Decision provides stronger basis for FAO, UNICEF, WHO and their members to intensify their work on producing and using harmonised data
The United Nations Statistical Commission has approved the creation of a new statistical domain on food security and nutrition statistics, marking the first time the highest standard-setting body in the international statistical system incorporates those topics alongside its existing focus on national accounts, population statistics, agriculture, big data and other themes.
The decision will bolster ongoing efforts by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) on the development and harmonisation of food security and nutrition (FSN) data and statistics. With the creation of this new data domain, the three organisations will appear in front of the UN Statistical Commission every two years to report on the state of FSN data and support the Commission in establishing and implementing a common agenda to advance work in the area in the coming years.
While those three agencies, along with other UN organisations, member countries and various other institutions, have long worked on and with food security and nutrition data, the world can benefit from further work to solidify existing definitions, methods and recommendations and address important gaps with member states to properly assess the state of food security and nutrition at the national, regional and global level.