Members of the Bureau: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and World Health Organization (WHO)
About the Committee
The United Nations Expert Group on Food Security and Nutrition data and statistics (UN EG-FSN) aims to develop and document good practices and guidelines on concepts, methods and statistical standards for food security and nutrition statistics. This Committee, formed by senior experts from national statistical offices, relevant national line ministries, international, regional and subregional organizations, and academic research institutions was created under the umbrella of the UN Statistical Commission at its 56th session in 2025.
The UN EG-FSN was mandated to improve statistics on food security and nutrition through advancing methodologies on collecting, compiling and using data and statistics relevant to food security and nutrition; implementing activities that address data gaps and national needs for capacity development; and enhancing the coordination of international and regional initiatives among countries and within countries.
The Committee is represented by an elected Chair, which has the responsibility to develop, in close cooperation with the Bureau (designated committee members) and the Secretariat, a multi-year strategic framework and an annual programme of work for the Committee, monitor progress of the various components of the programme and set the agenda for the meetings. The Committee’s activities and tasks are organized by task teams, for which members of the Bureau are assigned as leads and follow the implementation of the various programmes of work more closely. The Secretariat of the Expert Group and its Bureau is ensured, on a rotational basis, by FAO, UNICEF and WHO. All members of the Committee will meet virtually at least twice, supplemented with face-to-face or hybrid meetings as necessary.
Finally, the UN EG-FSN regularly reports progress to the UN Statistical Commission under the agenda item on food security and nutrition statistics. More information on the mandate, governance arrangements and the functioning of the Committee can be found in its terms of reference.
Key documents
- Annotated outline – Guidance note on food security and nutrition data and statistics (presented at the fifty-sixth session of the United Nations Statistical Commission)
- Processing food consumption data from Household Consumption and expenditure surveys (presented at the fifty-fifth session of the United Nations Statistical Commission)
- Household Consumption and Expenditure Surveys and the prevalence of nutrient inadequacy (2022) (presented at the fifty-third session of the United Nations Statistical Commission). See also journal article.
- Food data collection in household consumption and expenditure surveys. Guidelines for low- and middle-income countries (endorsed by the forty-ninth session of the United Nations Statistical Commission)