News

New E-learning Course: Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis

October 2008

A new e-learning course on Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis is now available at:

http://www.foodsec.org/dl

This course provides a definition of vulnerability and illustrates the three critical dimensions used to define it. It also presents the most commonly used methods to assess vulnerability, and provides examples and criteria for selecting appropriate vulnerability indicators.

Resources for trainers, which include powerpoint slides, learners’ and trainers’ notes, and classroom exercises are also available on the CD-Rom or at:

http://www.foodsec.org/tr_res_10.htm

The training materials can easily be adapted by institutions to suit their own training needs.

The course is available at no cost to all interested learners. A French version of the course is forthcoming.

Content

Each lesson is delivered in an interactive self-paced learning environment which uses illustrated step-by-step instructions and exercises. Specific lessons include:

1. What is Vulnerability?

This lesson provides explains the concept of vulnerability and compares alternative ways of describing vulnerability.

2. Vulnerability Assessment

This lesson explains how the concept of vulnerability is applied in practice to conducting Vulnerability Assessments and how the assessment results can be useful in decision making. It also introduces the criteria for selecting tools for vulnerability assessments.

3. Vulnerability Indicators

This lesson explains why vulnerability indicators are relevant to decision making. It also illustrates the strengths and weaknesses of a range of potential vulnerability indicators, and provides criteria for selecting and combining vulnerability indicators in specific contexts.

Target Audience

1) Mid-level managers, technical staff, field personnel who are involved in the collection, management, analysis, and reporting of food security information.

2) Planners, policy formulators and programme managers who are involved in monitoring progress in poverty reduction, and meeting food security goals and targets.

About the EC-FAO Programme

The EC-FAO Food Security Information for Action Programme provides 20 countries subject to chronic food insecurity, protracted crises or undergoing rapid economic transformation with the technical assistance and tools to obtain high-quality, timely food security information to formulate more effective anti-hunger policies.

For more information, write to:
information-for-action@fao.org

Website: www.foodsec.org