News

A “Common Currency” for Classifying Food Security:

Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Website Launched

21 April 2008, Rome

As long as major humanitarian organizations, UN agencies and national governments use different scales for classifying food related crises, there will be confusion about which situations are most severe and developing crises may be

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) aims at providing a “common currency” for classifying food security.

overlooked. Indeed, with so many crises all over the world, it is almost impossible to understand which ones are most critical and where to intervene first when resources are limited.

In this context, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) aims at providing a “common currency” for classifying food security. Using a common scale, which is comparable across countries, will make it easier for donors, agencies and governments to identify priorities for intervention before they become catastrophic.

The IPC Process Can Lead to More Coordinated Response

The IPC can also lead to more coordinated interventions. This is because the IPC process is based on having representatives from all the main food security related organizations, including the national government, literally sit together to gain consensus on the current and evolving food security situation. In many countries, this will provide a unique opportunity for everyone to work together, and could naturally lead to more coordinated response efforts. Furthermore, classifications are based on meticulously documented evidence and the whole process is very transparent.

The IPC Builds On ExistingInformation Systems

While it is clear that the IPC requires a substantial amount of data to back up classifications, people don’t always realize that the IPC does not replace existing information or classification systems. Rather, it builds on whatever information is already available and uses a “convergence of evidence” approach. It thus provides a way of harmoniously bringing together data and information from many different sources.

Role of the Media

In the real world, media professionals more than food security experts, play a key role in pointing the public’s

In the real world, media professionals more than food security experts, play a key role in pointing the public’s attention towards emerging crisis situations.

attention towards emerging crisis situations – hopefully before they reach the “CNN disaster moment”. It is thus vital to communicate findings in a visually compelling way that can be easily understood by a wide audience. The IPC maps fulfil this need by giving a very clear, intuitive picture of the situation in one glance. Nonetheless, if you dig deeper, the maps contain a great deal of information early warning information, the number of people affected, the main reasons for the severity of the crisis and more.

The IPC Global Partners

It is not surprising then that several key partners have joined together to further develop the IPC and have begun using it in several countries. The IPC Global Partners include:
- the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- The World Food Programme (WFP)
- Care International
- the European Commission Joint Research Centre (EC JRC)
- the Famine Early Warning System Network
- Oxfam Great Britain
- Save the Children UK and US.

Funding

The European Union, the Dutch government, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the U.K.’s Department for International Development (DFID) are providing funding.

Countries Where IPC Activities Are Taking Place

Originally developed in Somalia by the Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU), IPC maps are now being produced in Somalia and Kenya - where the IPC has been officially adopted by the national government. IPC related activities have been substantial in Southern Sudan and Burundi, while start-up activities are taking place in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. IPC related training, awareness raising activities and pilot tests have also taken place in Southern Africa and Asia. Lessons learned from using the IPC in different countries will help refine the system even further.

The IPC Website

As the IPC gains increasing attention worldwide and rapidly evolves, it has become vital to have one place where all IPC related information can be found and exchanged. A new website has thus been set up by the IPC partners: www.ipcinfo.org.

The website contains the IPC maps and food security classifications for many countries, related analysis, information about training workshops, publications and news articles, updates to the IPC technical manual, and much more. In the near future, an e-learning course and related training materials will also be available. Interactive features, such as forums, are also being planned.


The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) Website: http://www.ipcinfo.org

The EC- FAO Food Security Information for Action Programme has helped support the development of the IPC.