Food aid deliveries are measured both in metric tons and in nutritional indicators, which are specific for nutritional reporting.
The nutritional indicators IRMA, IRMAt and IRMAs are expressed in Individual Requirements Met on Average. This terminology does not refer to the actual number of beneficiaries reached by food aid flows or their nutritional needs. Instead it refers to the average individual requirements that the nutritional content of food aid could potentially satisfy. The indicators account for the nutritional requirements for the following 14 nutritional parameters:
It is the actual weight of commodities delivered. One ton is 1,000 kg.
Individual Requirements Met on Average. Nutritional value of an average ton of the selected total amount of food aid. It is computed for energy and each of the 13 nutrients and measures the number of individual requirements potentially met by the nutritional content of a representative ton of the selected deliveries.
E.g. IRMA iron = 7.6 means that the amount of iron contained in a representative ton of the selected deliveries could potentially satisfy the yearly iron requirements of 7.6 average individuals. The shares of the commodities in the representative ton are the same as in the selected food aid deliveries.
Individual Requirements Met on Average, Total. Nutritional value of the selected total amount of food aid. It is computed for energy and each of the 13 nutrients and measures the number of individual requirements potentially met by the nutritional content of the total amount of the deliveries selected.
E.g. IRMAt iron = 156 means that the amount of iron contained in the selected food aid deliveries could potentially satisfy the yearly iron requirements of 156 average individuals.
Individual Requirements Met on Average, Score. IRMAs is a synthesis indicator expressed as a percentage. The IRMA for energy is the threshold. The IRMA is calculated for all nutrients and expressed as a percentage of IRMA energy. If the percentage is larger than 100% it is capped at 100% to avoid that outliers influence the average, to restrict the scale of the indicator to 0-100 and to penalize for excess quantities. The IRMAs indicator is an average of the calculated percentages. IRMAs gives information about the balance of the food aid basket. A low value means that certain nutrients are delivered in small amounts compared to energy. A value of 100% means that the nutrients provided in the food aid could meet the nutritional requirements of at least as many average individuals as energy.
E.g. IRMAs = 63% means that the values of IRMA protein, IRMA fat, … , IRMA zinc as percentages of IRMAt energy (capped at 100%) have an average value of 63%.