Table 1 Key indicators and measurement approaches.
From: Exploring the reality of global food insecurity and policy gaps
Dimension | Target | Indicator | measurement | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Availability | Ensure adequate nutrition and avoid undernourishment | Dietary energy supply (kcal per capita per day, 3-year average). | Average daily food energy per person (kcal): High: >2500 kcal, Moderate: 2100–2500 kcal, Low: <2100 kcal | FAOSTAT |
Ensure everyone has access to the minimum dietary energy needed for a healthy life. | Average dietary energy supply adequacy (percent) (3-year average) | The result is a percentage where 100% means the dietary energy supply meets the population’s average needs. The formula is: ADES = (Average dietary energy requirement Total dietary energy supply) × 100 | FAOSTAT | |
Improve dietary diversity and lower dependency on staple foods | Share of dietary energy supply derived from cereals, roots and tubers (kcal/cap/day) (3-year average) | A high dependency on these staples indicates vulnerability to food insecurity: Low Share <50%, Medium Share ≥50% and <70% and High Share ≥70% | FAOSTAT | |
Balanced diet with adequate levels of both animal and plant-based proteins | Average supply of protein of animal origin (g/cap/day) (3-year average | Low share: <20 grams per capita/day (food insecure), medium level: 30–60 grams per capita/day and high level: >60 grams per capita/day (food secure) | FAOSTAT | |
Access | Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) | Political stability and absence of violence /terrorism (index) | The index ranges from approximately −2.5 (weak) to 2.5 (strong) governance performance. | FAOSTAT |
Invest in rural infrastructure, agricultural research, technology and gene banks | Agriculture orientation index for government expenditures | High Food Access: AOI > 0.5, moderate food access: AOI between 0.25 and 0.5, low food access: AOI <0.25 | FAOSTAT | |
Ensure stable food commodity markets and timely access to information | SDG Indicator 2.c.1: Food price anomalies | High food access, abnormally high: IFPA ≥ 1 (severe food price anomalies, potential crisis), moderately high:0.5 ≤ IFPA < 1 (significant anomalies, requires monitoring) | FAOSTAT | |
Investment in transport, infrastructure and technology | Rail line density | High rail line density reflects a well-developed transportation network, aiding the efficient transport of food from farms to markets and cities. Low density: <0.5 km per 100 sq. km, medium density: 0.5 to 1.5 km per 100 sq. km and high density: >1.5 km per 100 sq. km | FAOSTAT | |
Utilization | End all forms of malnutrition | SDG Indicator 2.2.1: Prevalence of childhood stunting | Low levels of stunting indicate good food security, while high levels point to nutritional deficiencies and poor food security Low: <10%, Medium: 10–20% High: 20–30%, Very High: >30% | FAOSTAT/UNICEF |
End all forms of malnutrition | SDG Indicator 2.2.2: Prevalence of childhood malnutrition (wasting or overweight) | Low prevalence of both wasting and overweight indicates balanced nutrition. Less than 5%: Acceptable, 5–9%: Poor, 10–14%: Serious 15% or more: Critical | FAOSTAT/UNICEF | |
Access to water sources | Percentage of population using safely managed drinking water services (percent) | Low Access: <50% of the population Medium Access: 50%–80% of the population High Access: >80% of the population | FAOSTAT | |
Access to sanitation facilities | Percentage of population using at least basic sanitation services (percent) (Item | Low Access: <25% of the population Medium Access: 25%–70% of the population High Access: >90% of the population | FAOSTAT |
