Stages 1-4    Seasonality    Armed Conflict    Natural Disasters

Stage 1

The first stage of household food insecurity is marked by the initial shortage of food, or inability to provide sufficient quantities of food to all members of the household. Many times households have prepared for a food quantity shortfall, as in the case of seasonal production, by storing quantities of grain or owning livestock that can be quickly sold, traded, or used for food (in the case of agricultural societies). These stores are often referred to as insurance, and are not intended to be a main source of income or an integral part of income generation, simply crisis insurance (Corbett, 1988) But before any assets are sold, changes in diet and frequency of meals per day are the first adaptations undertaken. Rationing of food consumption is a very common response, and is started and planned generally far in advance of asset liquidation. As you can see from Figure 1, in stage one assets are held in possession as long as humanly possible, i.e., until food consumption becomes the top priority over asset preservation. It must be noted that the frequency and severity of coping strategies practiced will vary according to the causes of the food shortage (chronic vs. crisis), kinds of households affected (agricultural vs. pastoral), local market conditions, and the absence of presence of relief programs (Corbett, 1988).

In general, these are the most common stage 1 indicators:

• diet change (are you consuming preferred foods?)
• meal frequency (meals per day)
• gathering wild foods
• inter-household transfers and loans
• increased petty commodity production (firewood, charcoal, etc.)
• seeking wage labor

Source: Tim Frankenburger, CARE Atlanta.

Stage 2

The second stage of food insecurity is marked by the sale of assets, specifically non-productive assets. At this point in the food security crisis, food consumption begins to supercede asset preservation as the top priority, but still not entirely. The sale of jewelry, goats, chickens, other livestock and any other asset that serves as crisis insurance would be liquidated. Generally, the assets that are preserved are those related to income generation, such as land, farming equipment, oxen, cattle, etc. In addition to non-productive asset sales, the second stage also sees the onset of loans/credit from merchants (as opposed to family) which also has serious implications for the future security of the household and recovery to their original SES. Typical second stage indicators are

• sales of non-productive livestock
• sales of jewelry, insurance assets
• credit/loans from merchants
• temporary migration for work or land (days/week, days/month?)
• skipping meals for entire days (days/week)
• withdrawing children from school
•  

Stage 3

Stage three is indicative of productive asset sales and the shift of the number one priority from asset preservation to food consumption. At this point all else has either failed to provide sufficient food quantities or the crisis has prolonged itself into a dire situation. All livestock remaining at this juncture will be sold, all personal items sold, possibly even the sale of housing material, and the pledging and/or sale of land. This disposal of all assets ensures current survival, but severely jeopardizes the future security of the household. In the case of natural disasters, such as drought, many assets will be lost involuntarily, specifically livestock succumbing to disease or starvation. When the crisis has reached this stage famine conditions have essentially set in. Indicators of stage three might measure:

• sale of all livestock
• sale of productive equipment
• sale or mortgage of land
• redistribution of children (rare)
• migration
•  

Stage 4

Stage four is the last on the line and represents complete destitution. The household no longer exists as it once did, permanent migration (either whole or part of household) occurs in order to resettle on suitable land, find wage labor, or more likely for food aid assistance. As mentioned before, individuals are generally too weak to work and simply need food and care to survive. Indicators of stage IV:

• permanent migration
• begging for food/resources
• complete dependence on external aid