Written by: Fadugba Titilope
Food Security
The concept of food security was first introduced in mid 1970s by the United Nations and a definition was adopted in 1996.
A review of these definition was proposed by the Committee on Food Security in its 2012 meeting held in October after which several definitions have been adopted for the term Food Security by different organizations e.g the UN, USDA, USAID but the generally accepted definition is still the definition from the National Committee on World Food Security held in November 1996 which defines
Food Security as
“when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their food preference and dietary needs for an active and healthy life. ”
The Governments of nations that were present or represented at the 1996 summit pledged their support to halve the population of undernourished people in their nations by the year 2015. This informed part of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) that spanned from 1990-2015.
The year 2015 bench mark is passed yet, Food Security still remains a Global challenge.
To define Food Security in a lame man’s sentence
is a situation
when Everyone, Everywhere, Every time not withstanding social status have physical access and economic power to purchase food that is needed to live an optimal productive life not just for today or tomorrow but for these week, the next week, the following month and the following years.
The definition stated above is still far from been obtainable and realistic in most parts of the world today, even though the Food Farmers produce and provide enough food to feed the world population, yet hunger and undernutrition exists in the very fabrics of almost all economies of the world, report has it that as many as 9.9 percent of the world population are hungry.This in essence means that nearly one in every three people is Food Insecure, this means increased susceptibility to diseases.
Food Security will reduce the global burden of diseases.
Food commodities, Food Security in recent time.
The recent Russian/Ukrainian war is having a huge effect on Global Food Security because both countries have a huge role to play in the Global Food production and supply.
The humongous effect of the war on the food system will be felt in the coming months or even years but in the interim, there is a shortage of Sunflower oil in the world market since Ukraine produces halve (½ ) the Sunflower oil consumed presently in the world.
Sunflower oil (Edible Oil with the largest content of Vitamin E) is presently scarce and where it is available to buy, the price is very high.
Bread the most readily available food in every Nigerian street is produced from wheat, a commodity that both Russian and Ukraine accounts for the major stake of between 15%- 30% of the total world supply, little wonder the price of Bread, Pastas and other Pastries is on the rise.
Russia is the largest producer of Sugar beets in the whole world, Sugar beets is used to produce white sugar and other types of refined sugar like molasses and brown sugar which is used in a lot of food preparations which includes ice cream, beverages, confectionaries e.t.c This war has had it toil on sugar based confectionaries.
Fertilizer, the farm input needed for good Crop yield is majorly sourced from Russia which has a large share of about 15% in the world’s supply of fertilizers. Fertilizer provides micronutrients which is needed by crops to complement the nutrients from the soil.
Russia is also a key exporter of Gas to the world, that explains the recent hike in price.
Markers for Food Security
According to Global Food Security index 2021, Ireland was the most food secured nation in 2021 with a Global Food Security Index of 84.0%, followed by Austria 81.3% and the United Kingdom 81.0% while Nigeria ranked 97th position out of the 113 counties coming behind Ghana, Kenya and Uganda.
The Global Food Security Index is an annual assessment that measures Food Security based on 58 indicators which includes Income, Economic inequality, Availability of food, Quality, Safety e.t.c on (113) one hundred and three countries of the world.
This assessment is designed to be dynamic, quantitative and qualitative measuring each countries level of Food Security
Components of Food Security
For a country to be Food secured all this component must be in place.
Food Availability
This implies that food is made available for human consumption at local levels where local individuals or households can locate the food needed by them without thriving or struggling to get it.
These Food can either be sourced from local markets or international markets through importation into the country so it can be made available for citizens to have access to.
Food Access
Available foods should be affordable, when food is made available in the market either it was locally sources or imported to the country, it must be ensured that people have access to the food, by having access to the market and having power to purchase the food needed.
According to the United Nations, nearly one in every three persons did not have access to adequate food in 2020 due to the pandemic. Food access ensues when households and all individuals within that household have adequate access to obtain appropriate food for growth abd development.
Food Access has a lot to do with the Earning Power (Income) of people and the most common cause of Food Insecurity is the inability to afford foods due to low income. When children within a household can afford to eat and the parents within that same household go hungry or vice versa then that is Food Insecurity.
Stability
This is when a population, household or an individual has access to food at all times and does not risk losing access to food as a consequence of cynical events such as dry season or unforeseen circumstances. A threat to the supply of food at any stage of human existence is an indication of Food Insecurity.
Food Uses and Utilization
This is the ability of an individual to optimally and or effectively absorb the nutrients and energy supplied by the food eaten. Nutrients are needed by the body and thus absorbed differently by the different demography of the population.
The way food is handled and prepared, the utensils used in preparation, the source of water used in meal preparation has effect to a large extent on how the Food is utilized in the body. When food is not properly utilized when consumed, there is a risk of Food Insecurity.
Hunger a Major Measure of Food Insecurity
Food Insecurity is defined by the FAO as a situation when people lack secure access to sufficient amount of safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life.
Global Food insecurity is a challenge that affects both developed and developing nations of the world but it burden is more prevalent in the developing nations especially Sub Saharan Africa.
What is Hunger?
Hunger which is a public health challenge by definition is a
Define periods when populations are experiencing severe food insecurity because people are not able to buy food due to poverty or low income or are unable to get resources such as land to grow foods to eat, or means to harvest, process, preserve and store what is produced”
Measuring Food Security in terms of Hunger, according to the Global Hunger Index 2021, Nigeria had a score of 28.3%, a level of hunger that is serious with a rank of 103rd position out of 116 countries.
The Global Hunger Index is a tool that measures hunger globally based on region and by country. It is calculated annually and designed to raise awareness and understanding on the struggle against Hunger.
Major Causes of Food Insecurity
Globally Food Security is affected by various factors which is region based and country specific, this write-up has looked for the major causes of food insecurity that are obtainable in both developed and developing nations of the world. Listed below are some of the factors.
• Rising food prices
• Pandemic
• Conflicts and war,
• Political instability
• Natural disasters (storms, flooding, drought, tsunami,)
• Extreme weather condition and climate change
• Aging farmer population
• Low income
• Poverty
• Pollution and improper waste management that has affected water bodies
• Pest and Diseases
• Overfishing or over hunting
• Poaching
Ways to tackle Food insecurity
The Food system is a very complex one with many factors contributing to Insecurity. For everybody, everywhere to have access to good nutritious food that is needed for a healthy life i.e Food Security, all hands must be on deck to
• Encourage mechanized and large scale farming
• Ensuring the supply of good, viable and unexpired farm inputs and farm implements to farmers as at when due.
• Ensure the provision and maintainace of good motorable road networks that connects farmland to market places.
• Ensure Artificial irrigation systems to feed water to the farmland for constant supply of water to crops during both rainy and dry seasons.
• Ensure post harvest losses is reduced to the minimum
• Ensure the development of the rural areas
• Ensure income disparity is addressed by bridging the gap between unemployment and underemployment.
• Encourage the involvement of the younger generation in farming
• Encourage Home gardening
In conclusion, Food Security is a complex global issue that requires urgent and constant solutions to solve and all hands must be on deck to tackle it. It is time to ensure that nobody lacks food to eat in the midst of national and even world Food abundance.
Thank you for reading
Food Safety and Food Security is everyone’s business.
Titi is a Scientist, Researcher and R.Writer.
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Great work. I learnt alot from this article.
Food security will also help to reduce our over dependence on food supplement and drugs