LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • At the end of the lesson, you will be able to: • compare the various food security baseline assessment methods; and • understand the criteria for defining an appropriate method, building on the options available.

2. INTRODUCTION • All baselines: • help understand livelihoods, risk/hazards and vulnerability/ resilience; • establish a benchmark from which to analyse similar issues under various food security contexts. What are the features of different baseline assessment methods? How to determine the most appropriate methods for your particular circumstances?

3. INTRODUCTION Baseline assessments can be used in three main decision-making contexts: ... To reduce the incidence or severity of shocks and/or increase the resilience of communities and households to these shocks, through planning ‘development’ or longer-term interventions. ... As a benchmark for understanding the impact of programme responses (either short- or long-term) on food security, and informing the adjustment/re-targeting of ongoing interventions. ... As a benchmark for understanding how a specific shock or hazard has impacted on the food security of a specific population and so helping to plan short-term humanitarian assistance.

4. BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Major types of baseline methods used by different agencies include: POVERTY AND VULNERABILITY BASELINE ASSESSMENTS(WORLD BANK) LIVELIHOODS ASSESSMENTS (e.g. CARE, OXFAM) THE HOUSEHOLD ECONOMY APPROACH (e.g. SAVE THE CHILDREN UK, FEWS-NET, FOOD ECONOMY GROUP) COMPREHENSIVE VULNERABILITY FOOD SECURITY ASSESSMENTS (WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME - WFP) PROGRAMME- AND PROJECT-SPECIFIC BASELINE ASSESSMENTS (e.g. C-SAFE SOUTHERN AFRICA)

5. Poverty and Vulnerability Baseline Assessments (World Bank) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Poverty and Vulnerability Assessment (PVA) methods are designed to guide macro policy choices, which influence the overall levels of poverty and food insecurity. • Objectives of the PVA: • to make a thorough diagnosis of the prevailing situation, • to understand the underlying causes of poverty and vulnerability • of both rural and urban dwellers, • to define constraints and opportunities in order to draw policy • recommendations at a macro level for decision-making.

6. Poverty and Vulnerability Baseline Assessments (World Bank) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Some of the features of Poverty and Vulnerability Baseline Assessments: A combination of secondary and primary sources of information. Survey method Different types of expertise are needed at various steps. Skills and time required Is variable and depends on several factors including available resources. Frequency of updating The executive summary of the Zambian 2005 PVA. Example of baseline product The Zambian PVA as a main input in the preparation of the Fifth National Development Plan. Usage

7. Livelihoods Assessments (e.g. DFID, CARE, OXFAM) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Livelihoods baseline assessments are centred on people and individuals. • Their main objective is: • to understand the nature of livelihoods strategies and outcomes of the different categories of households, and • to identify the principal constraints and opportunities that could be addressed through policies and programmes.

8. Livelihoods Assessments (e.g. DFID, CARE, OXFAM) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Some of the features of Livelihoods Assessments: A combination of secondary and primary data, quantitative and qualitative information. Survey method Skills and time required A substantial amount of time and skills. Is variable, and depends on the needs and available resources. Frequency of updating The Kanai Nagar Community in the Mongla region in Bangladesh. Example of baseline product For programme design and monitoring (CARE) or as a context in emergency assessments (OXFAM). Usage See page 7 in the Learner Notes to read Extracts of livelihood outcomes from a livelihoods baseline for the Kanai Nagar Community in the Mongla region in Bangladesh

9. The Household Economy Approach (HEA) (E.G. Save The Children UK, FEWS-NET, Food Economy Group) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS A type of livelihoods-based analysis centred on the different ways a given population obtains food and non food income, in order to make a living. An HEA baseline assessment is used as a reference to identify the impact of a shock on household access to food and non-food income, in order to calculate a food gap.

10. The Household Economy Approach (HEA) (E.G. Save The Children UK, FEWS-NET, Food Economy Group) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS This approach follows several steps: • Characterization of a food economy zone; • definition of what a “normal year” is; • identification of different wealth groups and the livelihood strategies of a typical household in each wealth group. 1 2 Analysis of the extent of the encountered problem. 3 Identification of the impact of the problem on households’ access to food (including the sustainability of their coping strategies). 4 Assessment of the outcome of households’ strategies.

11. The Household Economy Approach (HEA) (E.G. Save The Children UK, FEWS-NET, Food Economy Group) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Some of the features of the Household Economy Approach: Secondary sources, primary data, mainly quantitative information Survey method Skills required for an HEA analysis are quite demanding Skills and time required Is variable, but every 4-5 years is the average Frequency of updating The Wolayita (Ethiopia) baseline assessment Example of baseline product One of the most frequent uses:to identify the food gap to be filled Usage See page 9 in the Learner Notes to read more on the Wolayita (Ethiopia) baseline assessment.

12. Comprehensive Vulnerability Food Security Assessments (WFP) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS • CVSA assessments provide an understanding of: • chronic food insecurity and vulnerability conditions, and • how food aid can be used as an appropriate response. • The CVFSA assessments also provide: • development of programming responses tailored to areas with the greatest prevalence of food-insecure households (through the categorization of the populations into different vulnerable groups). • essential information on risks and their potential impacts on different population groups (for disaster mitigation and contingency planning efforts).

13. Comprehensive Vulnerability Food Security Assessments (WFP) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS The first steps in the CVFSA: 1 To identify the vulnerable and where they are located. 2 • To collect primary data in order to understand: • why, when and how many people are chronically food-insecure; and • to what degree, and how to address their food insecurity and vulnerability.

14. Comprehensive Vulnerability Food Security Assessments (WFP) BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Some of the features of CVSA: Both secondary data analysis and primary data collection Survey method Usually conducted by international experts; time required is around 18 months. Skills and time required Frequency of updating About 4-5 years WFP conducted a CVFSA in Niger in 2005 Example of baseline product Better targeting and contingency planning. Usage See page 11 in the Learner Notes to read more on the CVFSA conducted by WFP in Niger.

15. BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Programme-and Project-specific Baseline Assessments (C-SAFE) Baselines can be constructed around a specific programme or project. • These assessments help to: • understand the context of the programme or project, and • identify benchmarks against which expected achievements can be compared and impact assessed. See page 12 in the Learner Notes to read a case study (Consortium for Southern-Africa Food Emergency) which illustrates the use of baseline assessments applied to specific programmes.

16. BASELINE ASSESSMENT METHODS Programme-and Project-specific Baseline Assessments (C-SAFE) The common characteristics of the methods illustrated by the C-SAFE case studies: An approach based on a formal sample survey. Survey method Usually conducted by international consultants; time required is approximately 6 months. Skills and time required Example of product (1) C-SAFE Zimbabwe The C-SAFE in Iraq has been used by WFP for better targeting and contingency planning. Example of product (2) See page 13 in the Learner Notes for more information on the examples.

17. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD Let’s see the purpose, strengths and limitations of each method. Poverty and Vulnerability Baseline Assessments (World Bank) Planning long-term responses to reduce vulnerability and poverty. Context/Purpose • Examines effects of macro-level policies and governance on welfare. • Strong analysis of risk and vulnerability. • Large and representative sample data which other analyses can utilize. Strengths • Emphasis on national-level conclusions and lacks disaggregated analysis. • Complex and expensive, requiring international expertise. Limitations

18. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD Livelihoods Assessments (CARE, OXFAM) • Organizing and empowering communities for providing responses to poverty and chronic food insecurity. • Providing a context for emergency assessments. Context/Purpose • Comprehensive livelihoods analysis including ethnicity, customs, religions, gender, institutions. • Empowers local populations for long-term development goals. Strengths • Detailed local analysis cannot be easily scaled up to the national level. • Difficult to standardize within and across countries and regions for comparison purposes. Limitations

19. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD Household Economy Approach (SC UK, FEWS-NET, Food Economy Group) Mainly providing a context for emergency assessment of food needs. Context/Purpose • Transparent method for analysing food access and developing quantitative estimates of food gaps. • Analysis disaggregated by livelihood zones and wealth groups. Strengths • Inadequate framework for linking community-level and macro-level analysis. • Does not analyse intra-household dynamics, e.g. how gender affects access. Limitations

20. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD Comprehensive Vulnerability Food Security Assessments (WFP) • Examines causes of chronic vulnerability and food insecurity. • Provides a basis for targeting and contingency planning. Context/Purpose • Provides a rationale for internal policies and programmes of the implementing agency. Strengths • Weak ownership of results by the wider humanitarian community. • Requires substantial financial resources for survey implementation and high technical skills for data analysis. Limitations

21. STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF EACH METHOD Programme- and project-specific baseline assessments (C-SAFE South Africa) • Assesses impact and allows fine tuning for implementation of project and programme. Context/Purpose • Geared to the needs of decision-makers in a specific project or programme context. • Integrated with arrangements for regular monitoring. Strengths • Limited relevance to the broader food security and development community. Limitations

22. BLENDING METHODS The baseline approaches often combine or blend similar analytical methods and information sources. They also utilize a combination of secondary and primary data sources. • National surveys, like the World Bank surveys, • Living Conditions and Monitoring Surveys, • Population Census, and • Demographic and Health Surveys. Example of sources of secondary information: Secondary information is complemented and triangulated with data collected through: Formal surveys or semi-structured interviews at focus group, key informant and household levels.

23. BLENDING METHODS The baseline approaches often blend quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data Qualitative data Enable to systematically measure the food security situation and provide a representative snapshot. Enable to capture the processes and interactions between social, political, institutional and economic factors(which determine vulnerability to food insecurity over time).

24. BLENDING METHODS Another possibility: to identify the approaches with the most appropriate strengths, and incorporate them into your specific baseline assessment methodology (according to your circumstances). Example If HIV/AIDS and socio-cultural constraints are critical issues in your particular environment, the strengths of the C-SAFE methodology could be combined with those of CARE HLS, in order to come up with an adequate baseline assessment method.

25. DEFINING AN APPROPRIATE METHOD The choice may also be based on the following criteria: The information gap which should be analysed, to identify the best methodology to provide the missing data. The institutional capacity to implement and sustain the selected method (including staff skills and logistical and financial resources). The existing food security information system, on which the methodology should rely. Constraints in accessing local populations (for example, due to security reasons). Different institutional settings and objectives, which lead to adopting different options.

26. DEFINING AN APPROPRIATE METHOD Finally, some issues to consider when selecting an appropriate methodology include: Buy-in of main institutions Maintain a balance between compromise and dogma Building local capacity for sustainability and ownership

27. SUMMARY • Baseline assessment methods differ in scope and purpose but they all provide a means to establish a benchmark from which to analyse similar issues under various food security contexts. • Five main examples of food security baseline approaches have been identified: • Poverty and Vulnerability Baseline Assessments (World Bank) • Livelihoods Assessments (e.g. DFID, CARE, OXFAM) • Household Economy Approach (e.g. Save the Children UK, FEWS-NET, Food Economy Group) • Comprehensive Vulnerability Food Security Assessments (WFP) • Programme- and project-specific baseline assessments (e.g. C-SAFE, CARE, WFP) • In practical terms, baselines often use a combination or blend of methods. • One way to blend methods is to use an appropriate combination of secondary and primary data sources. Quantitative and qualitative data can also be blended to complement each other. • A second way may be to identify within the different methods those which have the most appropriate strengths and could be incorporated into your specific baseline assessment methodology according to your circumstances.

28. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE... • Online resources • The Food Economy Approach: A Framework for Understanding Rural Livelihoods. Boudreau • www.odihpn.org/pdfbin/networkpapers026.pdf. • WFP Iraq food security baseline http://www.womenwarpeace.org/webfm_send/508 • Young H., S. Jaspars, R. Brown, J. Frize, H. Khogali, Food security assessments in emergency: a livelihoods approach. Humanitarian Network Paper 36, ODI, June 2001.http://www.odihpn.org/documents/networkpaper036.pdf • Additional readings • Shoham J., Food Security Information Systems supported by Save the Children U.K., a review. 2005. London.