The Food Consumption Score (FCS) is the most commonly used food security indicator by WFP and partners. This indicator is a composite score based on households’ dietary diversity, food consumption frequency, and relative nutritional value of different food groups. The FCS is calculated by asking how often households consume food items from the 8 different food groups (plus condiments) during a 7-day reference period.
In addition to this, the FCS module collects data on sources of the consumed foods acquired by households. Although the information is not widely used and reported, it is useful in understanding the household’s level of self-reliance (e.g. own production or cash purchases) or dependency on outside sources (e.g. food assistance). Thus, this information should also be collected as part of the standard module.
Available Resources
Please find below some resources to help you collect, calculate and analyze the FCS:
Technical Guidance Note
Read the detailed guidance document for accurate implementation, data collection, and analysis steps for FCS.
Questionnaire Modules
Download the standard questionnaire modules in Word format, including the FCS-N module.
XLS Form
Access the XLS form of the FCS module, designed in WFP Survey Designer. This can be converted to ODK form for consistent data collection across mobile and web platforms.
Scripts and Sample Data
Calculation scripts are available in the following formats:
The sample data is also available on GitHub for training and analysis.
Training Presentation
A training presentation on FCS for use by enumerators and RAM staff is available in the following languages:
Additional Resources
Small Quantities Guideline: Refer to the FCS Cut-offs for Food Group Consumption document for detailed thresholds on what qualifies as "consumed" by the household for each food group
The Data Quality Guidance provides practical steps to maintain data quality across all phases of evidence generation cycle
For more context, refer to the CARI guidance document and the CRF indicator sheet, which provides detailed information about how the indicator integrates with food security analysis frameworks
For more information, please contact the Assessments and Targeting Unit in HQ VAM at global.assessmentandtargeting@wfp.org.