities measure sensitivity and responsiveness
of household food demand to food price changes and to household
income levels.
Food cost
Food cost estimates based on food consumption in quantities, monetary
and nutrient (energy, protein, etc) values by income. Energy costs
are inputs to estimate the food poverty and the critical food
poverty lines.
Diet composition
Contribution of energy from energy-yielding nutrients (carbohydrates,
proteins and fats) to total energy consumption; contribution of
main food group (or food item) consumption patterns (at least
90%) in terms of energy, protein, fat and carbohydrates; diet
diversification index as measured by contribution of non-starchy
food (cereals, roots and tubers) in energy, protein and fat to
total nutrient consumption; contribution of nutrients from animal
food to total nutrient consumption.
Food aid
Share of food aid in total consumption as measured by the contribution
of food received as institutional aid (food source) in total nutrient
consumption.
Own-production food consumption
Share of food from own-production in total consumption as measured
by the contribution of food produced in total nutrient consumption.
Critical food poverty and food poverty
Prevalence of critical food poverty and food poverty based on
income distribution estimated parameters (average and variation)
and poverty lines (critical food and food).
Nutrient conversion factors of food "as purchased"
Energy, protein, fat and carbohydrate values; density factors
for semi-liquid and liquid items; non-edible (refuse) factor in
as-purchased food. Intra-household food wastage and losses.
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Activities
Three driving activities are implemented during the four-week
period: thematic review, demonstrations and practical work using
country data. A follow-up of tasks and intermediate outputs on
a daily basis will ensure that participants meet the expected
results. |
| Participant requirements
Participants must have institutional country support. The participant
country must have a minimum organizational and technical capacity
for follow-up of the training. Tutorial training is provided to
teams of two to four people. The team members must be proficient
in English, French or Spanish. The subject area requirements are
knowledge of food consumption data collected in the national household
surveys, statistics, computer skills including basic knowledge
in SPSS and food security. The statistician must have access to
and rights to use country food consumption data files. The food
security expert must be responsible for national food security
and familiar with country food security information. |
| Selection of participants
FAO will determine the composition of the country teams and therefore
information on participants such as curriculum vitae indicating
relevant subject experience (statistics or food security), reasons
for requiring training and expected future work will be required
in advance of training. An interview may be necessary (by phone
or video-conference) in addition to a declaration of consent allowing
usage of country household survey data. |
| Follow up network
After the training the individuals and/or the institution will
be able to join the Food Security and Consumption Statistics Network
(FSCS network) to exchange information and discuss technical questions
on the subject of food security and statistics with other international
teams. |
| Costs
Subsistence and travel expenses are expected to be covered by
participants.
Tuition and operational expenses: US$10,000 per country team to
be paid to FAO.
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| Contact:
FSCSnetwork@fao.org |
