Malnutrition in the World: Usefulness and Limitations of FAO and GHI Indices
Overview
This paper examines the effectiveness of two major food security measurement tools: the FAO index and the Global Hunger Index (GHI). It analyzes how these metrics measure food availability, accessibility, and utilization while critically evaluating their limitations, including data reliability issues and gaps in capturing actual household food distribution.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to food security metrics and their importance to academics and policymakers
- Usefulness and Limitations of FAO Index: analysis of food balance sheets and measurement assumptions
- Usefulness and Limitations of GHI: examination of three indicators (child mortality, undernourishment, child underweight)
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Malnutrition in the World
Usefulness and Limitations of FAO index
Food security has raised concerns among academics, policymakers, and practitioners, who have implemented measures to curb food insecurities. The metrics ensure that food is available, accessible, stable, and ready for use. Also, the metrics draw data from the individual, household, regional, and national levels (Carletto et al. 30-40). The tools vary from simple indicators whereby data is collected and analyzed to resource-intensive and detailed data. The measures depend on data from purported consequences and hypothesized determinants.
Cartello et al. (30-40) explain that the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) focuses on enhancing food security by implementing various measurement tools that help in providing numerous options. According to FAO, the measures developed in the country focus more on food availability. Food availability can be measured by tools such as “food balance sheets” that are retrieved from national food supply data. The balance sheets contain data on the quantity of food exported or imported in a country, the quantity of food used for seed, livestock, exportation, processed for other uses, and loss during transportation and storage. FAO uses the information to create the main food security measure. The data on food utilization and supply is used to estimate food surpluses and shortages, creating a projection of food demand in the future.
Moreover, it helps in setting targets for agricultural produces.