Comprehensive Food Security Monitoring Exercise (CFSME)

Status:	Published 15 December 2013 - 31 January 2014
Funded
Methodology:	Planned, Published, widgets.needs_assessment.status.6
Methodology description:	Geographical Scope Data collection took place in host communities in all twelve governorates and 48 districts of Jordan. In addition, Al Za’atri Refugee Camp was surveyed to use for comparison purposes with the host community areas. Sampling A stratified sample focusing on the registered refugee population per governorate was used and implemented across all twelve governorates of Jordan with 7,089 household interviews in total in host communities and a further 725 household interviews in Za’atri camp. This statistically significant and representative sample was obtained at the governorate level and in Za’atri Refugee Camp with 7.5 percent margin of error and 95 percent confidence interval, and the host community district level of 10 percent or less margin of error with a 90 percent confidence interval. This has enabled a nationwide statistical comparison across governorates and districts. The refugee population size per district and governorate was also considered in the sample size (i.e. Probability Proportional to Size). Districts with a small number of Syrian households, were combined with nearby districts. The selection of households was done by randomly selecting refugee household telephone numbers from UNHCR based on the Refugee Assistance Information System (RAIS) database. Each household needed to have at least one person who was a UNHCR registered refugee to be surveyed.
Sampling:	Random
Sampling size:	7,814
Target population:	Population in Camp, Urban / Rural Population
Target settlement:	Privately hosted, Individual accommodation (not hosted), Self-settled camps/Informal tented settlements, Collective centres
Measurement:	Household

Comprehensive Food Security Monitoring Exercise (CFSME)

Status:	Published 15 December 2013 - 31 January 2014
Funded
Methodology:	Direct Observation, Household key informant interviews, Secondary Data Review
Methodology description:	Geographical Scope Data collection took place in host communities in all twelve governorates and 48 districts of Jordan. In addition, Al Za’atri Refugee Camp was surveyed to use for comparison purposes with the host community areas. Sampling A stratified sample focusing on the registered refugee population per governorate was used and implemented across all twelve governorates of Jordan with 7,089 household interviews in total in host communities and a further 725 household interviews in Za’atri camp. This statistically significant and representative sample was obtained at the governorate level and in Za’atri Refugee Camp with 7.5 percent margin of error and 95 percent confidence interval, and the host community district level of 10 percent or less margin of error with a 90 percent confidence interval. This has enabled a nationwide statistical comparison across governorates and districts. The refugee population size per district and governorate was also considered in the sample size (i.e. Probability Proportional to Size). Districts with a small number of Syrian households, were combined with nearby districts. The selection of households was done by randomly selecting refugee household telephone numbers from UNHCR based on the Refugee Assistance Information System (RAIS) database. Each household needed to have at least one person who was a UNHCR registered refugee to be surveyed.
Sampling:	Random
Sampling size:	7,814
Target population:	Population in Camp, Urban / Rural Population
Target settlement:	Privately hosted, Individual accommodation (not hosted), Self-settled camps/Informal tented settlements, Collective centres
Measurement:	Household

The main objective of the exercise was to assess the food security situation and determine appropriate vulnerability criteria for registered Syrian refugee households living in Jordanian host communities to be used with the planned move to a more targeted approach. It was assumed that targeting would not occur in Za'atri camp (survey occurred before Azraq was open) given higher vulnerabilities in the camp and thus the survey focused on Syrian refugees living in Jordanian communities.

Needs

1) Given high level of vulnerability amongst the Syrian refugee population in Jordan, continued food assistance is a main need, given 85% would not have sufficient access to food were WFP to cease assistance. 2) Targeting those based on need to ensure most effective use of resources and coordinate all targeting through the Interagency VAF. 3) Need for mid-term solutions to decrease reliance on WFP food assistance and promote self-reliance. 4) Further investigations needed on why 21% of households have at least 1 non-registered member. 5) Improve child nutrition and maternal care practices to enhance dietary diversity. 6) Improve accessibility to health services in specific districts detailed in this report. Given WFP is reaching nearly all registered Syrian refugees in Jordan with food assistance, the following are priority beneficiary needs in communities: 1) Rent Support 2) Cash for cooking fuel/gas/electricity 3) Other household NFIs

Main Findings

This CFSME found that 56 percent of households are food secure and that the prevalence of food insecurity was relatively low amongst the Syrian refugee population in Jordan, mostly due to WFP’s food assistance which is reaching 98 percent of registered Syrian refugees in host communities. Were WFP to cease food assistance, this would have drastic implications on the food security status of Syrian refugees as well as impact the host communities by most likely forcing more refugees into informal tented settlements and increasing competition for livelihood opportunities at the bottom end of the labour market. This report provides household characteristics related to food security and provides recommendations for the future, including the targeting of Syrian refugees most in need with food assistance as well as expenditure modeling to devise a percentage vulnerable were WFP to cease assistance. In addition, the report answers the following questions: 1) Who are the Food Insecure? 2) How many are there? 3) Where are they located? 4) What are the main factors underlying food insecurity? 5) What are the recommended interventions?