Question

essay on food insecuirity

Answer 1

The concept
Food insecurity is a multidimensional/flexible concept that has evolved over time and
location. The concept of food insecurity originated in the mid-1970s due to the international
food problems that emerged as part of a larger global economic crisis. The initial food
insecurity focus was macroeconomic in nature and was mainly concerned with assuring the
availability and price stability of foodstuffs at the international and national levels.Traditionally, food insecurity was measured through aggregate food supplies, and food
availability, accessibility and adequacy (Busch & Lacy, 1984; FAO, 2003a; FAO, 2003b). In
addition to economic factors, the preponderance of drought and famine in some developing
regions of the world led to further rethinking and refinement of the concept. Amartya Sen
(1981), in a seminal publication, helped redefine the food security discussion in the
development literature. His contribution did not focus on the availability of food in the macro
sense as was the prevailing thought at the time, but on constraints on individual access to food
(Webb, et al. 2006).
Definitions of food insecurity have evolved as thinking about the problem has changed
over time. At the 1974 world food summit, food security was defined as:
“availability at all times of adequate world food supplies of basic foodstuff to sustain a steady
expansion of food consumption and to offset fluctuations in production and prices” (UN, 1975).
By 2001, the definition of food security evolved to:
“ Food security is a situation that exists 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” (FAO, 2002). This definition implies that food
insecurity reflects uncertain access to enough and appropriate foods (Barrett, 2002).
However food insecurity is defined, it is generally agreed that three distinct variables
are central to the attainment of food security – namely food availability, access and utilization.
Food availability: Food insecurity research before Sen (1981) focused on food
availability in a macro sense. The goal was to ensure that sufficient quantities of appropriate
kinds of food were available from domestic sources, imports, or donor sources (FAO, 2003b;
Webb et al. 2006). The focus of both domestic and international policy was on removingconstraints to food availability by concentrating on agricultural policy, trade policy, marketing
and transportation systems, the role of natural disasters, and the price effects of economic
policies. Eventually, the realization grew that availability was necessary, but not sufficient to
promote food security. The concept of food security was expanded to include access.
Food access: The debate on food insecurity shifted from macro supply issues to focus
on the ability of households to obtain food in the market place or from other sources (Webb et
al. 2006). Having access to food includes having physical access to a place where food is
available and economic access – a socially legitimate claim to food (Staatz, Boughton &
Donovan, forthcoming).
It is important to note that in many developing countries, the availability and access
dimensions of food insecurity are strongly linked. While availability reflects the supply side of
food insecurity, access reflects effective demand. The two concepts are linked by food prices
(Staatz, Boughton & Donovan, forthcoming).
Food utilization/consumption: This third aspect of food security speaks to the proper
usage of food and includes processing, storage, consumption and digestion. How the food is
prepared (which affects nutritional value) and the health of the individuals consuming the food
(which affects the ability to absorb and use nutrients) affects food security (Staatz, Boughton &
Donovan, forthcoming). Providing nutrition education and family management skills is thus
another aspect of the process of ensuring food security.