Developmental challenges are one of the biggest catalysts of society’s evolution. One such challenge is definitely the rising rate of world hunger. Food security is a concern almost everyone is trying to fix.

But we cannot raise our voice against a matter without knowing all the facts.

In this excerpt below, we will be giving you some of the concerning facts about world hunger. What it means to have food insecurity, and what the world is doing to eradicate it.

What Is Food Security?

Food security is the availability & accessibility of food. This is either the physical access or the economic access towards healthy and nutritional food preference. Food security means individuals fulfill all their daily dietary needs for a healthy life.

Dimensions Of Food Security?

These are some of the dimensions that ensure someone’s food security.

1. Food Utilization

To ensure that the food you are consuming provides the right type of nutrients. That is, it provides sufficient energy to lead a healthy life.

Utilization also includes how one feeds herself and their family, the way they are preparing it, and how they distribute it among their people. All these matters when it comes to claiming one has food security.

In some rural areas, boy children have more priority since they are fed first. Believing that they need more energy since they work.

2. Physical Availability Of Food

Affordability of food is not enough, one needs availability of food as well. When COVID-19 hit us, food supplies were scarce. Even if people have the affordability, food security is in danger. Plus, the availability of nutritional food which covers dietary needs is also important.

The supply chain, production rate, and gross GDP play a crucial role which could make some of people 

3. Stability Of Food

One cannot consider food security if one month you have a hot meal on your table every day, while the next we are barely living.

Inadequate intake of food on a periodic basis, and not getting enough nutrients from time to time is also a form of food insecurity.

4. Access To Food

A food supply and availability is not always a guarantee of availability. This means that food production can be great at a national & international level and yet can falter at the regional level.

It is about the development, affordability, and social condition of that region. Or, whether the government is able to transport the food supply to such a region. Adverse weather conditions, decreasing employment rates, and an increase in food prices could be reasons behind the lack of accessibility.

What Is Food Insecurity?

According to Maslow, food and shelter come at the bottom of human needs. This means if you are not fulfilled at this stage, you are unable to move to the next.

Food insecurity is the lack of access to food that fulfills the dietary needs of every person in the family. All in all, it is when some family members might go to bed hungry or even be a victim of malnutrition, among other health conditions, due to a lack of food.

Since you are unable to fulfill such a basic need, you are in fact unable to move forward with other needs like social, and self-esteem needs. This leads to a poor quality of life.

Facts & Figures Of Food Security

• To begin with, the global population index for food hunger has remained the same since 1950, while the global population has grown to 7.2 billion people. Although one cannot consider this good news, the number of hungry people is lessening depending on the growing economy. The world hunger rate currently stands at 11.3%.
• The UN calculates world hunger based on the daily intake of calories that each man and woman requires based on their age. However, people who are malnourished work in a very labor-intensive job that requires more calorie intake for energy. Many states that this current calculation is arguably conservative and doesn’t show the real issue.
• This in fact does produce enough food to quench the hunger of 7 billion people. However, ironically most of this food is provided by farmers. Who either do not produce enough, leading to low income or have to sell all at lower prices to government bodies.
• Adverse climates and inflation due to economic slowdown are some of the biggest reasons for rising food insecurity rates.
• Poverty is the main cause of food security issues. This leads to a society not utilizing its full potential to eradicate the issues. Most importantly, it causes an unequal distribution of income in the society.
• The countries successful in achieving great lengths in its eradication are Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kuwait, Vincent & Grenadines, Brazil, and Cuba.

What Can You Do

Often we underestimate our power in global matters like this. However, did you know your efficiency and hard work can help reduce food security issues? Every effort begins at home, so here is what you can do at a domestic level.

• Find ways to reduce food waste. Buy only what is necessary for your family’s dietary requirements. In case of excess, do not be afraid to donate some to your local charity. You can buy some extra to give out to someone in need. Learn more about how you can upcycle your food waste and convert it into a valuable resource
• Buy from local farmers rather than big chain groceries. These big chain groceries are notoriously known for giving less than minimum wage to the farmers and selling them at higher price limits.

What Can You Do At A Large Scale

• If you own a company, the chances of improving your CSR increase. Helping to reduce the world hunger rate is an excellent option. You can start by employing underprivileged individuals on physical tasks.
• Part of your yearly profit could go towards various food funds, and the other part could find someone’s education. After all we all know employment and education are the two boons which can break the poverty cycle.

Food security is a basic need, and we, as responsible citizens, should never throw a blind eye to it. If you have any other important points to add, please do so in the comment section below.