Definition & calculation
Numerator: Number of supported households whose reduced Coping Strategies Index (rCSI) score falls below the agreed crisis threshold at endline
Denominator: Total number of supported households surveyed at endline
Record the frequency and severity of the five standard food-based coping strategies over the past seven days to compute each household's weighted rCSI, then calculate the share scoring below the agreed crisis threshold.
Formula: (Numerator ÷ Denominator) × 100
Means of verification
Household food security survey using the standard rCSI module
Interpretation
Direction: Lower is better
Typical reporting frequency: Baseline, midline and endline (or annual)
Guidance & common pitfalls
rCSI captures food-based coping only, so pair it with a livelihood-based coping strategies module for a fuller picture, and keep recall period and thresholds consistent across rounds.
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 monthly household income among supported households
- % of supported households able to cover the Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) from their own income
- % of supported producers selling products through a facilitated formal market linkage or value-chain buyer
- % of target households not resorting to crisis or emergency livelihood coping strategies