The process of developing the Index involved a panel of experts from the academic, non-profit and government sectors to identify and prioritize food security indicators. The panel of experts was tasked to review the framework, select and weigh the indicators, and to advise on the overall construction of the Index. The development of the Index is based on the 1996 World Food Summit definition of food security, however, it differs from the FAO indicator system in that it groups the indicators according to three dimensions of affordability, availability and quality.