FOOD SECURITY is defined by CRS as people having physical and economic access to sufficient food to meet their dietary needs for a productive and healthy life today without sacrificing investments in consumption and livelihood security for tomorrow. Food security is defined for purposes of this study in terms of access, availability and utilization: • Availability refers to the level of food production at the household level. Factors which affect the production of food include lack of inputs (seed, tools, fertilizers, land, animal or mechanical traction) and poor agricultural practices. Other factors include soil erosion, lack of water or irrigation schemes, and poor soil fertility, which hinders production. Still others include sufficient storage of food for later consumption or sale. • Access refers to the ability of people to purchase or get physical access to food. In many cases, food is available in the market but families do not have enough disposable income to purchase it. In other cases, farmers are not able to transport their food to markets for sale (income) thus also hindering their access. These limits to access also include limits to education and health facilities. Still in other cases, disadvantaged groups (e.g.: children, handicapped, mentally retarded, elderly, and hospital patients) are not capable of getting access to food given their health or age. • Utilization is the proper biological use of food, requiring a diet providing sufficient energy and essential nutrients, potable water, and adequate sanitation. Effective food utilization depends on large measure on knowledge within the household of optimal food preparation; basic principles of sanitation, nutrition and proper child care.
The success of the CRS/Country X program depends on the ability to address all three of the constraints to food security in an integrated manner. Therefore, the general objectives of the assessments are to: • conduct a need assessment in the health sector in order to garner information on which to formulate viable CRS/Country X objectives, targets, assessment tools and the scope of future interventions. • validate the above with appropriate national and local level data (using rapid rural assessment methodology). • establish an index of possible intervention activities for the sector based on current approaches to above. • explore root causes of the problems in the sector. • inventory of government and international/local non-governmental organization working in health sector.
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