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Population in Need Estimates Visualization

Population in Need Estimates Visualization
About the Food Assistance Outlook Brief population in need estimates

This visualization displays the current and future population in need (PIN) estimates from FEWS NET’s most recent Food Assistance Outlook Brief (FAOB).

The FAOB PIN is an estimate of the total number of people requiring urgent humanitarian food assistance in a given geography, both currently and also in seven months. This number reflects the total population estimated to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse acute food insecurity outcomes, including those who are already receiving humanitarian food assistance. The future estimates are compared to the same month of the previous year and the recent five-year average. 

Learn more about FEWS NET’s PIN estimates and methodology for estimating the PIN.

About the highest IPC Acute Food Insecurity Phase estimate

For each geography in the FAOB, FEWS NET also projects the highest area-level IPC Acute Food Insecurity Phase expected in the month of the future estimate. This Phase estimate accounts for planned and likely deliveries of humanitarian food assistance.

In order for a geographic area to be classified in a given IPC Phase, at least 20 percent of the area’s population must be in that IPC Phase or a worse Phase (e.g., IPC Phase 2: ≥ 20 percent of the population is facing IPC Phase 2 or higher Phase outcomes). It is important to recognize that there may be households in the assessed area experiencing a worse IPC Phase than the area-level Phase classification.

Learn more about the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) system and how FEWS NET uses it in our analysis.

Where to find FEWS NET’s PIN reporting

In addition to the population in need visualization, PIN reporting is available through several FEWS NET products. PIN estimates vary by product, as each report estimates needs for a different time period.

  • Food Assistance Outlook Briefs (FAOB): Our monthly FAOBs contain PIN estimates for FEWS NET countries for both the current month and in seven months. The briefs also include global visualizations and context on the food security situation in each country.
  • Peak Food Assistance Needs Outlook Brief: Biannual Peak Food Assistance Needs Outlook Briefs contain FEWS NET’s estimates of the highest PIN expected for our reporting countries over the next 12 months, along with supporting visualizations and narrative context.
  • Food Security Outlooks (FSO): FSOs typically include FEWS NET’s estimates of the highest PIN expected for the reporting country during the report’s eight-month projection period.
  • Global Homepage Map: Map views located under “Acutely food insecure population estimates” in the dropdown menu of the global homepage map show PIN estimates from the latest FAOB. Select a view and click on a particular country for more information.
  • FEWS NET Data Explorer (FDE): The Acutely Food Insecure Population Estimates topic page in the FDE’s Explore data section provides a single place to view, download, or get an API link for all PIN estimates available from FEWS NET.
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