Standards setting and international coordination in food security statistics

1. Standards setting and international coordination in food security statistics Pietro Gennari, Director, Fao Statistics Division

2. Introduction • Exploratory paper: follow-up to the 17th CCSA • Objectives of the paper • to inform on new strategic initiatives support food security statistics development • to engage countries in the definition of new standards • to improve the coordination of statistical activities at the global and national levels • Organization of the paper: • Current state of affairs on food security statistics • New initiatives of data harmonization and international coordination • Proposal of involvement of the UN Statistical Commission and possibly the CCSA

3. Current status of Food Security Statistics Revamp of international debate on food security following the 2008 and 2010 food prices spike Very sensitive policy issue: Discussions in this domain tend to be considered the turf of policy analysts; insufficient attention being given to the statistical aspects of measurement. FS complex to measure (multidimensional phenomenon) Various statistical domains contribute to FS measurement (difficult to identify a lead domain) FS indicators are still directly compiled by international organizations (lack of country ownership) IO suggest different methods to assess food insecurity at country level (lack of recognized international statistical standards) Uncoordinated efforts devoted to food security information development: resources are currently scattered/fragmented food security information assistance

4. New initiatives of data harmonization and international coordination Food Security Information Network- FSIN Joint FAO/WFP Information System for Food and Nutrition Security- ISFSN FAO’s current work to improve the measurement of hunger and malnourishment Agricultural Market Information System - AMIS

5. Food Security Information Network- FSIN • Gathering international agencies, regional organizations and countries to strengthen food crisis prevention capabilities through capacity development in vulnerable countries • Not a new system, but a process (community of practices) to address the lack of coordination at international level • 3 main activities: • propose food security information standards/methods, share best practices • strengthen country and regional food security information through capacity development; • advocate for the need of a multi-level global food security information • Institutional set-up (Advisory Board, Secretariat - FAO, technical working groups) • FSIN consultative conference in Nairobi, 8-9 September 2011. • funded from the EC Food Security Thematic Programme

6. Joint FAO/WFP Information System for Food and Nutrition Security- ISFSN • Improve the existing systems, harmonize approaches and consistently organize the work of the two agencies • reduce duplications within and between agencies • prioritize resources where most needed. • 4 pillars, which represent key complementary domains: • Capacity development to information systems of member countries; • Standards, methods, and tools development; • In-country food security and nutrition assessments; • Dissemination of statistics (as global public goods). • FAO’s comparative advantages: setting statistical standards, dissemination of global public goods, tatistical capacity development • Complementarities between the FSIN and the ISFNS: FSIN provides the global platform for the implementation of the individual and joint institutional ISFNS strategies.

7. FAO work to improve the measurement of hunger and malnourishment • 3 main wok streams at FAO: • Development of a suite of indicators for a comprehensive global and national food security assessment • Revision of the methodology of the MDG indicator on the Prevalence of Undernourishment • Proposal for clear international recommendations for the collection of (food) consumption data through household surveys • FAO-WB collaboration • to evaluate the suitability of existing household surveys for food security assessment • to develop guidelines on the collection of food consumption data at the household level • Committee for Food Security (CFS), Round Table on food security measurement, FAO Headquarters, 12-13 September • International Scientific Symposium on Food and Nutrition Security Information, FAO Headquarters, January 2012

8. Conclusions All the above-mentioned initiatives are meant to lead to the develop of new methods/standards for FS statistics Need of an intergovernmental forum to endorse these standards and ensure wide adoption/proper implementation Committee on Food Security (CFS) recognized forum for food security assessment, BUT dominated by policy issues, methodological and statistical considerations not properly addressed UN Statistical Commission is the proper decision making body to endorse the proposed suite of FS indicators (importance objectivity and independence from political interference in the choice of the statistical methods and tools) Including a session at the 44th session of the UN Statistical Commission in 2013 reviewing food security statistics Establishment of a CCSA Task Team charged with the responsibility of preparing the paper for the Commission

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