Food Security: A Global & National Perspective

Ayaz Ali SoomroPakistan Fisherfolk Forum

Old Concept of Food Security

Food security is a condition related to the ongoing availability of food. Concerns over food security have existed throughout history. In 1974 World Food Conference the term 'food security' was established as a formal concept. Originally, food security was understood to apply at the national level, with a state being food secure when there was sufficient food to "sustain a steady expansion of food consumption and to offset fluctuations in production and prices".

Food Security, a New Concept

A new definition emerged at 1996 in the World Food Summit; this time with the emphasis being on individuals enjoying food security, rather than the nation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), “food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life".

Food Insecurity

Food Insecurity results from climate change, urban development, population growth and oil price shifts that are interconnected and rarely confined by borders. It is an issue of global importance . The global population, already over 7 billion, is growing by roughly 83 million people every year. By 2030, about 1.4 billion people are expected to enter the global middle class. Feeding the planet while conserving the environment that underpins food production is one of the greatest challenges of our day.

Global status of Food Insecurity

According to the report of FAO (2013) Some

842 million people, or roughly one in eight, suffered from chronic hunger in 2011-13, not getting enough food to lead active and healthy lives.

The vast majority of hungry people live in developing regions, while 15.7 million live in developed countries.

Food Security in the Context of Pakistan

• HH Food• Secure

42%

• HH Food• Insecure58%

9.8% Food Insecure with Severe Hunger

19.8% Food insecure with Moderate Hunger

28.4% Food insecure without hunger

The results of Nat Nut survey reveals that at national level about

Food Security in Urban Areas VS Rural Areas

Urban Areas Rural Areas

• HH Food Secure

48%

• HH Food Insecure52%

• HH Food Secure39.4

%

• HH Food Insecure60.6%

FS in Urban Areas

In urban areas of those households that were food insecure

26.5%

17.7%

8.2%

• Food insecure without hunger• Food Insecure with moderate hunger• Food Insecure with severe hunger

FS status in Rural Areas

10.5%HH Food insecure with severe hunger

20.7% HHFood insecure with moderate hunger

28.3% HHFood insecure without hunger

Status of Food Insecurity in Sindh

Despite having 14 million acres under crop cultivation in Sindh, according to a report drafted by the P&D, Eight of Sindh’s 23 districts, most of them in the southern part of the province and in its coastal belt were identified as having ‘extremely poor’ conditions for access to food.

34% HH Food

Insecure with

Moderate hunger

17% HH Food Insecure with severe hunger

71% HH Food

Insecure

Food is a Basic Right

The right to food is an inclusive right. It is not simply a right to a minimum ration of calories, proteins and other specific nutrients. It is a right to all nutritional elements that a person needs to live a healthy and active life, and to the means to access them.

The right to food can be described as follows: The right to adequate food is realized when

every man, woman and child, alone or in community with others, has physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement.

Regrettably……..!!!

No policy is available to ensuring food security for the people in Sindh. However, Sindh Government in its report of 2013 on MDGs has reiterated its commitment to take efforts to halve hunger and reduce food insecurity in the province

Way Forward…PFF believes in Food Sovereignty & Climate Justice

Food Sovereignty is the right of peoples to healthy and culturally appropriate food produced through ecologically sound and sustainable methods, and their right to define their own food and production systems.

Or simplyThose who produce food should consume first

کائي سو کيڙي جيڪو “Climate Justice is a vision to dissolve and alleviate the unequal burdens created by climate change. As a form of environmental justice, climate justice is the fair treatment of all people and freedom from discrimination with the creation of policies and projects that address climate change and the systems that create climate change and perpetuate discrimination.”

By following this philosophy of food sovereignty & climate justice, we believe that we can end food injustice and food insecurity. The policies to address the climate change and food security should direly need to have above bases coupled with human rights approach.

Thanks