Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Food and nutrition security

IICA publishes document on food and nutrition security and how it is measured

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

With this publication, the Institute seeks to support the efforts of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in preparing and executing food and nutrition security programs.

Portada de documento ¿Qué es seguridad alimentaria y nutricional y cómo medirla?

San Jose, 24 March 2023 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) drafted a document with which it seeks to support the efforts of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) in preparing and executing food and nutrition security (FNS) programs, as part of broader initiatives to strengthen and improve agrifood systems.

The document entitled ¿Qué es seguridad alimentaria y nutricional y cómo medirla? [What is food and nutrition security and how is it measured?] is available for download free of charge (in Spanish) from the Institute’s repository. 

Written by Eugenio Díaz-Bonilla, IICA Special Advisor and visiting Senior Research Fellow at IICA/IFPRI, the document begins with a brief history of the notion of FSN. It also discusses the different levels on which it is focused—from food production to consumption and from a global to a more individualized vision.

The second part examines the different FSN indicators for individuals and presents general information pertaining to LAC. Annex C discusses global indicators related specifically to the food trade.

For those who wish to dive deeper into these topics, additional annexes share information on the methodologies used to calculate the indicators as well as disaggregated data by country in the region.

The document concludes with a reflection on supporting the development of comprehensive food and nutrition security programs in LAC.

 More information: 

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

May 22, 2026

Bioeconomy in Latin America and the Caribbean: a generation seeking to transform science into rural profitability

There is a new generation of rural entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean that no longer talks only about producing more food. They naturally think in terms of biomass, traceability, bioinputs, carbon capture, biodiversity, and circular economy.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Mexico City

May 20, 2026

Central America and Mexico advance review of regional protocols to prevent and control the New World Screwworm with support from USDA and IICA

The meeting highlighted the importance of strengthening regional cooperation, underscoring the value of joint work among countries and institutions to reinforce technical and operational capacities in the region, and advancing toward harmonized mechanisms that improve epidemiological surveillance, information exchange and animal movement control against the NWS.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

: Reunión de representantes del sector lechero frente a banderas institucionales en Costa Rica, en el marco de iniciativas para impulsar la sostenibilidad de la lechería en América Latina y el Caribe, con participación de organismos regionales como IICA y FEPALE.

San José, Costa Rica

May 19, 2026

IICA and the Pan-American Dairy Federation strengthen strategic agenda for the sustainable development of the regional dairy sector

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins