Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson you will be
able to:
• identify the major report types used
to present food security information;
• understand the key features of these
alternative report types; and
• structure a food security report for
various contexts and purposes.
Report Types
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Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Introduction
How should you structure reports?
The context and purpose that you are
writing for, are complex and unique.
Therefore, each report should be
tailored to the needs of the primary
audience.
Report Types
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Report Types
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Here is a review of the main steps for planning a report:
Defining the purpose for your report
Identifying the readers
Addressing a significant problem and answering the right questions
Providing readers with actionable recommendations
REPORT OUTLINE
But what type of report will you produce?
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Report Types
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Research Reports
It is a Report on a piece of research that you have
conducted on food security in your country or region.
For example, a baseline report or a study on vulnerability
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Early Warning Bulletins
Early warning is about providing a glimpse of the future.
These reports provide decision makers with an
indication of whether a food security problem is
emerging.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Needs Assessment Reports
Emergency Needs Assessments provide governments,
relief organisations and the wider international
community with information to plan an immediate
response in the aftermath of a crisis.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Policy Papers or Briefs
Food security information and analysis is required to
inform the development of relevant policies.
Policy papers or briefs start from a stated need or
problem, and provide a selection of options.
For example, you may have been asked to examine policy
options for establishing a national safety net.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
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Reporting formats used in various food security contexts
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Reports
M&E is a process of assessing an ongoing or completed
project, programme or policy.
A monitoring report checks progress and recommends remedial actions.
An evaluation report looks at the impact and recommends whether to
continue, modify or stop the project, programme or policy.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Selecting the best report type
Report Type
Baseline or
Research
Report
Early
Warning
Bulletin
Emergency
Needs
Assessment
Policy Papers
or Briefs
Monitoring
&Evaluation
Reports
(Programs and
Policies)
Frequency
Primary purposes
Infrequent
• Communicates an increased understanding
Continuous
As needed
of food security
• Contributes to long-term development
planning
• Informs decision makers of current levels
and trends in food security
• Activates and focuses needs assessment and
mitigation plans
• Identifies the extent and impact of a
humanitarian emergency
• Recommends an appropriate emergency
response
• Mobilizes resources
• Defines an urgent policy issue
Infrequent
• Identifies and evaluates policy options
• Recommends a preferred alternative
Continuous
(monitoring)
Periodic
(evaluation)
• Assesses progress against targets
• Recommends changes to activities and
design
• Mobilizes resources
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Selecting the best report type
In the real-world, the different report types often
combine.
For example, you might see:
•elements of policy recommendation combined with a research
report; or
•an early warning bulletin that incorporates recommendations on
emergency needs.
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Selecting the best report type
What is the outline of each type of report?
Research Reports
Early Warning Bulletins
Needs Assessment Reports
Policy Papers or Briefs
Monitoring and Evaluation
(M&E) Reports
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Formats for Research Reports
Research Reports
You may undertake ‘research’ in order to better understand the
nature of food security in a country or region.
For example, you might research:
•What are the basic livelihoods of groups?
• What are known or likely hazards that they might face?
• What is the likelihood of these occurring?
• Who are the most vulnerable groups?
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Formats for Research Reports
Your research may be based on:
primary sources (field work): or
secondary sources ( analysing previous surveys,
other published research or talking to people).
The report presents your data and draws conclusions from it.
The emphasis is on analysis and contributing to an increased
understanding of the issue.
While preliminary recommendations may be included, this type of
report may not provide systematic recommendations.
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Formats for Research Reports
The typical research report might follow the same chronological order
as your research.
1
Problem and
objectives
discuss the issues that led to undertaking
the research work
2
Methodology
discuss the data collection methodology
3
Data
discuss the data itself
4
Conclusions
draw the conclusions based upon that data.
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Formats for Research Reports
Research type papers commonly include the following elements:
Title
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Background and purpose
Review of literature
Method and procedure
Findings and results
Discussion, conclusions
and recommendations
Appendices
Bibliography
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Formats for Research Reports
Let us look at a couple of examples of research type reports:
Baseline reports
An FSIS may undertake a baseline survey, and a baseline report is
used to present findings from this survey. It serves as a reference point
for future assessments.
Please look at the annex “Djibouti Profile & Baseline.pdf” to read an example of a baseline
report.
Background reports
As part of developing a PRSP you may be asked to help prepare a
vulnerability and poverty analysis. This report is used to increase
understanding of local livelihoods, existing conditions, and capacities for
dealing with risk. It is the starting point to develop the PRSP.
Please look at the annex “Georgia FS Brief Issue20.pdf” to read an example of a
Background report.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Formats for Research Reports
As you develop your research paper, you
should consider a series of questions.
The most important one is:
Does your research report achieve its
purpose and communicate an
increased understanding of the topic
that you have investigated?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Formats for Research Reports
Then, check the following elements:
title
headings
executive summary
objectives
description of methods and procedures
summary of previous studies
presentation of original data
findings and conclusions
recommendations
appendices
Report Types
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Formats for Early Warning Bulletins
Early Warning Bulletins
An important function of most food security information systems is to
provide early warning of an impending food security crisis.
Examples of critical questions addressed by an early warning bulletin:
•
•
•
•
Is there a problem emerging?
What areas are affected and how quickly is the problem developing?
What response is already underway?
Are more in-depth assessments needed?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Formats for Early Warning Bulletins
The EW bulletin needs to keep key decision makers
informed of the situation.
The primary audience includes:
staff of national Governments,
donors, and
other humanitarian agencies.
The report may be used to stimulate further action.
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Report Types
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Formats for Early Warning Bulletins
An early warning bulletin may include the following elements:
Title
Table of Contents
Summary
Recommendations
Problem description
Please look at the annexes “FSAU December report.pdf”, and “Kenya FEWS Bulletin.pdf”
to read examples of Early Warning Bulletins.
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Formats for Early Warning Bulletins
As you develop your research paper,you
should consider a series of questions.
The most important one is:
Does your bulletin achieve its purpose
of informing decision makers of
current levels and trends in food
security?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Formats for Early Warning Bulletins
Then, check the following elements:
title
table of contents
summary
recommendations
problem description
Report Types
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Formats for Needs Assessment Reports
Needs Assessment Reports
An emerging food security problem may trigger a needs assessment
exercise, to establish the extent and the right response to the
emergency.
Examples of critical questions addressed by a Needs Assessment Report:
•
•
•
•
What is nature and dimensions of the problem?
How long is it going to last?
Who are the most vulnerable groups?
What and how much is needed; what is the best response?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Formats for Needs Assessment Reports
The assessment report will need to communicate these
findings to a primary audience .
The primary audience includes:
planners and managers in
government departments,
donors, and
other humanitarian agencies.
The report may be used to support decision making on:
•programming,
•resource mobilization,
•and advocacy.
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Report Types
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Formats for Needs Assessment Reports
Needs Assessment Reports commonly include the following elements:
Title
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Objectives and methodology
Background
Problem description
Conclusions and
recommendations
Appendices
Please look at the annexes “Malawi VAC Report.pdf”, and “Sri Lanka ENA.pdf ”
to read examples of Needs Assessment Reports.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Formats for Needs Assessment Reports
As you develop Needs Assessment Report,you
should consider a series of questions.
The most important one is:
Does your paper achieve its purpose of
presenting clear recommendations on
the appropriate response(s) to the
current crisis?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Formats for Needs Assessment Reports
Then, check the following elements:
title
headings
problem description
table of Contents
response alternatives
framework of analysis
conclusions and recommendations
appendices
Report Types
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Formats for Policy Making papers
Policy Papers or Briefs
Policy making is a process of identifying real world problems,
formulating solutions and a course of action to follow.
IDENTIFYING
PROBLEMS
FORMULATING
SOLUTIONS
IMPLEMENTING
ACTIONS
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Formats for Policy Making papers
CONTEXT
A policy paper is a decision-making tool.
&
EVIDENCE
RECOMMENDATIONS
The aim of the report is to develop a set of
recommendations for action (and not to
gather and analyze data about a policy
problem (i.e. research).
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Formats for Policy Making papers
Achieving this purpose usually involves:
Defining an urgent policy issue which needs to be addressed.
Outlining the possible ways (policy alternatives) in which this
issue can be addressed.
Evaluating the probable outcomes of these potential options.
Recommending a preferred alternative (policy
recommendation) and providing a strong argument to
establish why your choice is the best possible option.
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Formats for Policy Making papers
Policy papers commonly include the following elements:
Title
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Problem description
Policy options
Conclusions and
recommendations
Appendices
Bibliography
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Formats for Policy Making papers
The format and structure of the policy paper will be adapted to the
purpose and primary audience.
For example, if you are working for government:
a relatively formal policy paper may be most suitable for
reaching policy makers.
Or if you are a stakeholder outside of government and
you want to target a broader audience though the media:
in this case, a report might contain the same main message,
but in a simplified form.
Please look at the annexes “ODI Social Protection Policy Paper.pdf”, (produced by an academic) and “Oxfam
cash distributions.pdf” (produced by an NGO) to read examples of policy papers.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Formats for Policy Making papers
As you develop your policy paper or brief, you
should consider a series of questions.
The most important one is:
Does your paper achieve its purpose of
presenting an effective argument, to
the primary audience, for your
preferred policy option?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Formats for Policy Making papers
Then, check the following elements:
title
headings
executive summary
presentation of the policy problem and
alternatives
framework of analysis
conclusions and recommendations
appendices
Report Types
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Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Reports
Monitoring
Managers must keep track of progress
during the implementation of programmes and
projects.
Evaluation
Evaluations assess the worth of the project or
programme. An evaluation will examine the
impact and results.
The strategies and policies themselves need to be continuously planned,
reviewed, modified and re-planned.
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Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
The policies, programmes and
projects you are reporting on, will
usually have some type of
design/planning framework.
This framework provides the basis
for the assessment exercise.
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Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
An M&E process will report on what happened, and how this compared
to what was intended. On the basis of this analysis, recommendations
will be made.
For monitoring reports the primary
audience will be:
internal managers, and
donors.
Evaluation reports may target a
broader number of external decision
makers.
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
M&E reports commonly include the following elements:
Title
Table of Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Findings
Conclusions and
recommendations
Appendices
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Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
The Millennium Development Goal (MDG)
Monitoring Report is an important example of
a monitoring report that a FSIS might
contribute to.
Every developing Country has agreed to
produce a MDG monitoring report by the end of
2005.
Please look at the annexes “UN MDG Report 2005.pdf”, and “6563-Nepal_MDG_Progress_Report_2005.pdf”
to read examples of this type of report.
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Reporting Formats for Food Security
Report Types
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Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
As you develop a monitoring or evaluation
report you should consider a series of
questions. The most important one is:
Does your report achieve its purpose of
summarizing progress and providing
recommended actions?
Reporting Food Security Information
Reporting Formats for Food Security
Formats for Monitoring and Evaluation
Then, check the following elements:
title
headings
executive summary
the description of what the
policy/program/project set out to do
framework of analysis
conclusions and recommendations
appendices
Report Types
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Summary
Report Type
Baseline or
Research
Report
Early
Warning
Bulletin
Emergency
Needs
Assessment
Policy Papers
or Briefs
Monitoring
&Evaluation
Reports
(Programs and
Policies)
Frequency
Primary purposes
Infrequent
• Communicates an increased understanding
Continuous
As needed
of food security
• Contributes to long-term development
planning
• Informs decision makers of current levels
and trends in food security
• Activates and focuses needs assessment and
mitigation plans
• Identifies the extent and impact of a
humanitarian emergency
• Recommends an appropriate emergency
response
• Mobilizes resources
• Defines an urgent policy issue
Infrequent
• Identifies and evaluates policy options
• Recommends a preferred alternative
Continuous
(monitoring)
Periodic
(evaluation)
• Assesses progress against targets
• Recommends changes to activities and
design
• Mobilizes resources