discuss any four reason why a different approach is needed to ensure food security in third world countries
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Answer:
1. Balance food and nutritional security.
Until recently, attention has been focused on investment in research of the traditional staple crops — maize, rice and wheat — to tackle hunger. But it is now widely accepted that we must go beyond calorie intake and look at the nutritional balance of the crops grown and consumed. A better balance between the research and development of staple crops and horticultural crops — fruit, legumes and vegetables — is the obvious key to alleviating malnutrition. Neglected or underutilized local varieties of fruit and vegetables often offer a good source of nutrition. We need to support farmers in growing new varieties and different crop mixes, giving them the information they need to manage the unfamiliar pests and diseases that may attack their plants. Animals, fish and poultry are also valuable sources of protein, vitamins and fatty acids. The development of a more diverse and competitive private seed sector, as well as capacity building efforts to help farmers improve soil health, are also crucial, since better quality seeds and soil lead to better quality produce.
2. Embrace new technology for knowledge transfer.
A greater commitment to understanding and improving knowledge transfer amongst rural farmers is urgently needed, as is a more effective approach to using modern ICT. Agricultural advice delivered by mobile phone is one of the most effective methods of sharing information. It takes advantage of the explosion in mobile technologies used in developing countries. Those working in development must embrace it. For example, agricultural advisory services delivered through voice messages can help overcome literacy and language barriers. Innovative provision of these services helps address the fact that there are too few extension workers to support the world’s farmers. The knowledge delivered must cover the full food production cycle, from pre- to post-harvest — 40 percent of global food produced is lost to plant pests and diseases — and even beyond. Mobile technologies can be used to link smallholders to local and regional markets, where they can more easily generate regular incomes. Mobile services can also be expanded to include market information like what to charge per crop and how to access microfinance.
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