what are the threats to global food security?

Question 1

according to FAO stats how many people were hungry in 2015?

Answer 1

795 million (98% from LIDCs)

Question 2

what groups are particular vulnerable to hunger?

Answer 2

rural dwellers -> 75% of hungry ppl live in rural areas
farmers -> 50% of worlds hungry ppl are form small scale farming communities
children -> UNICEF est 146 mill children hungry in LICs
women -> more effected than men esp in LIDCs

Question 3

where is food security a significant issue?

Answer 3

Sudan and sub saharan africa

Question 4

how much has global scale under nourishment declined by 1992 - 2016?

Answer 4

7%

Question 5

how has violence in syria 2011 affected food security?

Answer 5

approx 9.8 mill in need of food, food prices dramatically increase eg rice is up 403%

Question 6

how have conflicts in Yemen affected food security?

Answer 6

6 mill ppl classified as facing food insecurity at emergency level, disrupted markets + livelihoods, fall in incomes + access to staple foods

Question 7

how has the earthquake in Nepal 2015 affected food security?

Answer 7

1.4 mill ppl in need of food assistance, 70% of households are battling borderline food consumption

Question 8

how has conflict + displacement in Iraq affected food security?

Answer 8

4.4 mill food insecure + require urgent food assistance

Question 9

the food supply chain

Answer 9

process by which food is transferred from the farm to our plates inc processes production, harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, disposal

Question 10

pinch points

Answer 10

places in the chain where disruption occurs

Question 11

what method of production increases pinch points

Answer 11

Just in Time (JIT) -> don’t produce until order is made

Question 12

desertification

Answer 12

leads to a reduction in agricultural capacity

-> outcome of persistent land degradation

Question 13

every an area of 3x the size of which country becomes desertified ?

Answer 13

Switzerland

Question 14

what causes desertification?

Answer 14

• intensive method of farming eg in Kenya -> depletes the soil nutrients + clearance of vegetation due to urbanisation leads to wind + water erosion
• increased intensity of cultivation in drylands areas has led to water scarcity
• demand for fuelwood in developing countries eg Burkina Faso use food as 90% of their energy source
• climate change -> more extreme events eg drought

Question 15

social issues of desertification?

Answer 15

• forced migration as scarcity of productive farmland + hunger
• loss of traditional knowledge + skills leading to falling yields
• increase Male out migration, leaving women responsibility of farming + water management

Question 16

economic issues of desertification?

Answer 16

• food shortages, growing risk of dependency on food aid
• reduced incomes
• widespread rural poverty, leading to food security issues as people can’t afford food or produce it

Question 17

what have the 2005 millennium ecosystem assessment proposed to help prevent desertification + restore degraded land?

Answer 17

• the development + introduction of drought resistant crops
• maintaining vegetation cover to protect soils + restore soil fertility through use of organic fertilisers
• reducing clearance of trees by developing non wood energy suppliers which are naturally available eg solar