Measuring hunger: Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)

No single measure can encapsulate the full experience of a community, but they each bring specific insights. This month, we’re highlighting the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The FIES is designed to measure and assess people’s lived experience with food insecurity and ranges from “secure” to “severely food insecure.”

Honduras | North and Central America

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in total population (3-year average): 56.1% (FAO)

More than 60% of the Honduran population lives in poverty, with nearly as many experiencing moderate or severe food insecurity. This means the majority of families in Honduras do not have regular access to enough food (also called chronic food insecurity).

Rural areas are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity, where one in five people live in extreme poverty. Recent droughts and floods have harmed agriculture and those who depend on it — and a lack of rural employment opportunities makes income inconsistent.

FMSC food is used to support our partners’ work in Honduras, including:

• Orphan care
• Education and vocational training
• Sustainable agriculture

Featured partners: Convoy of Hope, Outreach Aid to the Americas, Helping Honduras Kids

Mozambique | Africa

Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in total population (3-year average): 75.4% (FAO)

Since 2017, violent conflict in Mozambique has led to displaced communities and disrupting agriculture and supply chains. With livelihoods shattered, access to food is challenging, exacerbating food insecurity and malnutrition.

Mozambique is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, highly vulnerable to droughts, floods and cyclones. In early 2023, cyclone Freddy battered the country, with a death toll of 200 and displacing more than 184,000 people. Natural disasters add to acute food shortages, increasing hunger.

FMSC food is used to support our partners’ work in Mozambique, including:

• Disaster response
• Refugee care
• Clean water programs

Featured partners: ForAfrika, Matter, LifeChild Africa Foundation