Advanced EFSA Learning Programme2.1. SG-Steps of Situation Analysis in an EFSA.docx

2.1.Steps of Situation Analysis in an EFSA

Session-at-a-glance

Content / Approximate Time / Instructional Activity
Steps of EFSA Situation Analysis / 30 minutes / Plenary presentation & Q&A
Total Time / 30 minutes

Session Objectives

After this session, participants should be able to:

  • Explain why a situation analysis is carried out in an EFSA.
  • Identify the six steps of an EFSA situation analysis.

Session Supplies

  • Power-point: 2.1. Six Steps of EFSA Situation Analysis.pptx

Key Messages

A situation analysis is conducted as part of the EFSA in order to understand the current food security & nutrition status of the population & the risks confronting that population - what their status is at the moment of the assessment.

The six steps of EFSA situation analysis include the following:

  • Step 1: Synthesize contextual information to gain understanding of crisis.
  • Step 2: Estimate the numbers of individuals & of HHs whose lives and/or livelihoods are at risk.
  • Step 3: Determine the characteristics of individuals & HHs at risk, and define livelihood or other relevant groups.
  • Step 4: Identify the reasons why lives and/or livelihoods of these groups are at risk.
  • Step 5: Determine whether food insecurity and/or malnutrition is chronic or transitory.
  • Step 6:Estimate the severity of food insecurity & malnutrition.

Guidance Materials

WFP EFSA Handbook, Second Edition / January 2009, pages 152-170.

Facilitator Guidance and session preparation

The session should be a quick summary of the steps, giving participants the opportunity to pose questions or offer comments on which steps represent greatest challenges.

Keep it short: it is just a summary.

Room Setup

Arrange for plenary work in the plenary conference room.

Session Activities

Steps of EFSA Situation Analysis

45 minutes

Use PPTs 1-10 to review the session objectives, present the “Where are we?” process guide, the reasons for conducting a situation analysis as part of the EFSA, and the six steps that should be carried out to complete that analysis. Note in particular:

PPT 5: The situation analysis is intended to provide a picture – a snapshot – of food security conditions at the moment of the assessment. It analyses what “is” at this point in time (as opposed to the forecast analysis which considers how these conditions are likely to evolve.)

PPT 6: The situation analysis necessarily includes an estimation by the team of how many are at risk due to the shock. This step is clearly one of the most difficult: often the “best” figures the team can produce are extrapolations based on somewhat subjective data gathering techniques such as proportional piling conducted by focus groups. Often reliable census data is non-existent or difficult to come be for the affected area or population. It is important for teams to state how they came up with the figures they did.

PPT 7: Step 3 requires household profiling to understand the particular characteristics of the affected. This will also help with the targeting process should decision-makers decide that a response is in fact needed.

PPT 8: This step involves an analysis of coping strategies employed by the affected and whether or not those strategies are sustainable.

PPT 9: Note that an estimation of the severity of food and nutrition insecurity is a critical part of the team’s responsibilities; to do this, a clear understanding of food access – and food access indicators – will be required.

After making the presentation, if time remains, show PPT 11 and ask participants to note how, if at all, this process corresponds to their own experience: What is similar? What is different? (If you have run out of time, skip PPT 11.)

Be sure to keep the discussion to the allocated 30 minutes.

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