The October/November 2020 Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis process in South Sudan broke down when the South Sudan IPC Technical Working Group was unable to reach technical consensus on the severity of food insecurity in six critical counties. This Independent Review documents what happened, analyses the reasons for the breakdown in consensus, and recommends the way forward.

The three IPC resource partners – United States Agency for International Development, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the European Union – commissioned the Independent Review, following a request from the Government of South Sudan. The Review’s primary purpose is to support the restoration of the effective functioning and credibility of the IPC in South Sudan. It was carried out by a team from HPG/ODI, drawing on a wide range of documentation, interviews with more than 70 key informants and a consultation process with 6 key stakeholder groups.

The findings reveal some fundamental design flaws in the IPC model. The review recommends how these issues can be addressed to ensure the effective functioning of the IPC in South Sudan in the future, and the continued credibility of the IPC as a global ‘gold standard’.

Report by the Overseas Development Institute