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A review of hunger indices and methods to monitor country commitment to fighting hunger

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  • Masset, Edoardo

Abstract

Several indices measuring hunger and progress in achieving hunger eradication have been proposed in the literature. This paper reviews existing hunger indices and critically assesses their quality against a number of desirable properties. Hunger indices are found to be unsatisfactory in a number of ways: they ignore distributional issues; they neglect the occurrence of food and health shocks; and are sometimes based on unreliable data. Anthropometric measurements, stunting in particular, emerge as powerful indicators of hunger and are ideal for addressing a number of policy relevant issues. The paper also introduces a conceptual framework for an index measuring country commitment to fighting hunger. The constitutive elements of this index are illustrated: political will, anti-hunger policies and programmes. Suggestions are made on how a commitment index can be built and what are the data requirements.

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  • Masset, Edoardo, 2011. "A review of hunger indices and methods to monitor country commitment to fighting hunger," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 102-108, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jfpoli:v:36:y:2011:i:supplement1:p:s102-s108
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    Cited by:

    1. M. Huchet Bourdon & C. Laroche Dupraz, 2014. "National food security: a framework for public policy and international trade," FOODSECURE Working papers 17, LEI Wageningen UR.
    2. de Haen, Hartwig & Klasen, Stephan & Qaim, Matin, 2011. "What do we really know? Metrics for food insecurity and undernutrition," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 760-769.
    3. Mahlako Nthabeleng Mokgomo & Clarietta Chagwiza & Phathutshedzo Fancy Tshilowa, 2022. "The Impact of Government Agricultural Development Support on Agricultural Income, Production and Food Security of Beneficiary Small-Scale Farmers in South Africa," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-21, October.
    4. Stein, Alexander J., 2013. "Rethinking the measurement of undernutrition in a broader health context: Should we look at possible causes or actual effects:," IFPRI discussion papers 1298, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    5. Germán Forero-Cantor & Javier Ribal & Neus Sanjuán, 2020. "Measuring regional differences in food security from access and stability dimensions: A methodological proposal based on elasticities," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 66(3), pages 112-119.
    6. Joachim De Weerdt & Kathleen Beegle & Jed Friedman & John Gibson, 2016. "The Challenge of Measuring Hunger through Survey," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(4), pages 727-758.
    7. Matthias Kalkuhl & Lukas Kornher & Marta Kozicka & Pierre Boulanger & Maximo Torero, 2013. "Conceptual framework on price volatility and its impact on food and nutrition security in the short term," FOODSECURE Working papers 15, LEI Wageningen UR.
    8. Jianzhai Wu & Jianhua Zhang & Shengwei Wang & Fantao Kong, 2016. "Assessment of Food Security in China: A New Perspective Based on Production-Consumption Coordination," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(3), pages 1-14, March.
    9. Catherine Laroche-Dupraz & Marilyne Huchet-Bourdon & Anned-Linz Senadin, 2012. "Impact du taux de change sur la sécurité alimentaire des pays en développement," Post-Print hal-02746844, HAL.
    10. Caccavale, Oscar Maria & Giuffrida, Valerio, 2020. "The Proteus composite index: Towards a better metric for global food security," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    11. Santeramo, Fabio Gaetano, 2014. "On the composite indicators for food security: Decisions matter!," MPRA Paper 58955, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Vasilii Erokhin, 2017. "Self-Sufficiency versus Security: How Trade Protectionism Challenges the Sustainability of the Food Supply in Russia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-17, October.
    13. Smith, Michael D. & Kassa, Woubet & Winters, Paul, 2017. "Assessing food insecurity in Latin America and the Caribbean using FAO’s Food Insecurity Experience Scale," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 48-61.
    14. Mehdi Ben Slimane & Marilyne Huchet-Bourdon & Habib Zitouna, 2016. "The Role of Sectoral FDI in Promoting Agricultural Production and Improving Food Security," International Economics, CEPII research center, issue 145, pages 50-65.
    15. Donato Romano & Silvio Traverso, 2020. "Disentangling the Impact of International Migration on Food and Nutrition Security of Left-Behind Households: Evidence from Bangladesh," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(4), pages 783-811, September.
    16. te Lintelo, Dolf J.H. & Haddad, Lawrence J. & Leavy, Jennifer & Lakshman, Rajith, 2014. "Measuring the commitment to reduce hunger: A hunger reduction commitment index," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 115-128.
    17. Acharya, Ram, "undated". "Hunger and the Incidence of Child Stunting in Tanzania," 2016 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Boston, Massachusetts 236080, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    18. d'Agostino, Giorgio & Pieroni, Luca & Scarlato, Margherita, 2013. "Social Protection and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Evaluation of Cash Transfer Programmes," MPRA Paper 49536, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Evita Pangaribowo & Nicolas Gerber & Maximo Torero, 2013. "Food and Nutrition Security Indicators: A Review," FOODSECURE Working papers 5, LEI Wageningen UR.
    20. D. J. H. Lintelo & T. Munslow & K. Pittore & R. Lakshman, 2020. "Process Tracing the Policy Impact of ‘Indicators’," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 32(4), pages 1312-1337, September.
    21. Hanna Dudek & Joanna Myszkowska-Ryciak, 2020. "The Prevalence and Socio-Demographic Correlates of Food Insecurity in Poland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-16, August.
    22. Sugyeong Park & Sea Jin Kim & Hangnan Yu & Chul-Hee Lim & Eunbeen Park & Jiwon Kim & Woo-Kyun Lee, 2020. "Developing an Adaptive Pathway to Mitigate Air Pollution Risk for Vulnerable Groups in South Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-16, February.
    23. Wiesmann, Doris & Biesalski, Hans Konrad & von Grebmer, Klaus & Bernstein, Jill, 2015. "Methodological Review and Revision of the Global Hunger Index," Working Papers 228856, University of Bonn, Center for Development Research (ZEF).
    24. Rojas, Mariano & Guardiola, Jorge, 2017. "Hunger and the Experience of Being Well: Absolute and Relative Concerns," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 78-86.
    25. Haysom, Gareth & Tawodzera, Godfrey, 2018. "“Measurement drives diagnosis and response”: Gaps in transferring food security assessment to the urban scale," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 117-125.

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