Food System Characterization P. Ericksen Delhi IGP 3

Objectives of characterization Distinguish both commonalities across regional sites, as well as unique differences Identify those determinants which are sensitive to GEC, those which make the system vulnerable, and those which could be reinforced to buffer the system against stress.

FOOD UTILISATION Components of Food Systems & Key Elements FOOD ACCESS Affordability Allocation Preference Nutritional Value Social Value Food Safety FOOD AVAILABILITY Production Distribution Exchange

Food Availability Amount, type, and quality of food a unit (household, village, region) has at its disposal to consume

Availability - Production How much and what kind of food is produced. Determinants include: –Soil fertility, crop varieties, –land holding sizes, tenancy arrangements –irrigation availability, –etc.

Availability - Distribution How food is made available, in what form, when and to whom. Determinants may include: –Transportation and infrstructure –Gender and age –Public safety nets –Post harvest processing, storage

Availability- Exchange A given unit’s ability to obtain food via exchange mechanisms such as barter, trade, loans, purchase. Determinants include: –Income levels, remittances –Purchasing power –Local customs –Social networks

Access to Food The strategies households, communities, regions employ to obtain the type, quality, and quantity of food they require.

Access - Affordability The purchasing power of households or communities relative to the price of food. Determinants: –Pricing policies –Season and geographic variability in price –Form in which households are paid

Access – Allocation The mechanisms governing when, where and how food can be accessed. Determinants: –Markets! –Government policies

Access - preference Social or cultural norms and values that influence demand for certain types of food. Determinants: –Religion –Season –Advertising –Preparation requirements

Food Utilization Household or community capacity (incl. Strategies) to consume food. Has traditionally been the entry point for analysis of food security from a nutritional standpoint

Utilization – Nutritional value How much of daily requirements of calories, vitamins, protein and micronutrients are provided by food consumed? Determinants: –Diversity of diet –Type of primary protein –Disease incidence

Utilization – Social Value All social and cultural aspects of consumption. Understanding the determinants requires insight into community and household relations –Kinship customs –Holidays

Utilization – food safety Can households process and prepare food without risk of contamination or decrease in nutritional value Determinants –Facilities for cooking –Access and availability of safe drinking water –Hygiene practices

Food system determinants Food System ComponentKey DeterminantGreater Faridpur, BDGujrat, PK Food Utilisation Nutritional ValueFood diversityLowOK Primary proteinpulsesmeat/pulse/milk Effect of food processing on food quality decreases quality Social ValueSocial bonding/celebrationsimportant but weakeningimportant Role of food in kinshipweakening Esteem from agricultural production/ farmer identity HH self-suficency valued Food SafetyPublic awareness re hygieneLowlow Presence of pathogens contaminationArsenic in drinking waterpesticides in water Storage conditionsPoorunknown

Food system determinants Food Access Determinant BangladeshPakistan Affordabilityhousehold incomesGenerally lowmedium/high proportion of food purchased60% self-sufficient in rice? Policy support?Conducive govt. policy but inadequate institutional support ? Allocation Control over own productionsharecroppers get small share? Degree of market influencemarket-driven? Government intervention re markets Inadequateadequate Market efficiency (storage capacity, integration…) low or poor?? PreferencePreferred carbohydrateRice dominates culturallywheat, rice second preferred proteinFish but expensiveEat what produce Consumption patternschanging towards more commercially processed food ??

Food system determinants

Exercise Fill in the matrix for sites 2 and 4, choosing the key determiants. Observation is a description of the value of the determinant. –How relevant is it at your site? How would you characterize it. –List data sources if you can. Any information on trends or ranking?