The Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development offers a Measuring and Evaluating Food Security module to final year agricultural economics postgraduate students, as an extension of the Food Security and Nutrition Policy Analysis module. Instructed by Prof Sheryl Hendriks, the Measuring and Evaluating Food Security module develops the practical skills for the identification, selection, presentation, and analysis of food security indicators for policy analysis.  It also introduces the globally recognized international standard for multisectoral analysis and classification of acute food security crises – the Integrated Phase Classification (IPC). As part of the module, the students sit the IPC Level 1 Acute Food Insecurity Analysts certificate exam run by the IPC/ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and is certified independently of the UP.  

Between October – November 2020, the first IPC Acute Food Insecurity Analysis for the Republic of South Africa was virtually conducted for the period September 2020 - March 2021. The analysis team, led by the FAO, comprised of officials representing Provinces, Metropolitan areas, national Departments such as Statistics South Africa, Department of Health, Department of Social Development, Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development, Government entities such as Human Sciences Research Council, Universities such as University of Pretoria, University of KwaZulu Natal, University of Zululand and University of Witwatersrand. Eight IPC certified postdoc, PhD and masters students from the Department of Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development participated in this analysis: Eness P. Mutsvangwa-Sammie, Wegayehu Fitawek, Hussain Ibrahim Valiant Odhiambo, Enock Siamayobela, James Mukombwe, Prisca Atieno and Madalitso Kamenya. The opportunity to participate in the IPC analysis gave the students a chance to learn and put their skills to practise. They gained valuable analytical skills that are globally demanded. The report was issued in February 2021.

In the current period, September - December 2020, 9.34 million (16% of the population analysed) of South Africa’s total population of 59,622,350, were estimated to be experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) and required urgent action to reduce food gaps and protect livelihoods. South Africa’s deteriorating food security is mainly driven by the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigation measures as well as high food prices, drought and economic decline. The analysis found that while food is generally available in South Africa through supermarkets, income loss is a major threat to households’ food access in the metro areas, where food is generally only accessed through purchasing. In the projected period (January - March 2021), 11.8 million people (20% of the analysed population) are expected to be in IPC Phase 3 or above.

The full IPC acute food insecurity analysis report can be accessed here.