ABSTRACT
Food security can be represented on a scale of experiences related to the severity or intensity of the experience of deprivation of individuals. The severity of food insecurity can be depicted as a continuum of experiences ranging from starvation to food security. If we are to target our interventions effectively, we need to define the experiences, causes and consequences of food insecurity clearly and understand how the multiple dimensions reinforce each other and compound the problem. Classifying the severity of an experience of food insecurity by the intensity (severity) and magnitude (aggregate impact) of the level of deprivation helps design appropriate policies and designing programs. In some cases supplying food and ensuring that basic human needs are met is the most appropriate intervention. In other cases, protecting access to food and the means to acquire food is necessary to prevent households slipping further into food insecurity. In less severe cases, promoting sustainable livelihoods can offer long-term capabilities to prevent food insecurity.
