In Ethiopia, there are no standard procedures to assess emergency situations. As a result, the information these assessments produce varies in quality and credibility. This can damage responses to food insecurity and humanitarian crises.

Food insecurity is increasing in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government’s approach to assessing food insecurity contrasts greatly with most international approaches. Consequently, many food security programmes involve negotiations between groups, rather than focusing on systematic and credible procedures to assess food security needs. Conflicting interests within and between different organisations can lead to problems being exaggerated or understated, depending on the interests of each organisation.

Research commissioned by the World Food Programme, and implemented by the Overseas Development Institute in the UK, reviews the practices used to assess emergency needs in Ethiopia. The study distinguishes Emergency Food Needs Assessment (EFNA), Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA) and Emergency Needs Assessment (ENA).

EFNA considers the food needs of the population during a crisis and how food aid can meet these needs. EFSA examines the causes of food insecurity and how to reduce immediate problems whilst developing long-term food security. ENA is an approach which considers the range of different needs in an emergency and responds with actions from different sectors.

The research shows:

• Although EFSA exists in Ethiopia, its technical credibility is questionable. This is because it is based on negotiations between different teams and agencies.
• The EFSA system is open to biased opinions at community, district, regional and national levels.
• All assessment procedures face the major challenges of distinguishing between chronic and transitory food insecurity, and assessing the impacts of food aid.

Although large-scale famine in Ethiopia has been reduced in recent years, it is still necessary to improve the quality and credibility of emergency assessment procedures. Improving these procedures will ensure that adequate systems are in place to detect food insecurity and prevent large-scale famines in the future.

The researchers intend to use their findings to inform World Food Programme efforts to improve emergency assessment practices globally. Key policy lessons include:

• Assessors should be required to substantiate their findings to ensure that the information provided is credible.
• Rewarding and acknowledging good assessment practice will help to improve and maintain standards and increase consistency in assessment techniques.
• Clarifying key indicators for monitoring emergencies, and reducing the number of these, will create a more manageable and reliable monitoring system.
• Policymakers must develop a wider understanding food security, based on food access, availability and how people use food differently.

Source(s):
‘A review of emergency food security assessment practice in Ethiopia’ Research Report, Humanitarian Policy Group, Overseas Development Institute, by Nicholas Haan, Nisar Majid and James Darcy, 2006 (PDF) Full document.

Funded by: The United Nations World Food Programme

id21 Research Highlight: 12 December 2006

Further Information:
Nicholas Haan
T-Ana International
P.O. Box 366
Sarit Center
Nairobi
Kenya

Tel: +254 (0) 733 616882
Contact the contributor: nhaan@t-ana.com

World Food Programme

Humanitarian Policy Group
Overseas Development Institute
111 Westminster Bridge Road
London, SE1 7JD
UK

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7922 0300
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7922 0399
Contact the contributor: hpgadmin@odi.org.uk

Overseas Development Institute, UK

Other related links:
id21 insights #61 - Achieving food security: what next for sub-Saharan Africa?

'Fighting hunger and poverty in Ethiopia'

'Food aid that supports development: searching for appropriate policies' >

'Making sense of food security measurements'

'Is food aid effective?'