Food Security

Rome, 14th November 2009

Barilla Nutritioncamp

How many people are suffering from hunger, or are malnourished

in the world?

• 842 million in 1990/92

• 832 million in 1995/97

• 848 million in 2003/2005

• 860 million in 2004/2006

Estimation/projections

• 923 million = estimation for 2007

• 963 million = estimation for 2008

• 1.02 billion = estimation for 2009

Is this due to population growth ?

No.

From 1960 to 2000 agricultural productionincreased more than population. Food availability increased. Now about 2.800 calories perperson available world wide. About 9 billion people may befed with the present agricultural production.

=> What are the basis for calculation

Undernourishment exists when caloric intake is below the minimum dietary energy requirement, which is the amount of energy needed for light activity and a minimum acceptable weight for attained height.

Only energy and calories (macronutrients) varies by country and year Depends and gender and age structure of population

Hence complex to calculate

Probably more than 2 billion people are suffering from food insecurity.

All people suffering from food insecurity of not undernourished but all people suffering from hunger are food insecure.

=> so, what is food security ?

Definition

Food Security

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

WFS, 1996

Definition

Food insecurity

It is a situation where some people do not have access to sufficient quantities of safe and nutritious food and hence do not consume the food that they need to grow normally and conduct an active and healthy life.

Food insecurity

May be due to:

- lack of food: no availability

- lack of resources: no access

- unproper use: no proper utilization

- Changes in time: no stability

The 4 dimensions of Food Security

• Availability

• Access

• Utilisation

• Stability

1. Availability

Food security exists when all people, at all

times, have physical, social and economic

access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Availability is defined as the amount of food that

is physically present in a country or area through

all forms of domestic production, commercial

imports, including informal cross-border trade

and food aid.

2. ACCESS

Food security exists when all people, at all

times, have physical, social and

economic access to sufficient, safe

and nutritious food which meets their dietary

needs and food preferences for an active

and healthy life.

The fact that food be available in a country, a region of even a village is not enough to ensure that all people can actually eat it.

There are three different “Access” to food:

- physical

- financial

- socio-cultural

2.1 Physical access:

The food is available at the location

where people (households, etc.)

actually need it.

Food insecurity: food is available

somewhere else and needs to be moved

(transport, roads, logistics,…)

2.2 Economic access:The food is available where people need it andhouseholds have the ability to regularly acquireadequate amounts of food to meet their requirements.

Food insecurity: food is available where peopleneed it but they do not have the resources tobuy it.

This is why hunger and poverty are so closely related

2.3 Socio-cultural accessFood security: The food is available where

People need it, households have the ability

to regularly acquire food and there are no

socio-cultural barriers to their consumption

of the commodities.

Food insecurity: food is available where

people need and can buy it but there are

socio-cultural barriers to consumption by all.

3. UTILISATION

Food security exists when all people, at all

times, have physical, social and economic

access to sufficient, safe and nutritious

food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and

healthy life.

The “utilization” dimension of food security

therefore refers to:

• Quality of food

• Nutritive composition of food

• Preparation of food

• Conservation of food

And more generally with:

• Nutrition

and

• Health

4. STABILITY

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

The Four Dimensions of Food Security: A Conceptual Framework

• Domestic production • Food imports• Food stocks• Food aid

• Transport and market facilities • Poverty• Purchasing power • Socio-cultural organization• Food distribution

• Care and feeding• Food safety & quality• Quality of water•Nutrition• Health/sanitation education

• Weather variability• Political and economical factors (Man made emergencies)• Price fluctuations

Availability Access Utilization Stability

Conclusion:

• Hunger, malnourishment and food insecurity

are complex concepts.

• Hunger and poverty are very closely related.

• Fighting hunger and poverty requires

multidimensional analysis and actions that

can not be limited to increasing production,

controlling prices or improving quality of food.