Mauritania’s attainment of food security is hindered by structural food Mauritania deficits, recurrent drought and environmental degradation. This makes it difficult for vulnerable households to access food and aggravates the prevalence of food insecurity and malnutrition for many Mauritanians. In this context, the RIMA analysis explains why and how some households have the ability to cope with shocks and stressors better than others, facilitating specific actions and programmes. In addition, this methodology supports policy makers to objectively map social and economic needs enabling the measurement of results over time.