Analyzing food security using household survey data: Streamlined Analysis with Adept Software

Introduces the background concepts of food security and food consumption data, explains the three dimensions of food security (availability, access, and utilization) and includes the fourth dimension of stability. Food security statistics play a fundamental role in assessing the magnitude of food deprivation, estimating the level of food and nutrient consumption, forecasting the long term food consumption demand, and evaluating the impact of food security programs over time. The ideal source of information to assess food security in a country is represented by nutritional dietary surveys, but as these surveys are costly and difficult to implement, national household surveys are often used as a readily available source of data on the distribution of food consumption. To be food secure, a population, household, or individual must have access to adequate food at all times, and should not risk losing access to food as a consequence of sudden economic, climatic, or political shocks.