Collaboration to underpin sustainability of the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) in Ethiopia - Government of Ethiopia, European Union and FAO
06 February 2020, Addis Ababa - In a joint communique, the Government of Ethiopia, the European Union (EU), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighted that collaborative efforts of stakeholders will be critical in sustaining the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) methodology in Ethiopia.
Initially developed in 2004 in Somalia by FAO’s Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit, IPC is a multi-partner initiative that governments, United Nations Agencies, NGOs, civil society and other relevant actors use for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. The partners work together to determine the severity and magnitude of acute and chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition situations in a country, according to internationally recognized standards. The Government of Ethiopia and released the first IPC analysis report in November 2019.
The IPC will become the basis for early warning projections and will inform food security interventions in Ethiopia. It is operating under the auspices of the Early Warning and Emergency Response Directorate in the National Disaster Risk Management Commission.
"Although this is a government-led initiative, the sustainability of the IPC is hinged on continued collaboration among stakeholders. We appreciate the funding and technical support provided by the EU and other development partners. We call upon other partners to support the strengthening of the IPC processes," said Mitiku Kassa, Commissioner of the National Disaster Risk Management Commission.
The IPC was introduced in Ethiopia under the framework of the EU-funded FAO project - "Support the Government of Ethiopia to enhance food security information, national social protection, and Disaster Risk Management systems."
The EU Head of Cooperation to Ethiopia, Mrs. Erik Habers, said, "This type of funding is part of our strategic support to the government of Ethiopia to enhance food security information, national social protection and disaster risk management systems within the framework of our cooperation. We hope the government can achieve regular food security analysis using the IPC approach each year. "
The communique notes that the IPC will contribute to the development of a single government-owned harmonized Early Warning System that is able to trigger the Productive Safety Net Program and the Regional Disaster Risk Management contingency funds as well as the appropriate responses for the food insecure population classified in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) and IPC Phase 4 (Emergency).
Ms. Fatouma Seid, the FAO Representative in Ethiopia, said, "The adoption of the IPC approach to food security analysis is commendable and a key step in efforts to address the determinants and the dynamic nature of food insecurity in Ethiopia."
More resources
Communique - Ethiopia makes commendable strides to integrate food security information systems
Ethiopia: Acute Food Insecurity Situation
IPC Overview and Classification System
Contact
Rachel Nandelenga
Expert in Communication, FAO Ethiopia
[email protected] | +251 (0) 900806675
James Bwirani
Technical Advisor (Food Security Information Systems/IPC Implementation), FAO Ethiopia
[email protected] | +251 (0) 900807888
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Representation in Ethiopia issued this News Release.
FAO Representation in Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 647 8888