Food Security
Definition:
The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”. Whilst the Food and Agriculture Organization defines it as: “when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. |
Commonly, this concept is defined by both physical and economic access to food that meets dietary requirements and preferences. In many countries, health problems, malnutrition and foodborne diarrhea have become threats.
Food Security can also mean that the farmers earn a decent, living wage growing, catching, producing, processing, transporting, retailing, and serving food.
Food Security can also mean that the farmers earn a decent, living wage growing, catching, producing, processing, transporting, retailing, and serving food.
Food inequity is very similar to food security. Inequity refers to injustice and prejudice. Therefore, food inequity means the lack of justice when distributing food for communities to life healthy lives with the needed nutrients for growth, development, repair and energy for daily tasks and body function.
Foundations of food inequity and food security
Food Availability
Adequate quantities, quality and diversity of food is
consistently available through trade, farming systems, well managed natural
resources and policies to enhance productivity.
Food Access
Sufficient resources can be obtained
to receive appropriate foods for a nutritious diet. This covers economic and
physical access through increased income from cash crops, livestock products
and other enterprises.
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Food Use
knowledge of basic nutrition and
care, adequate water and sanitation influences appropriate food consumption. It
also refers to how the body utilises the various available nutrients to
contribute to good nutrition status. This is affected by feeding practices,
food preparation, diversity of their diet and intra-household distribution of
food. This requires improvements of nutrition, food safety, increased diversity
in diets and reduced post-harvest loss.
Food Stability
This is about the constant supply
of food rather than short term shocks from a bad season, changes in employment
status, conflict or rising food prices.
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Food Security as a cause of malnutrition
Food security is a significant issue linked to health through malnutrition where food to feed everyone adequately is available but not evenly distributed. Agriculture is crucial to a country’s (especially developing) food security. An action to more equally distribute food equity has been made where the World Trade Organization (WTO) member states have raised tariffs (tax on imports to support local produce) on key products to protect national food security and employment.
However, food security doesn’t always mean the amount of food but also ensuring a variety of nutrients are provided. Hidden hunger is caused by deficiencies in micronutrients such as iron, Vitamin A and Zinc affecting two billion people. The effects of micronutrient deficiencies can be devastating, children become at risk of mental impairment, poor health, low productivity and even death very rapidly.
Food access is closely linked to food supply, so food security is dependent on a healthy and sustainable food system. This system includes the production, processing, distribution, marketing, acquisition, and consumption of food. A healthy, sustainable food system should focus on Environmental Health, Economic Vitality, and Human Health & Social Equity.
- Environmental Health: ensures that food production and procurement doesn’t negatively impact the land, air, or water either at present or for future generations.
- Economic Vitality: ensures that the food producers earn a decent living wage for their work to guarantee food production to continue.
- Human Health & Social Equity: ensures that community development and health is a priority, ensuring that healthy foods are available economically and physically to the community.