Summary of the Manual for Monitoring Food Security in the Arab Region
Core Content
This manual outlines a Regional Food Security Monitoring Framework developed by the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) in collaboration with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (UN-FAO), and national focal points in the Arab region. The framework is designed to assess food security across four dimensions: availability, access, utilization, and stability, and it includes three core indicators and 21 causal indicators. The framework supports the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and aims to provide a standardized method for monitoring food security performance in the Arab region.
Main Objectives
- To evaluate the status of food security in the Arab region.
- To provide a consistent scale for comparison across countries and over time.
- To support evidence-based policy-making and interventions to improve food security.
Key Information
Normalization of Indicators
- All indicators are normalized to a 0–10 scale, where 0 is the worst performance and 10 is the best.
- Normalization is necessary to ensure consistent interpretation and comparison across indicators.
- Global minimum and maximum values are used for normalization to provide a stable baseline, rather than country-specific values, to avoid variability due to local conditions.
Core Indicators
| Indicator |
Description |
Normalization |
| C01: Undernourishment (%) |
Proportion of the population whose food consumption is insufficient to maintain a healthy life. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| C02: Food Insecurity Experience Scale (%) |
Percentage of individuals experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| C03: Obesity (%) |
Prevalence of obesity in the adult population (BMI ≥ 30). |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
Food Availability Indicators
| Indicator |
Description |
Normalization |
| AV1: Wheat Yield (%) |
Ratio of actual wheat yield to potentially achievable yield. |
Non-reversed: highest value is best (score 10), lowest is worst (score 0) |
| AV2: Agriculture Orientation Index (%) |
Ratio of government expenditure on agriculture to its contribution to GDP. |
Non-reversed: highest value is best (score 10), lowest is worst (score 0) |
| AV3: Food Losses (%) |
Percentage of food lost during production, storage, and transportation. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| AV4: Average Dietary Energy Supply Adequacy (%) |
Ratio of average dietary energy supply to average dietary energy requirement. |
Non-reversed: highest value is best (score 10), lowest is worst (score 0) |
| AV5: Import Dependency (%) |
Ratio of wheat imports to total wheat supply (production + imports + exports). |
Non-reversed: highest value is best (score 10), lowest is worst (score 0) |
| AV6: Agriculture Water (%) |
Proportion of water used in agriculture relative to total water use. |
Non-reversed: highest value is best (score 10), lowest is worst (score 0) |
Food Access Indicators
| Indicator |
Description |
Normalization |
| AC1: Poverty (%) |
Proportion of the population living below the poverty line. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| AC2: Food Consumption (%) |
Proportion of the population with adequate food consumption. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| AC3: Unemployment (%) |
Proportion of the population unemployed. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| AC4: Logistics (%) |
Efficiency of food supply chain logistics. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| AC5: Inflation (%) |
Rate of inflation affecting food prices. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
Food Utilization Indicators
| Indicator |
Description |
Normalization |
| UT1: Drinking Water Access (%) |
Proportion of the population with access to safe drinking water. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| UT2: Sanitation Access (%) |
Proportion of the population with access to improved sanitation facilities. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| UT3: Child Stunting (%) |
Proportion of children under 5 years old with stunted growth. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| UT4: Child Wasting (%) |
Proportion of children under 5 years old with wasting. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| UT5: Women Anaemia (%) |
Proportion of women with anaemia. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
Stability Indicators
| Indicator |
Description |
Normalization |
| ST1: Climate Change - Temperature Change (°C) |
Annual temperature change affecting agricultural production. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| ST2: Price Anomalies (Index) |
Index measuring food price volatility. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| ST3: Political Stability (Ranking) |
Political stability index. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| ST4: Production Variability (1,000 $/capita) |
Variability in food production per capita. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
| ST5: Supply Variability (kcal/capita/day) |
Variability in food supply per capita in terms of calories. |
Reversed: lowest value is best (score 10), highest is worst (score 0) |
Key Justifications and SDG Linkages
- Undernourishment and Food Insecurity Experience Scale are directly linked to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), reflecting the impact of food availability and access on population health.
- Obesity is indirectly linked to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), as it relates to poor dietary patterns and non-communicable diseases.
- Wheat Yield, Agriculture Orientation Index, and Food Losses are linked to SDG 2 and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), emphasizing the need for increased agricultural productivity and reduced food waste.
- Average Dietary Energy Supply Adequacy and Import Dependency are linked to SDG 2, as they reflect the ability of a country to meet caloric needs.
- Drinking Water Access, Sanitation Access, Child Stunting, Child Wasting, and Women Anaemia are linked to SDG 2 and SDG 3, highlighting the interplay between food security and overall health and well-being.
Data Sources and Methodology
- Most data is sourced from FAO and WHO.
- Some data is custom-developed or based on expert recommendations.
- Indicators are normalized using a consistent formula, with global minimum and maximum values (based on 2010 data) serving as the reference points for normalization.
- The normalization process ensures comparability across countries and time periods, and avoids penalizing countries for unattainable perfect values.
Additional Notes
- The framework was adopted in 2019 by the Executive Council of AOAD.
- The manual provides detailed descriptions of each indicator, including their definitions, measurement methods, justifications, SDG linkages, and normalization processes.
- A related publication titled "Tracking Food Security in the Arab region" offers further insights into the relationship and impact of each indicator on food security.
- The baseline year (2010) was chosen for its comprehensive data availability, and it can be adjusted in the future if needed.