Lack of food security and the need for a policy shift

Lack of food security and the need for a policy shift
Food Security

Food security is the availability, access, utilization of food and the stability that it brings. Availability means the production and distribution of food and means of its exchange. Access to food depends on it’s availability along with adequate allocation according to age, gender etc., keeping in view the preferences that respect certain patterns of religious and cultural choices. Utilization of food refers to the way it is prepared and consumed; also it’s nutritional value and safety keeping in view the health status of the population. Stability would therefore ensure that there are no fluctuations in supply of food that might lead to inadequate utilization and malnutrition.

 

Food insecurity could be chronic, transitory and seasonal; each of which has a profound impact on people. Key factors affecting food insecurity are environmental challenges such as climate change, infectious diseases in humans and livestock along with supply shortages and affordability for lower income strata of the society. 

 

Food insecurity
 

According to “Our World in Data,” “9% of the world population, around 697 million people, are severely food insecure, that is, one in four people, globally – 1.9 billion, are moderately or severely food insecure.” Conflict stricken areas hit by climate change are worst affected by food insecurity, which include the Sub-Saharan and African countries followed by Southern Asian countries, according to United Nations, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Developed countries such as the United States of America are also affected by food insecurity. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), an estimated 1 in 9 Americans were food insecure, equating to over 37 million Americans, including more than 11 million children. Food insecurity was lower in 2019 than 2018 (11.1 percent).   

 

Food insecurity has lead to malnutrition, which has impacted children in the form of undernourishment, stunting, wasting and mortality. Pakistan is one of those countries that have developed chronic food insecurity, according to FAO. The World Food Programme (WFP) also reports that 60 per cent of the population faces food insecurity.  The prime reason is not availability, allocation, utilization or stability but the insecurity due to ineffective policies and lack of affordability for the populace that is exacerbated by climate change factors such as floods, seasonal fluctuations and migratory pest infestation.

 

FAO DATA

 

Future Direction International’s Phoebe Sleet, states:

“The aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis caused the so-called three “F” (fiscal, food, fuel) crises in a number of countries. Pakistan, however, suffered from six crises (fiscal, food, fuel, functional democracy, frontier conflict and fragile climate). This produced a cumulative effect on Pakistani food security, causing significant increases in both poverty and food price inflation.”

 

Food security will be the key determinant for prosperity for countries that aspire to achieve sustainability. United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture could form the basis for countries to pool their resources to ensure the global food supply system remains efficient and effective; socio-economic conditions of the most vulnerable populace are improved and certainty and uniformity in governmental policies is ensured to achieve the goal of food security, shifting from reactive to proactive solutions, that include investing in sustainable technology, proper water allocation, improving patterns of land use, processing of post harvest food, building shocks to resilience in face of food shortages, thereby handling food trade and food price inflation.

 

Lastly, a little humor to tickle your thoughts:

 

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.” ― Orson Welles

 

Share thoughts on food security as well as on food insecurity and what that means for our world!

 

We at Polyown Think Tank value your opinion. Leave us your comments.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Credits:

Photo by Omotayo Tajudeen from Pexels

Photo by Jimmy Chan from Pexels

 

 

 

 

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