Food Security Assessments

  • Updated on Oct 10, 2025
  • Published on Aug 12, 2025
  • 2 minute(s) read
  • MJ
  • IK
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Depending on the context and purpose, WFP is using different types of assessments to best inform its operations. This includes:

Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessments (CFSVAs) are in-depth face-to-face studies that informs the food security status of different population groups and analyse the drivers of vulnerability. These assessments are crucial for decision-makers to plan and implement food security programs.

Validity: In more stable contexts, CFSVA findings are valid for three to five years, unless there are drastic changes to the food security situation in the meantime.

Food Security Assessments are regular face-to-face or remote assessments informing the food security situation of the entire population in a country or specific area/population group, e.g. refugees. They contain at least the key food security indicators needed to calculate the main food insecurity figure as well as basic demographic information. These assessments have various names depending on the country and focus, e.g.: Food Security and Livelihoods Assessment, Food Security and Nutrition Monitoring System, Needs Assessment, Seasonal Food Security Assessment, Pre-Lean Season Assessment or Vulnerability Assessment. Furthermore, Essential Needs Assessments are similar but focusing holistically on essential needs rather than only food needs.

Validity: Food Security Assessments are usually done every year to ensure findings are informing the current situation. In large operations where seasonality brings larger changes to food security levels, e.g., with high reliance on agriculture, biannual assessments can be necessary.

Emergency Food Security Assessments are done after an emergency and are divided into three types: initial assessment, rapid assessment and in-depth assessment.

  • Initial assessments are rapid, short assessments used in emergencies to provide a quick overview of the impact of a shock on food security outcomes. This is often done using the 72-hour assessment approach, utilising existing data to provide an initial overview of the situation.

  • Rapid assessments are using rigorous procedures for primary data collection and analysis but rely substantially on assumptions, estimates and approximations due to time and access constraints.

  • In-depts emergency assessments provide more substantial information based on rigorous methodology. They are more time-consuming and not possible for sudden-onset crises.

Validity: Done on ad hoc basis in emergency contexts and/or after a shock.

Further assessments done by WFP VAM are the Joint Assessment Mission (with UNHRC), the Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (with FAO), the Joint Approach to Nutrition and Food Security Assessments (with UNICEF), and specialised thematic studies.

Furthermore, regular price monitoring, market assessments and geospatial analysis is done to complement food security assessment findings.