Emerging Avenue for Development: Changing Women’s Role in India
Global Food Security- What can be done before next surge? Genius G.C. 05/03/2012
The Issue of Food Security:
Food security is an important issue in agriculture since it is related to the survival of people which is its basic objective. The inability to even feed oneself is the indicator of absolute poverty. According to the World Food Conference 1996, food security means, “physical and economic access of all the people, every day, to sufficient, hygienic and nutritious food, adjusted with their needs and choices.” Food security has to be considered in its three dimensional outlook: food availability, food access and food utilization. * Availability - The availability of food is determined by food production potentials of the country. This is also affected by the possibility of import and export of the food products that is very much influenced by national and international trade policies. * Accessibility- The access of food is closely associated with its availability. Food should be easily accessible to all the population, with special privileges to the poor and low income groups. * Utilization- As the word suggests, it is concerned with the use of food in such a way that it fulfills the everyday need for 2100 kcal.
There are four main implications of food security which are as follows: * physical and economic access to sufficient food * such access should encompass all people irrespective of their economic and social backgrounds * access at all times in a year, and in times of unusual events like war and natural calamity * the food has to be safe, nutritious and conducive to a healthy life
Among the four dimensions of food security, physical access to nutritious food is of most direct concern of the agricultural sector.
It can take place at the household, community, national and international level. Its underlying issues include: resources (natural, physical and human), production (in this case esp.
The Issue of Food Security:
Food security is an important issue in agriculture since it is related to the survival of people which is its basic objective. The inability to even feed oneself is the indicator of absolute poverty. According to the World Food Conference 1996, food security means, “physical and economic access of all the people, every day, to sufficient, hygienic and nutritious food, adjusted with their needs and choices.” Food security has to be considered in its three dimensional outlook: food availability, food access and food utilization. * Availability - The availability of food is determined by food production potentials of the country. This is also affected by the possibility of import and export of the food products that is very much influenced by national and international trade policies. * Accessibility- The access of food is closely associated with its availability. Food should be easily accessible to all the population, with special privileges to the poor and low income groups. * Utilization- As the word suggests, it is concerned with the use of food in such a way that it fulfills the everyday need for 2100 kcal.
There are four main implications of food security which are as follows: * physical and economic access to sufficient food * such access should encompass all people irrespective of their economic and social backgrounds * access at all times in a year, and in times of unusual events like war and natural calamity * the food has to be safe, nutritious and conducive to a healthy life
Among the four dimensions of food security, physical access to nutritious food is of most direct concern of the agricultural sector.
It can take place at the household, community, national and international level. Its underlying issues include: resources (natural, physical and human), production (in this case esp.
References: * Cine and Rosegrant et al., 2011, Global Food Security: Challenges and Policies, * Food Aid and Food Security Policy Paper, 1995, USAID * Global food projections to 2020: emerging trends and alternative futures 2001 pp. 206 pp. * Hanrahan, Charles E., The U.S. Global Food Security Initiative: Issues for Congress, Senior Specialist in Agricultural * www.state.gov * Lane, Sylvia, The United States Food Policy, Dec., 1995,American Journal of Agricultural Economics Vol. 77, No. 5, Proceedings Issue), pp. 1096-1109 * http://www.slideshare.net/FAOEconomics/global-food-security-challenges-and-longterm-perspective