It is critical for an effective humanitarian response to have a coordinated approach to 1) the assessment of an emergency, 2) evidence-based analysis, and 3) the prioritisation of the needs of affected people. As a crisis evolves (in protracted crises especially), the depth and volume of the information needed for an effective response increase. 

First Step of the Humanitarian Programme Cycle

Ensuring needs assessments and analysis (both within and across clusters) is a core cluster function (3.4.1). This also constitutes the first step of the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC) (9.4), and helps to:

• Illustrate the needs of affected populations (for the FSC and at inter-sectoral level) through the Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) (6.8) and inform the response analysis.

• Inform the HC/HCT’s strategic decision-making and provide the evidence base for strategic response planning (see 9.5.) whether for the preparation of new plans or adjustments to existing ones.

• Provide the baseline information for response monitoring systems (see 5.15 and 9.7).

Assessments and analysis should be a continuous process throughout the HPC. See how it fits within a typical FSC planning framework in the diagram. See more on the HPC in chapter 9.

Needs Assessments

Purpose and Focus: The primary purpose is to help us understand the type, degree and extent of food insecurity, to identify those most affected (including the different types and severity of their needs - disaggregated by different categories of people) and to help define the most appropriate response. To be useful, they should be impartial, unbiased, comprehensive and contextually sensitive.

Timing: Needs assessments and analyses are conducted at the beginning of a sudden onset emergency or, in protracted crises, on a regular basis. It is important that they are timely and up-to-date (and align with the HPC and, where relevant, with the IPC/CH). 

Who does it: They are undertaken by FSC partners, including FAO /WFP, and/or jointly at inter-sector level and should be coordinated among partners and, as far as possible, with national authorities.  

Situation and Needs Analysis

Purpose and Focus: Assessment data is only useful when analysed and interpreted. In other words, the analysis of the situation, needs, gaps and risks, is an integral part of any assessment. A needs analysis should therefore do the following: 

• Describe (who, what, where, when, how?) 

• Explain (why?) 

• Interpret (what does it mean?) 

• Forecast (what happens next?). 

Depending on the context, a situation and needs analysis should therefore reflect on:

• The current situation but also identify what has changed, the causes and the implications. 

• The context and the impact of the event(s) on food availability, access and utilisation.

• Current and expected priority food security-related problems and risks (for lives, livelihoods and food systems).

• The needs of the affected population for survival and the protection and recovery of livelihoods of each distinct affected population group, differentiating between time critical and other needs and actions. This means developing a better understanding of how the crisis might affect different categories of people disproportionately according to displaced population vs. host community, gender, age, disabilities, socio-professional groups, geographic area of residence, ethnic group and religion (as relevant to the context) (see 5.7).  

• Current and expected (sector and national authorities) capacities, resources or constraints to respond, along with information on locations, people’s vulnerabilities, activities and scale of the required response. 

• Identified gaps in current or planned food security responses (see 5.15.2). 

• Long-term perspectives as well as short-term needs i.e. forecast how the situation is likely to evolve and the events that could give rise to further changes (for better or worse).

Timing: For sudden-onset emergencies, the analysis takes place in the first 24 hours to inform the immediate response action, then within 10 to 15 days to support more substantial initial planning decisions. Thereafter, and for protracted crises, it becomes a continuous process, with updated situation analyses and planning scenarios whenever needed – see more on the phases of assessments in 6.3 and on the HNO in 6.8.  

Who does it: A situation analysis is normally undertaken jointly with the response analysis looking at needs vs gaps to inform the response planning (9.5). The process of identifying and prioritizing problems and actions should be inclusive and transparent. It is recommended that the situation analysis has the broadest possible consensus among cluster partners – and national authorities, to the extent possible. This analysis may be based on a joint assessment process or on a joint analysis of the findings of separate (hopefully harmonized) assessments by different organizations (6.2.2). Situation and needs analyses are conducted both within the FSC and at inter-sector level (with OCHA coordination). These are often inter-related and collectively contribute to an improved FSC response; for this reason, joint needs analysis with key sectors (e.g. nutrition) are encouraged.  

Triangulation: When working on the situation analysis (and response analysis), the Coordinator should consider any other relevant analyses at country level and / or involve other clusters’ lead into the food security analysis. These could include analyses from other clusters (Nutrition, WASH, Health, etc.); gender and age analyses (5.7.3); risk analyses (5.8); as well as conflict analyses (with data on causes of conflict and its dynamics, to reduce negative impacts, and contribute to conflict sensitivity or peace outcomes).