Vulnerable groups can be classified according to a number of criteria:


1. Geographic/regional administrative zone, urban, rural

2. Ecological by climatic conditions, accessibility

3. Economic occupation, level of income, formal or informal sector, size of landholding.
 types of crop grown, migrant labourer, female-headed household

4. Demographic male, female, pregnant, lactating, pre-school children, school-aged
 children, elderly.

Typically, one might expect the following groups in a country to be identified as vulnerable.


This will vary from country to country, according to the specific socio-economic conditions.
Identification of these groups has to be undertaken on the basis of information on variables
such as household food consumption, or level of entitlement. In most countries use of
existing information may have to be supplemented by specific survey work, to reach a more
precise identification of vulnerable groups.

Once vulnerable groups have been identified, the next stage is to examine the sources of risk
to their food security. Table 1.1 categories the main types of entitlement: productive capitaL
non-produtive-capital, human capital, income and claims, and outlines the major sources of
risk. These can be natural risks, as from climatic shocks such as drought, or disease and
pests. Risk can come from changes in state institutions and policies, removal of subsidy
programmes, imposition of taxes, changes in property rights. Changes in market conditions
can affect the prices that the vulnerable face, their opportunities for employment and the cost
of maintaining their capital and their debts. Changes in community rights and obligations
can create risk, particularly for the most vulnerable. Finally, conflict and the breakdown of


Rural
 unskilled landless
 subsistence farmers (deficit)
 low income farmers (food crop)
 low income farmers (cash crop)
 pastoralists
 remote area dwellers

Urban
 informal sector/self employed
 unemployed

General
 female-headed households