Enhancing the Effectiveness of Food Security Information Systems in SADC

Due to the inadequacies in the Food Security Information Systems (FSIS) at SADC and member States levels, ECA-SA commissioned a background paper to critically review the gaps and recommend ways for enhancing their effectiveness. The Issues Paper assesses the national and sub-regional FSIS in terms of efficiency, levels of partnerships and initiatives, capacity-building needs as well as methodological, institutional, technological and political issues influencing their performance.

Food security is a complex and multi-dimensional subject that cuts across a diversity of sectors and issues. For this reason, several diverse information systems contribute data for building a composite understanding of food security. The analysis of food security in the region is informed by information systems operating at basically three levels: global, regional and national levels in response to the socio-economic and environmental challenges.