Using Process-Based Indicators to Help Design Effective Policies on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change

The document argues that traditional food security monitoring focuses too heavily on outputs and outcomes, which are often difficult to attribute to specific actions. It proposes 'process-based indicators' as proxies to measure the quality of decision-making, institutional capacity, and inclusivity. Using the FIPAT tool in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, the authors identify key indicators across six areas: policy vulnerability, system resilience, decision-making transparency, multistakeholder participation, lessons learned, and decentralization. The briefing emphasizes that effective food security policies require inclusive participation of vulnerable groups, empowered local decision-makers, and a shift in institutional culture to view policy review as a dynamic, non-punitive process.

• Process-based indicators are proposed as a way to bridge the gap between output and outcome indicators, serving as proxies for potential outcomes by describing institutional capacities, knowledge management, and decision-making processes.
• The Food Security Indicator & Policy Analysis Tool (FIPAT) was applied to assess specific national policies in Central America, including Guatemala's National Climate Change Strategy, Honduras' National Strategy on Climate Change, and Nicaragua's Forestry Development Strategy and Food Security and Nutrition Act No. 693.
• Effective food security policies must move from reactive disaster mitigation and food aid toward proactive risk management, utilizing forecasts and integrated water and land resource management systems.
• Decentralization is critical for food security resilience, as local decision-makers possess the best knowledge of local situations and should be provided with the necessary financial, technical, and decision-making powers.
• Vulnerable groups are frequently excluded from participatory processes; therefore, policies must specifically target their involvement in capacity-building and emergency preparedness planning to ensure their unique needs are addressed.
• A shift in institutional culture is required so that policy reviews are viewed as a standard part of the development cycle rather than a performance review that could lead to budget cuts or job loss.

APA

Bizikova, L., Echeverría, D., Zamudio, A. N., & Keller, M. (2014). Using Process-Based Indicators to Help Design Effective Policies on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/process-based-indicators-food-security.pdf

Chicago

Bizikova, Livia, Daniella Echeverría, Alicia Natalia Zamudio, and Marius Keller. Using Process-Based Indicators to Help Design Effective Policies on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2014. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/process-based-indicators-food-security.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bizikova |first1=Livia |last2=Echeverría |first2=Daniella |last3=Zamudio |first3=Alicia Natalia |last4=Keller |first4=Marius |title=Using Process-Based Indicators to Help Design Effective Policies on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=November 2014 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/process-based-indicators-food-security.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bizikova2014using, author = {Bizikova, Livia and Echeverría, Daniella and Zamudio, Alicia Natalia and Keller, Marius}, title = {{Using Process-Based Indicators to Help Design Effective Policies on Food Security in the Context of Climate Change}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/process-based-indicators-food-security.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }