Ensuring Food Security
By: Iqbal Najafi

Social

Family sizes will decrease and there will be a lower birth rate

Food Access:
People must have the ability to obtain enough
quantities of food, whether that be through purchase,
production from home, gifts, borrowing, etc

Environmental

Less strain on the natural environment

Environmental impacts affecting food security include:
- Fresh water accessibility
- Biodiversity
- Soil degradation
- Fisheries
- Fertilization

Other factors include:
- Deforestation
- Overgrazing
- Over-cultivation

Cultural

People will have access to make their own cultural foods
& improve on their wellbeing

Food Utilization:
Food that is consumed must have a positive nutritional
impact on people

Political

If the government ensures that food is available in sufficient quantities

Food Availability:
Government must ensure that food is available in sufficient quantities on a consistent basis

The majority of farmers are growing only one crop;
also known as a "cash crop"

Government must consider stock, production, etc

Government can import food from other countries, through trade or aid

Economic

More food = increase in work force
of population = increase in economy

Cash crops generate a better profit because they only have equipment and materials suited to one crop

Healthier Populations result in a greater work force

Less food = increase in prices for food

Unemployment for farmers

Farmers going into debt, distress, etc

Cooking, storage, water & sanitation, hygiene, individuals health, etc

It is generally presumed that majority of farmers will
eat whatever food they are producing, and that farmers are growing solely for their families

Sustainable farming practices that reduce crop yield/profit will not be incorporated into cash crops

Cash Cropping can have detrimental effects on the environment, such as; soil degradation, increased insects/pests, etc

Cash crops improve the transportation infrastructure that form part of the export process

Increased government income through taxes and export revenue

Increase in diversity of cultural commodities available worldwide and year round

Developing countries that have an increasing risk of hunger and famine for an increasing population

Decrease in food prices and an overall increase
in accessibility to foods

Increased production of new and high-yielding varieties of grains --> (Farmers can now create cultural meals at a cheaper prices)

The Green Revolution involved the widespread use of chemicals in agriculture that had many unintentional impacts on the environment

Monsanto leaves millions of farmers in India in economic distress and debt. Small farmers in India take their own lives due to financial debt

Monsanto also creates herbicides that have detrimental effects on the environment. --> (leads to loss of biodiversity, pollution, decrease in soil condition, etc)

Famine; which is a shortage of food caused by a temporary failure of food production or food distribution

Cause widespread poverty, political and social instability, a declining work force <-- (all which must be solved by the government)

Slows economic growth of the country and can affect the economic sustainability of country

Have adverse effects on the culture of the family which is experiencing famine

Starvation; which is extreme hunger that occurs over an extended period of time

Stops local communities from growing and having cultural foods

Political conflicts have detrimental and damaging effects on economic growth

Shortage of food

Chronic Hunger

Effects of chronic hunger include:
- High infant mortality rates
- increased vulnerability to illnesses
- Poor physical and mental development of children

Many individuals around the world suffer due to a lack of opportunity/ability to earn enough income to buy food

Food availability has a direct impact on health

Private global companies are working together with governments to invest in food production in underdeveloped countries

For example, In May 2012, the Obama administration announced the “New Alliance for Food Security”. The project enlists 45 private companies who are to invest in food production in some of the world′s poorest countries (Stewart, 2012)

They are aiming to make a long term solution that will increase the livelihood of individuals living in the economy

We must also consider the negative effects and implications that this food production may cause on the environment (ex - soil degradation, pollution, etc)

Abbot states, "that Donors must pay attention to how agricultural production can adapt to the effects of climate change and to how agricultural production can
develop in a sustainable manner" (Stewart, 2012).

Global aid corporations such as the UN estimate that"40 billion dollars a year would need to be invested in order for agricultural production to grow fast enough to meet the world’s food needs"(Stewart, 2012).

There is a global concern regarding future demand of food production. Subsequently, Abbott suggests that "by increasing rural income and employment, it will reduce poverty and will create in increase in food demand which is beneficial to both donors and underdeveloped countries"(Stewart,2012).

Increasing rural income and employment will also improve living conditions and will have a positive effect on local communities

Cash transfers give the households in need the ability to make their own choices on where to spend the money. They can choose to spend it on food security, their wellbeing, medical fees, etc

Cash transfers are also beneficial to the environment. They do not cause any pollution because they are mainly transmitted electronically. --> Therefore cash transfers are a part of global efforts to reduce climate change.

Cash transfers also have great multiplier effects on the economy of the country. This is because cash transfers give purchasing power to individuals

Alternative/local farms use fewer chemical inputs (ex - fertilizers & pesticides)

They are also more sustainable and equitable then regular/traditional farming methods

Since the food is produced and consumed in the same region, there will be less fossil fuels burned for transportation of imported foods

When the producers and the consumer know each other and interact with each other, --> then the entire community has a say in how food is produced

Farmers will also receive a decent and better income, because they will receive a higher percentage of the value of the food they produce

Local/alternative farms add diversity to our farming landscapes, --> which mean governments wont need to import food from other countries as much

Empowers local residents and communities by giving them some control over their food

Local farms provide nearby residents with a healthier alternative and provide increased nutritional value than food that is imported from other countries or food that is grown with GMO's

Government should give the local farmers formal rights to their land

The government should provide those farmers with information that would help them manage their land more effectively

Bugs can be the new alternative instead of food industrialization. Bugs are an efficient source of protein and can be found anywhere in the world

Eating bugs is also more sustainable than eating regular animals

80% of a crickets body is edible compared to only 40% of a cows body

Producing one pound of beef requires 1,800 gallons of water, whereas one pound of cricket protein requires only one gallon of water

Eating bugs results in less pollution and habitat destruction

Adding bugs as ingredients to cultural dishes can create a whole new range of things to eat

It is cheaper to buy bugs as food ingredients than other sources of proteins

With vertical farms, you can get much more density per square foot, than on a regular farm

Climate controlled environment --> there is no risk of flooding or environmental damage

Vertical farms eliminate the need for pesticide use

Vertical farms can also be harvested year round, even in cold climates

Vertical farming is more energy efficient, and you can use cold climates to your advantage
--> (saves money on energy)