Food Security Conceptual Model

The FSNAU bases its understanding of food, nutrition, and livelihood security on four key dimensions: Access, Availability, Utilization, and Stability. The FSNAU has developed a Food Security & Nutrition Analysis System (FSNAS) that holistically integrates both conceptual and analytical aspects of its work, and is underpinned by livelihoods analysis.

Key aspects of livelihoods analysis include an understanding of:

• livelihood strategies (e.g., food/income sources, expenditures, coping strategies)
• livelihood assets (human, financial, physical, natural, and social capital)
• integrated sectoral analysis
• multiple scales of analysis including macro-, meso-, and intrahousehold-level dynamics
• proximate to underlying causes
• resistance
• resilience
• risk management

A special emphasis of the FSNAU is the conceptual and analytical integration of food security and nutrition. FSNAU utilizes a wide range of research methods:-

• nutritional anthropometry and dietary assessments
• satellite imagery and geographic information systems
• market analysis
• household surveys
• coping strategies index (CSI)
• crop and livestock production surveys
• focus groups and key informants
• review of secondary data and reports
• participatory research methods