what is food security + why is it of global significance? Flashcards
Definition of food security
exists when all people, at all times, have a physical and economic access to sufficient, safe + nutritious food that meets their dietary needs + food preferences for an active + healthy life
what are the three pillars identified by WFP?
availability (food supply)
access (household level access to sufficient food)
utilisation (intake of food should = gain of nutrients + energy)
chronic food insecurity
long term
unable to meet food requirements over sustained period
results from extended periods of poverty
can overcome with LT measures eg education
transitory food insecurity
short term
sudden drop in ability to produce enough food to maintain good nutritional status
occurs from ST fluctuations in food availaibily inc year to year variations in food prices + incomes
can overcome with early warning capacity + safety net programmes
the global hunger index
measures hunger at global, regional, national scales. used to raise awareness of geographical differences in hunger + how they change over time
ghi indicators
1) undernourishment (% of pop,)
2) child wasting (proportion of children below the age of 5 with low weight for height)
3) child stunting ( proportion of children below age of 5 with low height for their age)
4) child mortality (mortality rate of children under age of 5)
best performers on ghi 2015
thailand, Vietnam + Mexico (high levels of economic growth)
worst performers on ghi 2015
swaziland (HIV + AIDs epidemic)
sudan (drought + conflict)
global food security index 2015
best performing global regions: NA, W Europe + Australasia
needs improvement: majority of Africa
factors causing food insecurity
1) poverty
2) conflict
3) economic stagnation
4) environmental degradation
5) political instability
