This year IPC celebrates its 10th anniversary. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification was developed in 2004 by FSNAU, the former FAO Food Security Analysis Unit in Somalia, to respond to decision makers’ strong call for a consensual, rigorous and comparable food security analysis which enabled effective response to the Somalia food crisis. As of today, the IPC is regularly used in 29 countries worldwide and demand for IPC is still growing.

Why did IPC have and it is still having impact and appeal? IPC emerged from the everyday realities and challenges in conducting joint food security analysis and linking it to action, within the context of a complex emergency situation such as the Somali one. The practical strength of IPC is that its development and implementation within and outside Somalia’s context has always benefited from the technical feedback and contribution of hundreds of expert practitioners and high level decision makers.

All over the years, the multi-level and all-inclusive development of IPC has contributed to the release of improved versions of the IPC Technical Manual, the core reference guide for all IPC work, as well as triggered new initiatives that have expanded the frontiers of the IPC analytical approach. Initially designed to be used in crisis contexts, IPC has evolved to be applicable to different countries, focusing not only on acute food insecurity but also on malnutrition and chronic food insecurity.

Since its inception, IPC has also catalysed the attention of key food security agencies and resource partners who have joint their forces to support the gradual use of the IPC standards and procedures in East and Central Africa, Southern Africa, West Africa and, more recently, in Asia and Latin America. In particular, eight leading food security agencies (CARE, EC-JR, FAO, FEWS NET, Oxfam GB, Save the Children UK & USA, and WFP) formalized their partnership in 2008 and committed to promote IPC as a global standard for food security analysis, through a multi-partner governance structure and a multi-level coordination mechanism. The IPC Global Multi-Agency Partnership now consists of 11 partners, having ACF, CILSS, FSC, and SICA-PRESANCA joined the founding agencies in 2012-2014. In addition, existing Regional Coordination Bodies and National Food Security Working Groups have turned out to be the natural and enabling platform for hosting and leading the IPC multi-stakeholder analytical process.

The use of IPC at country level, the resulting improved analysis and the increased response effectiveness have encouraged several resources partners to believe in IPC and support its development and implementation throughout the years. Particularly crucial has been and still is the longstanding contribution from the European Union. More recently, the support from the UK Government and USAID has also been critical. Equally, it was important the involvement of the governments of Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

With the support of the global food security community, IPC has been internationally recognized as the best common and scientific approach to food security analysis. By using IPC, countries have consistently proven to capture the complexity of food security, produce comprehensive and consensual analyses of the situation, and use the results to inform response planning. As multiplier effect, demand for application of the IPC is fast growing and has led to the formulation of a multi-year, results-based Global Strategic Programme, which will be guiding the implementation of IPC at all levels in the years to come.

Besides the achievements, the IPC mission is not accomplished yet. New challenges and initiatives were highlighted at the IPC side event organized in the context of the 41st Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), on 13-18 October 2014. The event served to celebrate the 10th anniversary of IPC, share the results achieved so far and inform on the new directions and priorities for IPC: integration in national and regional food security frameworks, capacity building in acute and chronic food security analysis, improved quality of IPC protocols, and increased impact on decision-making.