--- title: "Livelihood Coping Strategies – Food Security" slug: "livelihood-coping-strategies-food-security" updated: 2026-04-30T08:28:09Z published: 2026-04-30T08:28:09Z canonical: "vamresources.manuals.wfp.org/livelihood-coping-strategies-food-security" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://vamresources.manuals.wfp.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Livelihood Coping Strategies – Food Security The LCS-FS indicator is a household-level tool used by WFP to assess how households cope with food shortages. It captures medium- and long-term coping behaviours that reflect a household’s ability to manage and recover from shocks such as conflict, climate events, or economic crises. Households often adopt various strategies when facing food insecurity. These range from stress-level actions (e.g., borrowing money) to crisis-level (e.g., selling productive assets) and emergency-level strategies (e.g., engaging in high-risk activities). The LCS-FS tracks whether these strategies were used in the past 30 days or exhausted in the past 12 months. Unlike short-term consumption indicators (e.g., rCSI), LCS-FS focuses on livelihood-based responses that may have lasting impacts on household well-being, productivity, and resilience. **Available Resources** Please find below some resources to help you collect, calculate, and analyse the LCS-FS: **Technical Guidance Note** Read the detailed [guidance document](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000147801/download/) for accurate implementation, data collection, and analysis steps for LCS-FS. **List of Strategies** The list of strategies and their definitions are available in the following languages: - [English](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000147820/download/) - Arabic (Coming Soon) - [French](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000153315/download/) - [Spanish](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000155418/download/) **Questionnaire Modules** These are three modules for the LCS-FS indicator, which can be downloaded in Word format: - [Generic version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000149801/download/) of Livelihood Coping Strategies – Food Security is applicable for both data collection conducted in rural and urban settings. - [Urban version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000149803/download/) of Livelihood Coping Strategies – Food Security is applicable for data collection conducted in urban settings only. - [Rural version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000149802/download/) of Livelihood Coping Strategies – Food Security is applicable for data collection conducted in rural settings only. **XLS Form** You can access the XLS modules for LCS-FS, designed in [WFP Survey Designer](https://www.surveydesigner.vam.wfp.org/design/survey). This can be converted to ODK form for consistent data collection across mobile and web platforms: - [Generic version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000134094/download/) of the XLS form. - [Urban version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000134094/download/) of the XLS form. - [Rural version](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000147649/download/) of the XLS form. **Training Presentation** A training presentation on LCS-FS for use by enumerators, VAM and M&E staff is available in the following languages: - [English](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000149797/download/) - [Arabic](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000161180/download/) - [French](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000153317/download/) - [Spanish](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000158061/download/) **Qualitative Tools** You can find the LCS-FS qualitative tool for conducting focus group discussions in the following languages: - [English](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000147829/download/) - Arabic (Coming Soon) - French (Coming Soon) **Scripts and Sample Data** Calculation scripts are available in the following formats: - [SPSS](https://github.com/WFP-VAM/RAMResourcesScripts/blob/main/Indicators/Livelihood-Coping-Strategies-FS/LCS-FS-indicator.sps) - [STATA](https://github.com/WFP-VAM/RAMResourcesScripts/blob/main/Indicators/Livelihood-Coping-Strategies-FS/LCS-FS%20updated%20Oct%202025.do) - [R](https://github.com/WFP-VAM/RAMResourcesScripts/blob/main/Indicators/Livelihood-Coping-Strategies-FS/LCSI-FS.R) The [sample data](https://github.com/WFP-VAM/RAMResourcesScripts/blob/main/Static/LCS_Sample_Survey/LHCS_FS_Sample_Survey.csv) is also available on [GitHub](https://github.com/WFP-VAM/RAMResourcesScripts/tree/main/Indicators/Livelihood-Coping-Strategies-FS) for training and analysis. **Additional Resources** - You can find a short [FAQ document](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000154224/download/) compiling questions received from the field - The [Data Quality Guidance](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000161492/download/) provides practical steps to maintain data quality across all phases of evidence generation cycle - For more context, refer to the [CARI guidance document](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000134704/download/) and the [CRF indicator sheet](https://docs.wfp.org/api/documents/WFP-0000171257/download/), 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](mailto:global.assessmentandtargeting@wfp.org).