What Is the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)?
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a multi-partner framework and analytical process used to classify the severity and magnitude of food insecurity and malnutrition. Used by governments, UN agencies, and NGOs, the system ensures a standardized and evidence-based approach to inform decision-making and guide humanitarian responses. The IPC scale consists of five phases, ranging from Minimal (Phase 1) to Famine (Phase 5). A phase classification for a geographical area is determined when at least 20% of its population meets or exceeds the conditions for that phase. The IPC system relies on a 'convergence of evidence' approach, analyzing data across various indicators including food consumption, livelihoods, nutrition, and mortality.
The Core Characteristics of IPC Phase 2
IPC Phase 2, known as "Stressed," describes a situation where a household or population has minimally adequate food consumption but struggles to meet essential non-food needs. This means that while starvation is not yet a critical threat, households are under significant pressure and must engage in specific coping strategies to avoid a further deterioration of their situation.
Key characteristics of a household or area classified under IPC Phase 2 include:
- Minimally Adequate Food Consumption: A household is getting just enough calories, often around 2,100 kcal per person per day, but their dietary diversity might be low. They are not yet experiencing significant food consumption gaps.
- Use of Stress-Coping Strategies: To afford non-food items like medicine, shelter, or school fees, households may be forced to employ coping strategies that are atypical for their culture but are not yet severely damaging or irreversible. These might include selling off some minor assets, reducing spending on non-essentials, or taking on debt.
- Unsustainable Livelihoods: Incomes are often erratic or unstable, and households are facing difficulties that put them at risk of slipping into more severe phases of food insecurity.
- Acute Malnutrition: Prevalence of acute malnutrition in Phase 2 is typically between 5–10% of the population, indicating a mild, but concerning, level of nutritional stress.
How IPC Classifications are Determined
Analysts from partner organizations use a robust, evidence-based process to assign an IPC phase to a specific area. The process involves:
- Data Collection: Gathering data on key indicators like food prices, rainfall, malnutrition rates, and household coping mechanisms. Information can come from field reports, surveys (like SMART surveys), and satellite imagery.
- Convergence of Evidence: Comparing collected data against the specific thresholds and descriptions outlined in the IPC Acute Food Insecurity Reference Table. This ensures a comprehensive analysis rather than relying on a single indicator.
- Consensus Building: Technical experts review the evidence to reach a consensus classification. This multi-stakeholder process ensures the analysis is rigorous and neutral.
- Reporting: A final report is created, often including color-coded maps and population tables, to clearly communicate the severity and magnitude of the situation to decision-makers.
Comparison: IPC Phases 1, 2, and 3
The table below outlines the key differences between IPC Phase 1 (Minimal), IPC Phase 2 (Stressed), and IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) to illustrate the progressive deterioration of food security.
| Indicator | IPC Phase 1 (Minimal) | IPC Phase 2 (Stressed) | IPC Phase 3 (Crisis) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food Consumption | Adequate and stable consumption. | Minimally adequate consumption, but with low dietary diversity. | Significant food consumption gaps or minimal needs met by unsustainable strategies. |
| Non-Food Needs | Easily met without stress. | Unable to afford essential non-food items without engaging in stress-coping strategies. | Cannot meet non-food needs; depleting essential livelihood assets. |
| Livelihoods | Sustainable livelihoods. | Livelihoods are stressed and increasingly unsustainable. | Accelerated depletion of essential livelihood assets. |
| Coping Strategies | No atypical or unsustainable strategies. | Employment of mildly unsustainable stress-coping strategies. | Use of crisis-coping strategies, such as selling productive assets. |
| Acute Malnutrition | Low and stable (less than 5%). | Mildly elevated (5-10%). | High or above-usual acute malnutrition (10-15%). |
Case Studies and Response Implications
Real-world examples demonstrate the importance of the IPC Phase 2 classification. In November 2015, FEWS NET reported that flood-affected households in Mali were facing a Stressed (IPC Phase 2) situation because they would deplete their food stocks earlier than normal and require atypical coping strategies. This early warning allowed for targeted interventions to mitigate further deterioration. A later analysis in Sindh, Pakistan, in 2022 also classified several districts as IPC Phase 2 due to a combination of factors like drought and increasing food prices, indicating the need for specific, localized interventions.
The core strategic response for a Phase 2 situation is focused on reducing vulnerability and safeguarding livelihoods before conditions worsen. This is distinct from Phase 3, which requires interventions aimed at protecting livelihoods and saving lives, or Phase 4, which necessitates urgent humanitarian action to save lives. The IPC's graded system allows aid agencies and governments to tailor their responses effectively to the severity of the situation.
Conclusion
The classification of what is IPC Phase 2 is a crucial part of the global effort to address food insecurity. It identifies a population experiencing significant stress, barely maintaining adequate food consumption while being forced to employ coping mechanisms that compromise their future resilience. By categorizing this "Stressed" phase, the IPC provides a clear and standardized signal to the international community that action is needed to prevent a crisis from escalating. This early warning allows for timely interventions focused on building resilience and supporting livelihoods, ensuring that a vulnerable population does not slide into a more severe and life-threatening state of food insecurity. Understanding and acting upon the indicators of IPC Phase 2 is therefore a critical step in effective humanitarian response planning.
Further information on the IPC system and recent analysis can be found on the official IPC website.
