Food Security; Improving Food Security and Livelihoods

Abstract:

Food security, as defined by the United Nations' Committee on World Food Security, means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Food security exists when “all people, at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. Close to 800 million individuals do not have access to enough food, 2 billion individuals experience key micronutrient deficiencies, and; 60% of individuals in low-income countries are food insecure.

Food security relates directly to nutrition and health. Typically, food security is thought of as being related to availability and access of foodstuffs. Yet, the threat to food security also lies with urbanization, income disparity, overpopulation, ecosystem degradation, animal health, and food wholesomeness. Food wholesomeness is also an important aspect of nutrition. Wholesomeness is monitored via food safety and food defence programmes, making them critical components of a food security programme as well. This article discusses these interrelations and concepts for future scientific and humanitarian development programmes.

Food insecurity negatively affects human physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development throughout the life course and is a major social and environmental disruptor with serious repercussions for planetary health (i.e., the health of human civilization and the state of the natural systems on which it depends). Food security is related to all of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Improved food security governance based on sound, equitable, and sustainable food systems that benefit from modern information and sustainable and equitable agricultural technologies is essential for countries to meet the SDGs.