20 Nov 2023 — To expand its global positioning and alleviate food and nutrition crises, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative establishes a High Level Executive Committee (HLEC) with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the WHO.

“The addition of new IPC partners coincides with the reform of the IPC Chronic Food Insecurity scale and brings a significant advantage to the global initiative,” an IPC spokesperson tells Nutrition Insight. 

“These partners bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge and broad-reaching analytical capabilities to inform evidence-based strategies that will enhance the analytical capabilities of the IPC, which is crucial in informing evidence-based strategies to tackle the root causes of protracted food crises and address chronic food insecurity.”

The overall purpose of the HLEC is to alleviate the situation in countries facing or vulnerable to major food and nutrition crises. 

The IPC says that its new partners bring a wealth of experience, knowledge and broad-reaching analytical capabilities.Partnership roles in food security
The IPC spokesperson says that the IFPRI is embarking on a collaborative partnership to advance food security research and analysis, thereby addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. 

“The partnership recognizes the critical need to address global food security challenges and believes that this collaboration will significantly contribute to the shared goal of eradicating hunger and promoting sustainable development.”

“In the IPC Global Steering Committee (GSC), UNDP is a strategic partner enhancing and bolstering global efforts to address food security challenges, enhance resilience and promote sustainable development. UNDP’s multifaceted expertise and resources will be valuable to the IPC Global Partnership, facilitating more comprehensive and practical solutions to chronic food insecurity,” the spokesperson continues.  

The World Bank aims to leverage its strengths and expertise in the IPC global partnership to address chronic food insecurity more effectively. 

“With the World Bank’s extensive experience in climate and disaster resilient development, this partnership seeks to drive positive change, enhance data-driven decision-making and promote sustainable development on a global scale,” highlights the IPC spokesperson.

“In the IPC global partnership, WHO will enhance the understanding and response to chronic food security, malnutrition and other health challenges on a global scale. This partnership aims to leverage the expertise of both organizations to drive comprehensive solutions that address the interconnected issues of food security and public health.” 

New structure to promote IPC
In addition to ensuring the promotion of the IPC globally and reinforcing institutional commitments to the initiative, the HLEC aims to support the geographic expansion of the IPC and provide orientation on implementing the IPC’s food security phase classification in priority countries. This includes guidance on stakeholder engagements in political contexts unsuitable for IPC implementation. The HLEC aims to alleviate the situation in countries facing or vulnerable to major food and nutrition crises.

“The addition of the HLEC will help drive the positioning of the IPC on the global agenda and assist the initiative to overcome challenges in countries facing or vulnerable to major food and nutrition crises, particularly in sensitive contexts,” the IPC spokesperson says.

Additionally, the HLEC’s ad-hoc function protects the integrity and neutrality of the IPC. It can be triggered by the GSC when the IPC initiative faces critical issues in a particular country.

The IPC established the HLEC based on recommendations from the external evaluations of the last two IPC Global Strategic Programmes to advance partner institutions’ corporate commitments to the IPC initiative. 

“It will promote and position the IPC on global agendas, reinforce institutional commitments to the IPC at all levels, support the geographic expansion of the IPC and protect the integrity and neutrality of the IPC,” the spokesperson asserts.“The GSC will continue to hold responsibility for the oversight and regular functioning and provide overall strategic direction to the IPC initiative.”

Recently, the UN’s World Food Programme highlighted concerning IPC data that more than 1.6 million children living in South Sudan would likely face malnutrition as unprecedented floods caused by climate change continue to affect life in the country. 

“High food prices have triggered a global food and nutrition crisis that is driving millions more into extreme poverty and threatening to erase hard-won gains in development,” says Martien van Nieuwkoop, World Bank’s Global Director for Agriculture and Food. 

“Conflicts and climate change will continue to drive the number of people facing hunger. In responding to a crisis, the value of data in decision-making becomes more apparent. It allows us to act faster and collaborate more effectively,” he adds.

By Milana Nikolova 

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