IPC and CILSS, with the collaboration of the FAO Office in Niger, conducted a pilot on the IPC Acute Malnutrition Classification in Niamey, between the 4th and the 8th of May 2015. The pilot was carried out as a training workshop covering 3 regions of Niger, namely Tillaberi, Tahoua, and Maradi. A total of 30 staff members from 21 organisations, including the Nutrition Directorate of Niger, UNICEF and ACF regional offices for West Africa, and CILSS representatives participated in the pilot, which was facilitated by IPC Global Support Unit staff.

The pilot was successfully implemented and lessons learned were documented. It was useful to have representation and inputs from regional staff of some of the lead nutrition agencies, such as ACF and UNICEF. In general, participants appreciated the IPC Acute Malnutrition Classification tool and the depth of nutrition analysis allowed by the tool.

During the workshop, it was recommended to carry out an IPC Acute Malnutrition analysis alongside the next Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis in Niger. Additionally, there were recommendations on additional indicators to be included in the IPC Acute Malnutrition tool and suggestions to have thresholds for at least some of the contributing factors to enhance the analysis.

The major challenge faced during pilot was the lack of data. The main source of IPC Acute Malnutrition outcome indicators was the annual National Nutrition Survey of 2014, which only covered anthropometric indicators. For all contributing factors, the analysts needed to rely on the DHS Report of 2012, which limited the analysis of slow changing contributing factors.

The annual nutrition survey in Niger is typically carried out during the lean season (June-August) and the results are available by September. The Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis is carried out bi-annually, in March and in November, covering different seasons. The IPC Acute Malnutrition classification may be integrated with one of the Cadre Harmonisé food security analysis cycles but, in order to improve the complementarity of the two classifications, the timing of the nutrition surveys or the timing of the food security analysis needs to be adjusted.

IPC support to West Africa