Preparing for the next crisis by harmonizing measures of food security

A best practice is a method or technique that has been generally accepted as superior to any alternatives because it produces results that are superior to those achieved by other means or because it has become a standard way of doing things. This document is one of a series of reports from the Food Security Portal on best practices for emerging topics in agriculture and food security policy.

This short brief reflects on research generated during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and highlights three key limiting problems that emerged. These problems motivate three best practices that research and policy communities should consider when designing questionnaires and implementing surveys. These best practices will help us be better prepared and equipped to generate rapid and policy-relevant research when the next crisis occurs.