News: Recently, a global hunger monitoring body Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) officially declared that famine is occurring in Gaza.
About Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)
- It is the main global system for assessing hunger crises.
- It is independent organisation but funded by Western countries.
- 19 humanitarian organisations and regional bodies oversee it and work with national governments to analyse data.
- Purpose: Sound the alarm early to prevent famine and guide humanitarian response.
- Data collection method: IPC relies on UN World Food Programme (WFP), other relief organisations and government agencies.
- Preferred measurement of malnutrition: Children’s weight and height and if not possible, mid-upper arm circumference is used.
How is Famine Determined?
- IPC classifies acute food insecurity on a five-phase scale. Phase 5 is the highest: Catastrophe (individual household level). and Famine (wider area level).
- Famine criteria:
- At least 20% of the population face extreme food shortages.
- 1 in 3 children are acutely malnourished.
- At least 2 out of every 10,000 people die daily from starvation, malnutrition, or related diseases.
- A famine review committee of up to 6 experts validates findings.
- IPC does not formally “declare” famine but provides analysis for governments and agencies.
- Even if an entire region is not in famine, IPC can still note “famine conditions” at household level.
