Suggestions toward developing a conceptual framework for measuring food security, health and nutritional status of the communities of different agricultural systems:
Food security, nutrition and health of different communities of different agricultural systems vary. To some extend it depends on agricultural practices and the diversity of the agricultural systems. Food security, nutrition and health have the multidimensionality aspects of social, economic and environmental issues. Therefore it can be assessed by multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and indicators from multidisciplinary subjects. Understanding the status of the food security, nutrition and health, and policy measures can be developed by indicator based MCDA analysis of the communities of different agricultural systems. A systems of systems approach can be used for framing detail data collection. The data related to protein and calorie productivity, energy use efficiency, human and physical compatibility, economic and social equity, food security, nutrition and health can be collected by using both qualitative and quantitative data-collection methods consist of interviews using a questionnaire, measurement of food/nutrient intake, anthropometry, and observations of clinical signs of malnutrition and so on.
Byomkesh Talukder