Over 20 years ago the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN declared food security exists “when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”.

We believe this definition is as relevant today as it was in 1996 and understanding food culture is as integral to our work as understanding food availability and nutrient needs. One of the preliminary steps in developing appropriate strategies for improving health and nutrition is a comprehensive understanding of existing conditions including nutrition knowledge, attitudes and practices as well as agricultural production and food access within a population. Our team has conducted numerous baseline assessments of household food security and nutrition in diverse communities in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South East Asia as the foundation for culturally appropriate strategies. We use validated tools such as the Household Food Security Index and Dietary Diversity scales developed by FANTA as well as regionally adapted questions relevant to understanding infant and child feeding practices, water, sanitation and hygiene practices, and beliefs around important foods for pregnant and lactating women and young children. Our approach integrates qualitative and quantitative methods allowing us to develop a contextually appropriate approach to the multifaceted causes of undernutrition and food insecurity. 

Baseline assessments help to inform strategies but for a programme to be effective and sustainable it must be subject to responsive monitoring and evaluation to inform and guide progress and facilitate decision-making.