Definition & calculation
Sum the frequency of the five standard food-based coping behaviours over the past 7 days, each multiplied by its universal severity weight, and report the sample mean.
Means of verification
Household food security survey (rCSI module), post-distribution monitoring
Interpretation
Direction: Lower is better
Typical reporting frequency: Baseline, midline and endline (or annual)
Guidance & common pitfalls
A falling rCSI indicates improved food access (lower is better); the reduced (5-strategy) version is standardised for cross-context comparison, so avoid substituting context-specific strategies where comparability is required. Aligned with Food Security Cluster and IPC conventions.
This library is a curated reference to adapt, aligned generically with recognised humanitarian frameworks (Sphere, cluster registries, IASC, CHS and others). It is not an official indicator registry — always use the exact indicator definitions your donor or cluster requires.
Related indicators
- % change in average crop yield among supported farming households
- % of assisted people satisfied with the food/cash assistance received
- % of assisted people who know how to provide feedback or make a complaint about the assistance
- % of target households with a high or very high share of expenditure on food