• Introduction

Introduction to livelihoods and food security

Food security analyses based on integrated livelihoods approaches have a much better potential to inform appropriate policies and interventions. Unfortunately, the local-level, disaggregated nature of these studies introduces difficulties in the scaling-up of findings and policies. In response, this paper presents the FIVIMS (Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems) ‘Integrated Livelihoods Security Information System’ (FILSIS), a national information and mapping system.

FILSIS is an amalgamation of ‘off the shelf’ methodologies, such as household surveys, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and periodic national surveys which integrate nutritional data with livelihoods information in order to meet stakeholder needs for food security information. The methodology is able to address two problems:

• transitory lack of access to adequate food, and basic medical care, water, and sanitation services which, together, impact on the nutritional status of well-defined population groups
• chronic sources of risk to the security of livelihoods, as measured by the level and stability of household income and other relevant indicators

FILSIS is a two-track approach- fighting food insecurity by dealing with shocks, and tackling household income poverty by strengthening livelihoods. This requires:

• better inter-agency collaboration
• higher levels of donor resourcing
• effective use of innovative GIS, mapping and database software
• genuine commitment to building in-country capacity to collect, analyse and disseminate food security information.

The authors hope that despite significant institutional, technical and financial challenges, FILSIS can serve as an effective information system for fighting poverty and hunger.

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