Summary
The Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) platform is a central source of food security monitoring data and analysis managed by the World Food Programme (WFP). The platform offers multiple products that allow users to visualize and download data on commodity prices and calculated food security indicators, such as the Food Consumption Score (FCS). In addition, users can access timely geospatial, economic, and food security situational analyses produced by VAM analysts that can offer additional context and insight into a country’s current food security situation.
Two WFP VAM products that are particularly useful for calculating indicators included in the Data4Diets platform include the Economic Explorer and the mVAM Databank. The Economic Explorer, a tool included in the VAM Data Visualization Platform, allows users to visualize and download commodity price data at the country and market levels over time (month and year). The mVAM Databank provides the FCS for select countries, using data collected via mobile technology.
Strengths:
- Contains up-to-date, open data supplemented by dynamic visualizations that allow users to perform preliminary analysis within the platform and download charts as .png files
- Provides monthly and annual data on commodity prices at country and market level
- Multiple types of data and analytic reports provide detailed food security and economic context within individual countries, administrative districts, and markets
Weaknesses:
- The market data available across commodities, dates, or level of collection is not consistent between countries, which limits inter-country comparability
- mVAM Databank with the FCS is only available for a select number of countries, and not all countries included have multiple years of data available