Arif Husain, the chief economist of the World Food Programme (WFP), recently discussed the process behind the release of the newest food security report for the war-torn area of Gaza in December. He provided insights into the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC) used for the report.
What is the level at which famine is declared?
Famine is essentially a technical term, referring to a population that faces widespread malnutrition and hunger-related deaths due to a lack of access to food.
According to Mr. Husain from WFP, a famine occurs when three criteria are met in a particular region, be it a town, village, city, or even a country.
- At least 20 per cent of the population in that particular area are facing extreme levels of hunger;
- 30% of the children are stunted
In the same location, 30% of the children are either underweight or fall below the expected height, while another 30% experience stunted growth.
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The mortality rate has doubled compared to the standard, with adults experiencing an average of two deaths per 10,000 individuals per day and children experiencing an average of four deaths per 10,000 individuals per day.
“It is evident that famines are a result of a collective failure,” he stated. “We must take action well before a famine occurs to prevent starvation, wasted children, and deaths from hunger-related causes.”
In 1984, a mother and her child found respite at a relief center in Bati, Ethiopia.
How is the measurement of hunger recorded?
Famines today are different than those experienced in the 1970s or 1980s, when drought was the main driver in Ethiopia and other nations, Mr. Husain told UN News, adding that years ago, when a famine occurred, “we could say, ‘I’m sorry. I did not know. If I had known, I would have done something about it.’”
He stated that due to the immediacy of current events, we can no longer claim ignorance. The responsibility is greater now compared to past times.
Climate-related food insecurity is now closely monitored thanks to a detailed tracking system used by international humanitarian agencies wherever they work, and today, famines or risks of one developing are now largely driven by conflict, as seen in South Sudan, Yemen and now in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
In the modern era, the potential of famine caused by climate change has been greatly reduced due to the creation of a unique method for monitoring severe hunger. This method was first developed during the 2004 crisis in Somalia by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and has since been adopted by humanitarian organizations worldwide.
This project is known as the IPC, which stands for Integrated Security Phase Classification.
A family in Yemen is enjoying a meal made possible by the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
What does IPC stand for?
This initiative, known as the IPC, aims to enhance the analysis and decision-making processes related to food security and nutrition through collaboration with multiple partners.
The classification and analytical method used by IPC assists various organizations, including governments, UN Agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and other relevant actors, in collaborating to assess the extent and impact of food insecurity and malnutrition, both short-term and long-term, in a country based on global standards.
The initiative spread has been utilized in over 30 countries. A worldwide coalition of 19 organizations is spearheading the creation and execution of the IPC on a global, regional, and national scale.
The IPC has a proven track record of over 20 years and is widely recognized as one of the top methods in promoting food security worldwide.
Additionally, it serves as a exemplar of cooperation amongst more than 30 nations in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.
The IPC monitors hunger and can also signal early warnings for possible widespread extreme malnutrition before it progresses into more dire life-threatening situations.
What is the functionality of the IPC?
The IPC does not gather data itself. The data is gathered by its humanitarian partners who are working in the field.
The information can cover food security, nutrition, mortality and people’s livelihoods as well as calorie intake, what kind of coping strategies people use to find food and the measurements of children’s arms to monitor malnutrition, known as the middle-upper arm circumference, or MUAC.
According to Mr. Husain, data continues to be collected even in areas affected by war.
In situations where destinations are not accessible, surveys conducted via mobile phones are implemented to gather data. If this is not feasible, satellites can provide information.
The United Nations sustains its provision of essential food aid in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
Experts from IPC partners analyze a significant amount of data to provide valuable insights for decision makers. This can help address on-the-ground needs and prevent a worst-case situation.
Experts within the International Panel on Climate Change (IPC) come together to examine the information and group populations into five distinct categories. These include: minimal or no reported difficulty in accessing food (phase one), individuals experiencing stress (phase two), a food crisis (phase three), an emergency situation (phase four), and a catastrophic famine (phase five).
Using the proportions of people in each of the five phases, regions are assigned a level of severity, represented by various colors on the IPC map, ranging from least to most severe (minimal, stress, crisis, emergency, and famine).
Every phase classification for a geographical area has significant and unique consequences for deciding the best location and method of intervention, which ultimately affects the main objectives of the response.
Children who have been forced to leave their homes are looking for food nearby their temporary shelters in Rafah, located in the southern part of Gaza.
Famine Review Committee
If a famine is suspected, an extra action is taken by the IPC Famine Review Committee.
The committee consists of leading professionals in various fields, including nutrition, health, and food security. They meet when the number of people in IPC phase five, indicating famine or catastrophic conditions, exceeds 20%.
The collaborative process entails all parties reaching a mutual decision, which is verified by the Famine Review Committee.
The committee convenes to review and assess the data and analyses provided by IPC partners in order to verify their validity and determine if they warrant a classification of famine or potentially classify as such.
The specialists provide an overview of current events and make predictions for the upcoming three to six months, as seen in the IPC report of Gaza from December.
The drought in Somalia has resulted in over two million individuals experiencing extreme shortages of food and water.
How do aid organizations address alerts for hunger?
Humanitarian organizations utilize the valuable IPC classifications to strategize and assist individuals starting from the third phase of crisis, with the aim of preventing a famine.
“Our goal is to reach people before they face a potentially famine-like situation or reach IPC phase five,” stated Mr. Husain. “We diligently work at crisis and emergency levels to prevent loss of life and keep them from reaching the classified famine stage.”
This involves increasing food assistance.
He stated that by doing that, we have the potential to save lives.
Mothers in the Delams neighborhood in Port-au-Prince, Haiti bring their children for nutrition examinations.
Famine is considered the taboo “F” word for us.
Based on WFP calculations, approximately 309 million individuals across 72 countries are currently experiencing severe levels of hunger, indicating that there is still a significant need for aid.
According to Mr. Husain, famine is like the notorious “F” word for us. He stressed that our ultimate aim is to prevent it from happening.
Mr. Husain stated that the most effective solution to preventing famines would be to end the conflicts. However, if this is not possible immediately, it is our duty to ensure that the innocent are fed and have access to necessities such as water and medicine, whether they are still living in these war-torn areas or have been forced to leave.
The latest report from the IPC about Gaza states that a severe food shortage is expected to happen in the near future.
On March 18, the most recent report from the IPC Famine Review Committee was released, detailing the deteriorating conditions in Gaza. For some time, UN teams on location have been cautioning about a looming famine, exacerbated by the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas’s October 7th attacks on Israel.
Mohammad is being evaluated as a part of a malnutrition check at a tent clinic in Rafah, located in southern Gaza, which is supported by UNICEF.
Take a look at our article about the release.
The Gaza Strip has experienced devastating consequences from Israel’s military operations, resulting in over 31,000 deaths. As a result of aid being blocked from entering the area and the constant bombardment, many citizens are suffering from hunger and an increasing number have died due to starvation.
Beginning in February 2024, the total population of Gaza, which consists of 2.2 million individuals, was designated as being at the IPC phase three crisis level or higher. According to the group’s statement, this is the largest proportion of people classified as facing severe levels of acute food insecurity in any specific area or country to date.
The UN agencies and partners were the first to raise concerns after Israel invaded Gaza in October, prompting the IPC Famine Review Committee to release its initial report on the situation at the end of 2023.
Despite ongoing factors contributing to food insecurity, a second production took place in March 2024.
Here are a few notable points from the most recent report:
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The requirements to avoid famine have not been fulfilled, and new evidence shows that there will be a famine in the northern regions soon, potentially happening between mid-March and May 2024.
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88% of the population in Gaza are currently experiencing food insecurity at levels categorized as IPC level four or higher, which falls under the emergency classification or even worse.
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Out of this population, approximately half (1.1 million individuals) are facing a catastrophic situation, known as IPC phase five.
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The prevalence of extreme malnutrition is projected to exceed the famine threshold (30%) in northern Gaza as the percentage of children suffering from wasting rises dramatically from 0.8% to 15% over a period of several months.
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The increasing trend in non-trauma deaths is projected to speed up, causing the famine threshold to be reached by May 2024.
- The increased nutritional vulnerability of children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and the elderly is a particular source of concern
- Projections for March through July indicate that 100 per cent of Gaza’s population, or 2.23 million people, will faces crisis levels of food insecurity
Source: news.un.org
