Global food security index 2016
This report (PDF) on the Global Food Security Index developed by The Economist presents the key findings of the new index. The index considers the core issues of affordability, availability, and quality across a set of 113 countries. The index is a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model, constructed from 28 unique indicators, that measures these drivers of food security across both developing and developed countries. The study looks beyond hunger to the underlying factors affecting food insecurity. The report shows that between 2015 and 2016, more countries experienced declines in their scores for national nutritional standards than improvements. It also showed that developing economies that prioritise investment in agricultural storage and transport infrastructure increase their capacity to ensure food security for burgeoning populations. In addition, political instability was shown to exacerbate food insecurity. To increase the ongoing relevance of the study, the index will employ a quarterly adjustment factor for food price fluctuations to examine the risk countries face throughout the course of the year.
Explore the countries within the index here.