Regional food security and vulnerability information proposed

While countries in Southern Africa slowly recover from a regional food crisis humanitarian actors have begun seeking ways to better deal with possible future shocks on local populations. Although pockets of food insecurity still exist throughout the region, aid agencies are expected to feed fewer people this year compared to 2002/3 when 12.8 million people found themselves in the grip of a hunger crisis. According to Save the Children, a key role-player during the food emergency, a central lesson learnt was the need to bolster regional food security and vulnerability information systems. In a paper recently released, the UK-based developmental NGO said it was possible to establish a government-financed regional food security system, notwithstanding the time, expense and significant technical support it would need over several years. But given the far-reaching impact of food shortages on households it was recommended that household vulnerability assessments (VA) should form a vital part of early warning. The main drawback, however, was that integration of the two systems could prove difficult "especially since [country-level early warning systems] are already under strain". One of the ways to improve information gathering at the regional level was to encourage strong interagency collaboration by setting up a "technical hub", Save the Children said. The hub would be responsible for coordinating approaches to gathering information on food insecurity to ensure that "consistent messages" are shared with humanitarian agencies and national governments. The Southern African experience had also shown how important it was to move quickly when opportunities arose for influencing decision making, particularly at the start of a food crisis. In 2001 the results of a rapid household vulnerability assessment in Malawi had made it easier for Save The Children to lobby for support at international level. "Without this assessment there would have been no basis for lobbying," the paper noted. Malawi was one of the countries hardest hit by drought conditions in 2002/3 which saw over three million people in need of food aid. While the inclusion of government ministries, UN agencies and NGOs in the vulnerability assessment committees (VAC) in Southern Africa had reduced duplication and increased "institutional buy-in", there was also pressure not "to rock the boat" and be critical of committee process or findings, the paper said. It was suggested that "robust mechanisms" be established to ensure that "constructive dissent" was welcomed, so that committee members were not ostracised from future activities.