Quetta: The Integrated Acute Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) training workshop for drought affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan began in Quetta at the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
The IPC Global Support Unit (GSU) is leading the training/analysis workshops and providing technical and financial support through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)Pakistan.
IPC is used for classifying the severity and magnitude of food insecurity.
Inaugurating the training, Deputy FAO Representative Mr Farrukh Toirov said that he was pleased at the participation from IPC stakeholders representing all provinces. He also said that this workshop was aimed at identifying innovative approaches to supporting those who need our help the most. Through this analysis, we would get a clear picture of the status of food insecurity in the country, and be able to provide better tools to improve the situation, he added.
The IPC acute tool is valued for its role in pulling together relevant data and assessments on food security through a collective analytical process with clearly articulated and accessible results. IPC AFI is a set of protocols to classify areas based on the prevalence of acute food insecurity, identify major contributing factors to acute food insecurity, and provide actionable knowledge by consolidating wide-ranging evidence on acute food insecurity and contributing factors.
During this training/analysis, the IPC AFI will focus on 14 drought affected districts of Balochistan, namely, Pishin, Killa Abdullah, Chaghi, Kacchi, Loralai, Washuk, Panjgur, Kech, Gwadar, Dera Bugti, Awaran, Nushki, Jhal Magsi and Kharan, whereas Tharparkar district and Umerkot, Johi and Khipro Tehsils of Sindh. The analysis for both current and projection periods will also be conducted.
The proposed IPC AFI analysis would use data of Sindh Drought Needs Assessment (SDNA) and Balochistan Drought Needs Assessment (BDNA) conducted by NDC. In addition, secondary data information on crops and livestock production, food stocks and prices, SMART surveys will be also used in the analysis. This analysis will be relevant for policy makers to know the number of food insecure people in different phases of food insecurity in the drought affected areas, and who needs to be focused by the Government and humanitarian partners. The analysis will also identify major contributing factors to acute food insecurity and provide actionable knowledge by consolidating wide-ranging evidence on acute food insecurity and its contributing factors.
The IPC initiative was introduced and implemented in Pakistan since 2012 in collaboration with IPC Global partners, National and Provincial governments and with cooperation of relevant stakeholders. In the past, four rounds of IPC AFI Analysis were conducted across the country including Sindh and Balochistan.
This analysis is being jointly conducted by staff of PDMA, MNFSR, NDMA, Planning & Development Department (Bureau of Statistics), Food, Health, Agriculture and Livestock departments of Government of Sindh and Balochistan, UN organizations (FAO, WFP, UNICEF, WHO), INGOS (Concern Worldwide, ACF, Islamic Relief, WHH, ACTED) and NGOs (TRDP, BRSP, HANDS etc) working in Sindh and Balochistan.
The IPC AFI training/analysis workshop enhanced the technical capacity of the government officials and other participants in analyzing the food security. The IPC team based in Pakistan, led by FAO provided support to finalize the write up on IPC analysis.
