Research Paper No . 2006 / 119 Tomorrow ’ s Hunger A Framework for Analysing Vulnerability to Food Security

Whilst traditional food security analysis offers an ex post view on who the food insecure are and why they are so, looking at food insecurity from a vulnerability perspective provides a dynamic and forward looking way of analysing causes and more importantly options for reducing food insecurity. This can help improving policy responses to food insecurity. The paper seeks to expand a standard food security analytical framework by including risks and the ability at different levels to manage these to reduce the probability of people being food insecure in the future. It looks at how different shocks can impact on availability, access and utilization and, using a twin-track approach, identify policy options for reducing vulnerability.