Review of Urban Food Security Targeting Methodology and Emergency Triggers: Final Report and Appendices

Over the last five decades emergency responses to humanitarian crises have been
concentrated on developing rural-based skills and tools. Increasingly large numbers of
people live in urban areas in developing countries, and with these increasing population
concentrations come higher risks of urban emergencies. It is therefore important to
understand the differences between rural and urban Emergency Food Security and
Livelihoods (EFSL) programming and to establish adapted assessment methodologies and
programme responses for urban areas.
This document is aimed at field practitioners to assist in capacity building and guidance
during emergency responses in urban areas, focusing on food security, livelihoods, and
nutrition. It covers two areas:
? Emergency triggers in urban areas.
o Collate (and where necessary further analyse) indicators which have been
utilised by Oxfam GB, Concern Worldwide and ACF.
o Compile a list of suitable indicators for urban contexts.
o Recommend which indicators should form the basis of urban emergency
triggers processes.
? Targeting emergency responses in urban areas.
o ”Summarise the strengths and weaknesses of three different targeting
approaches which are utilised in urban humanitarian responses (community
based targeting, proxy means tests, ‘weighted’ indicator methodology)
according to the context, resources and capacity, and objective of the
intervention.