The Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) and Nutrition survey 2012 is the third of its kind conducted in Rwanda, following those of 2006 and 2009. The purpose is to gain a better understanding of the nature and extent of food insecurity and malnutrition in the country. It seeks to analyse trends of food insecurity and malnutrition over time, measuring their extent and depth and identifying their underlying causes.
 
In addition, building on the recently released ‘Third Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey’ (EICV 3) and ‘Rwanda Demographic Health Survey 2010’ (DHS 2010), this study is specifically geared towards producing evidence based support for targeting (including at district level) of social protection and other assistance aimed at eliminating food insecurity and malnutrition in Rwanda.
 
The 2012 CFSVA and Nutrition survey in Rwanda was led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) and the World Food Programme (WFP). It was supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), One UN, WFP (via the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation), the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), World Vision Rwanda, Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) and MINAGRI.

It was coordinated by the CFSVA and Nutrition Survey technical committee of MINAGRI and NISR in partnership with the Ministries of Local Government (MINALOC), Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs (MIDIMAR), Health (MINISANTE) and Gender and Family promotion (MIGEPROF).
 
Primary data collection took place over six weeks from early March to the end of April 2012, a period in between harvests. The survey was designed to provide statistically representative and precise information at the district level. Urban, rural and peri-urban households were all included in the sample.