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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

LEARNING OBJECTIVES. At the end of this lesson you will be able to: identify the steps needed to assess different information systems concerned with food security analysis, in terms of their relevance and performance; and

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LEARNING OBJECTIVES

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  1. LEARNING OBJECTIVES • At the end of this lesson you will be able to: • identify the steps needed to assess different information systems concerned with food security analysis, in terms of their relevance and performance; and • understand how to take advantage of identified strengths and how to address weaknesses in the food security information systems (FSIS).

  2. INTRODUCTION Decision makers need access to reliable and up-to-date information on the overall food security situation. This lesson will help you to assess key aspects of the different information systems concerned with food security analysis. It also presents a ‘process’, which can be adapted to take into account the country specific context.

  3. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT The assessment process needs to examine the links between theprovision of information and its use. • Information needs are continually changing: • the depth of information needs has • increased. (There is more awareness of the linkages • between nutrition, food security and • livelihoods). • The need to understand the dynamic aspects of food security has also increased.

  4. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT In the past, the major focus of the development of Food Security Information Systems has been on the technical aspects of information systems. ACTION Now it is also important to understand: the institutional context and capacities within which information systems or networks operate; the relationship between information generation and action. INFORMATION GENERATION

  5. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT ACTION In order to understand the relation between information generation and action, an assessment should also explain: INFORMATION GENERATION The decision making processes around food security actions Who the key stakeholders and decision makers are If and how information is used for making those decisions To what extent the information provided is demand-driven, which is an essential aspect for the sustainability of the FSIS.

  6. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT The assessment process should answer important questions such as: Are in-country food security information systems efficient, effective and relevant to changing circumstances? Do they meet information needs?

  7. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT Steps in this assessment process are: 1) Assessing the demand for food security information 2) Assessing the existing supply of food security information 3) Comparing demand and supply to identify limitations, overlaps and gaps 4) Assessing the institutional environment 5) Developing a strategy to strengthen the food security information systems

  8. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT • Example. • The creation of a team to assess the national food security information systems leading to the definition of a strategy and operational work plan at country level. • This action plan should: • focus on the key strengths and opportunities in the existing systems that need to be protected and promoted, and • prioritize the key weaknesses and constraints that need to be addressed. Who should be invited to participate in the team?

  9. PLANNING THE ASSESSMENT • The assessment will provide. • a common vision for the future orientation • and policy linkages of the information network; • options for coordination mechanisms. • This should lead to a consensus on: • how to improve the quality of information; and • how information can be better used. (to guide the actions most relevant to different country contexts).

  10. ASSESSING THE DEMAND STEP 1: Assessing the demand for food security information • Starting point: an analysis of the national food security situation. • By reviewing the incidence, nature and causes of food insecurity and vulnerability, you should understand the priorities for food security policy and programme formulation. • You should then identify the related information needs. Example: droughts and poverty – short term versus long term concerns Note: Different food security interventions may be needed in countries where food insecurity is primarily the consequence of recurrent shocks (such as drought) as opposed to countries where chronic poverty is a primary cause of hunger. Different types of food security information will be needed to support decisions on interventions.

  11. ASSESSING THE DEMAND Different stakeholders may interpret and see food insecurity differently.. The needs expressed by the stakeholders highlight different food insecurity concerns. It is necessary to establish a consensus that accommodates all valid perspectives.

  12. ASSESSING THE DEMAND The analysis of the national food security situation should help to identify key areas of concern, where food security interventions may be needed. • The assessment team must now determine: • who the key actors in responding to the food security situation are; and • what their primary information needs as users of the food security information system might be.

  13. ASSESSING THE DEMAND Who are the primary users of a food security information system? The demand for information comes from a diverse group of stakeholders: • Policy makers & their advisers in government • Government officials, parliamentarians and their technical staff at the national/sub-national level • Local government authorities • Civil society • The donor community • Mass Media • Researchers • Training institutions • Private sector For more information, please see the Annex “Stakeholder analysis”. It can help to identify and rank the main user groups.

  14. ASSESSING THE DEMAND The team will then need to identify and prioritize the major types ofinformation that these user groups require. The information captured during the discussion can be presented in a table:

  15. ASSESSING THE SUPPLY STEP 2: Assessing the existing supply of food security information • You need to assess: • quality, • timing, and • format • in which food security information is made available in the country.

  16. ASSESSING THE SUPPLY Make a general inventory of existing food security data and information. In fact, each country will have different types of information systems, generating different information products, which need to be described.

  17. ASSESSING THE SUPPLY For each of the providers of food security-related data and information identified, the following assessment criteria should be covered: Purpose for which data and information is collected or analyzed Data management procedures Financing arrangements Strengths and weaknesses Types of data collected Main users Means of communication Periodicity and coverage of data collection Information products Coverage and level of disaggregation Please see Annex “Data Sheet”, to look at an example on how to record this information.

  18. COMPARING INFORMATION DEMAND WITH SUPPLY STEP 3: Comparing demand and supply to identify limitations, overlaps and gaps. The assessment team should analyze the information produced against the articulated users’ information needs. This analysis should answer the following key questions: Is data/information missing and/or overlapping? What are the limitations of the information supplied to the users? Is the data/information appropriate to the users’needs?

  19. COMPARING INFORMATION DEMAND WITH SUPPLY A matrix can bring together the results of the demand side analysis with the supply side analysis:

  20. ASSESSING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT STEP 4: Assessing the institutional environment The team looks at institutional roles and responsibilities. An analysis of the institutional environment should consider: The institutional mandates Mechanisms forInformation sharing The degree of integrated analysis among institutions

  21. ASSESSING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT An assessment of institutional mandates and inter-institutional linkages will reveal gaps and/or duplication in roles and activities. Which institutions have a mandate for food security policy development and implementation of food security activities? Is there is an institution that has the mandate to serve as the focal point for food security activities? Is inter-sectoral work seen to add value to the work of individual institutions? Please see Annex “Institutional Mechanisms and Mandates”, for a checklist of questions can help you analyze institutional mandates and inter-institutional linkages.

  22. ASSESSING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT Mechanisms forInformation sharing Given the cross-sectoral nature of food security issues, information should be shared among institutions for integrated food security analysis. Please see Annex “Information sharing among institutions and organizations”, for a checklist of questions can help you analyze the degree of information sharing and the constraints to improved cooperation.

  23. ASSESSING THE INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT Integrated analysis Even if there is a culture of information sharing, there is still a requirement to provide an integrated analysis. Please see Annex “Integrated analysis for food security information”, for a checklist of questions can help you assess the current arrangements for joint analysis and identify opportunities for improving this collaboration.

  24. DEVELOPING A STRATEGY STEP 5: Developing a strategy to strengthen food security information systems All the previous steps in the process should provide the basic material to develop a strategy to strengthen national food security information systems. One useful tool for synthesizing the evidence gathered and drawing out recommendations is to conduct a SWOC analysis. Please see Annex “SWOC analysis”, for more information.

  25. DEVELOPING A STRATEGY Recurrent themes from assessments in many countries have been identified. These include: Lack of political commitment Institutional constraints Technical constraints Financial constraints • Examples of possible activities might include: • Institutional changes to achieve greater integration within and • across sectors and ministries • Initiatives in the areas of data collections & management • Use of new technology • Human capacity building • Investments in new equipment and software

  26. DEVELOPING A STRATEGY The successful implementation of such a strategy for strengthening food security information systems is highly dependent on the commitment of key political decision-makers to provide adequate and continued support. • Key components of a strategy to strengthen FSIS include defining: • A priority set of data and information outputs, coverage, and periodicity • An institutional framework and coordination mechanisms • An action plan, budget and identification of available resources

  27. EXAMPLES OF FSIS ASSESSMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS A typical assessment report might include the following sections: Background and introduction Summary of situation analysis of food security and vulnerability concerns Users’ information needs Inventory of stakeholders: information producers and users Institutional mandates for food security and vulnerability information You may look at examples from Lesotho, Samoa, Fiji (pdf documents) to see how food security information systems have been analyzed, and the type of recommendations that have been made. Priority gaps and weaknesses in meeting priority information needs

  28. SUMMARY • An assessment of a food security information system should start by analyzing the overall food security situation in the country and identifying the range of stakeholders with the power and interest to improve food security. • You need to examine what data and information these users need to support their decision making. • Next you should make an inventoryof data and information provided byexisting information systems, assessing quality, timing and format. • A comparison of the users’ information needs with the supply of data and information will identify gaps, overlaps and redundancies. • You should also consider institutional mandates and inter-institutional linkages, and the opportunities for integrated analysis. • This assessment should then form the basis for developing a strategy to strengthen the food security information systems and/or networks.

  29. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE... Suggested references: McEwan, M (2003) Assessing National Information Systems: Analysis for Action. FIVIMS, FAO, Rome. FIVIMS Guidelines: To conduct an assessment of a national FIVIMS leading to the definition of a strategy and operational work plan, FAO, Rome 2003. FAO. 2001. Handbook for defining and setting up a Food Security Information and Early Warning System (FSIEWS). FAO Agricultural Policy and Economic Development Series. FAO-UN. FIVIMS, 2000. Guidelines for National FIVIMS. Background and principles. IAWG-FIVIMS. FAO-UN. FAO (2005) Formulation of a National FIVIMS Strategy. End of Workshop Report. Matautu-uta, Apia, Samoa, 30 September – 4 October 2002.

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