Evidence Based Policy and Global Instruments and Knowledge Products: Disseminating statistics and strengthening capacities on dietary data to guide policies and programmes (The Food and Diet Domain)
| Start date | 14/10/2022 |
|---|---|
| End date | 31/12/2023 |
| Status | Closed |
| Budget | USD 450 000 |
| Project Code | FMM/GLO/172/MUL |
| Objective / Goal |
1. Countries, target beneficiaries and the international food and nutrition community have access to a wealth of expanded food and nutrition statistics for evidence-informed decision making generated from different, complementary sources of dietary data. 2. Enhanced capacity of national governmental /statistical representatives and target beneficiaries to collect, process, analyze, interpret and use comprehensive food and nutrient statistics from different types of dietary data to ultimately inform evidence-based. |
| Activities | The subprogramme addressed dietary data gaps by creating a centralized structure within FAOSTAT to house diverse statistics from sources like SUA, HCES, individual food consumption surveys, and dietary diversity indicators such as the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W). By centralizing, harmonizing, and consistently grouping food items, the project optimized the utility of available data to support policies aimed at reducing food insecurity and malnutrition. The FAOSTAT database now includes nutrient supply data for 186 countries since 2010 (based on SUA), apparent nutrient intake data from 30 countries (derived from HCES from 2010 to 2021), individual-level nutrient intake data for four countries and dietary diversity data (MDD-W) for nine countries. |
| Impact |
Major results This programme enabled FAO to finalize the preparation and publication of a new domain on FAOSTAT that included a completely new set of statistics on food and diet that integrated four different types of dietary data, from food availability through to household and individual level intake and diversity. Each data type has a sub-domain on FAOSTAT available in English, French and Spanish. The subprogramme contributed to ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture by providing policymakers with harmonized, comprehensive data on food availability, dietary intake and diet diversity. By centralizing data from sources like SUA, HCES and individual surveys, the subprogramme enabled informed decision-making across sectors like nutrition, agriculture, health and education. This FAOSTAT repository enhances data access, helping countries address malnutrition and design targeted, evidence-based policies. Capacity development in 12 countries further equipped national representatives to apply these insights, supporting SDG 2 and sustainable agricultural policies for improved food security and nutrition. Click here for the project document. |