Political economy analysis for food and nutrition security (English)

The South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (SAFANSI), established in 2008, sets out to promote innovation and reform of food and nutrition-related policies, with the goal of improving Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in the region. SAFANSI... See More + The South Asia Food and Nutrition Security Initiative (SAFANSI), established in 2008, sets out to promote innovation and reform of food and nutrition-related policies, with the goal of improving Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) in the region. SAFANSI places particular attention on the political economy of FNS in South Asia, with an objective of increasing the commitment of government and development partners to more effective and integrated food and nutrition-related policies and investments (SAFANSI 2010). This paper has three main objectives: (1) to review the literature on applied Political Economy (PE), particularly as it relates to food and nutrition security; (2) to define different types of Political Economy Analysis (PEA), present a method for conducting an in-depth PEA for food and nutrition-related policies, and provide an example of an in-depth PEA; and (3) to present a tool for conducting a rapid assessment PEA of political commitment for food and nutrition security. The paper confronts two major challenges. First is the lack of clarity about what constitutes political economy analysis, including what its main objectives are, how it is conducted and used in practice, and who should be using it. It covers both economic and political forms of analysis, includes both quantitative and qualitative approaches, and does not have a single consensus definition in theory or practice. The paper is aimed primarily at policy analysts working in the area of food and nutrition policy, especially those who seek to give guidance to policymakers and development partners. The paper discusses three different types of applied political economy analysis, based on different needs, purposes, and resources (especially time, money, and expertise).  See Less -