DevExplains: How is a famine declared?

The word famine conjures horrible images of emaciated children with extended bellies and ribs visible through their chests as they struggle to breathe. And many thousands get to that state before famine is even declared. To actually declare a famine there is an extremely technical process used by the international community, with particular conditions of food insecurity that need to be met. Here we’ll explore what a famine is, how one is declared, and what that means. What is a famine? Famine is the most severe form of a food crisis, and is declared when several specific criteria are met: • 20% of a population suffers from extreme food shortages • 30% of children under the age of 5 are experiencing acute malnutrition • The death rate in an area has doubled, or two people — or four children — out of every 10,000 people die each day How is a famine determined? The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, known as IPC, is the common global scale for classifying food insecurity and it has become the international standard. It is composed of different global, regional, and national organizations which monitor food security. IPC’s goal is to provide “actionable information for strategic decision making” when it comes to food security so that policymakers have the most up-to-date information and can act as necessary. The IPC scale goes from 1 to 5, with 5 being the most severe at famine or “catastrophe.” What information does IPC provide? IPC provides estimates of the number of people suffering from different severities of food insecurity and malnutrition. It also includes information about when, where, why, who, and other relevant characteristics in its “Situation Analysis.” Its analysis provides a measurement of acute food insecurity, chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition, which all require different interventions. What are the other levels on the IPC scale aside from famine? There are several warning levels below famine, which IPC tracks to ensure that as much data is available as possible ahead of a worsening situation. • Phase 1: Minimal • Phase 2: Stressed • Phase 3: Crisis • Phase 4: Emergency What is ‘famine likely’? “Famine likely” is declared when it is very probable famine conditions are being met, but a lack of data prevents complete confirmation. This allows IPC to indicate the severity of the crisis and the need for an international response even if exact data is not available. Who declares a famine? The Famine Early Warning Systems Network, or FEWS NET, uses the IPC system to classify levels of acute food insecurity. In order for a famine to be declared, the Famine Review Committee must conduct its review process and reach a consensus. The process is triggered at the request of the Country IPC Technical Working Group, or another IPC partner. When that occurs, a four-to-six-member team of objective, independent food security, and nutrition experts — with support from others as invited — assess the amount and reliability of the evidence present indicating famine. These include available information on food consumption and livelihood change, nutritional status, and mortality. The Famine Review Committee uses available evidence and IPC analysis results to reach a conclusion on whether a famine is present and should be declared. The process usually takes between two and three weeks. Is the process political? While IPC claims the process was created to “supercede potential political interferences,” humanitarians say they have seen evidence of governments being able to derail famine declarations. Former United Nations undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator Mark Lowcock claimed that Ethiopian authorities slowed the famine review process for Tigray, along with what he called delays from Russia and China. Other officials in countries where famine is likely occurring have argued that a blanket declaration will actually “mislead” donors and could stymie development investment in other parts of the country.