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anglumea.com – Did you know there are several critical factors that support the survival of a nation? These include industrial materials, new and renewable energy, and — just as important — food security.
Why is food security so vital for a nation? Put simply: in daily life, no one can go a day without consuming food.
Food is a primary human need — it provides the energy required for all activities and for sustaining life. That's why food security plays such an important role in any nation's future.
Before we dive deeper, let's first explore the definition of food security, the key factors that influence it, and the challenges we face in maintaining it. Keep reading to learn more!
Definition of Food Security According to Experts
Food is one of the most basic human needs. By consuming food, our bodies receive the nutrients needed to produce energy for daily life.
Without energy, you would feel weak and lack the motivation to go about your activities. In short, this fundamental human need for food is what makes food security so crucial for any nation.
Food security itself covers many aspects and is a broad concept — which is why many experts have expressed their views on what food security really means and what its goals are.
In general, food security can be defined as the ability to provide sufficient food and to ensure that every individual has access to it.
The concept of food security began to take shape in 1943 at the Conference of Food and Agriculture, which promoted the idea of a “secure, adequate and suitable supply of food for everyone.”
This concept is based on optimizing the use of domestic resources available to each nation. Food availability is realized through food sovereignty and diversity. Furthermore, ensuring food access is the right of each independent nation to determine through its own food policies.
In addition to this broad definition, several experts have provided specific interpretations of food security:
1. Food Security According to United Nations Committee on World Food Security (CFS)
According to the UN Committee on World Food Security, food security is a condition in which every individual has physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.
2. Food Security According to Food and Agriculture Organization (1997)
The FAO defines food security as a condition in which individuals or households have physical and economic access to sufficient food for all members of the household — with no risk of losing access to food or of harming household members.
In other words, the ideal condition is when every individual or household has the capacity to secure adequate food without facing risks related to physical or financial access.
3. Food Security According to FIVIMS (2005)
Food security is a state in which every individual — physically, socially, and economically — has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and preferences, enabling them to live active and healthy lives in a sustainable manner.
4. Food Security According to Oxfam (2001)
According to Oxfam, food security is a condition where every individual has access to, and control over, an adequate quantity of high-quality food to support an active and healthy life.
This concept emphasizes two key aspects:
- Availability, meaning the quality and quantity of food available; and
- Access, referring to the individual's right to obtain food through purchasing, exchange, or entitlement.
When both these aspects are met, it allows individuals to live healthy and productive lives.
In summary: based on expert opinions, food security is a condition in which individuals or societies within a nation are able to access safe food — through economic, social, and physical means — in order to sustain life and maintain good health.
Factors Affecting Food Security
Food security is influenced by several factors. These factors can either disrupt or support the availability and access to food.
So, what are the key factors that affect food security? According to various sources:
1. Climate and Weather
Changes in climate — including global warming — have a significant impact on food security. Negative effects include decreased agricultural productivity.
High temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns make it difficult for farmers to manage their crops. This can result in crop failure, financial losses, food shortages, and rising food prices.
2. Technology
Technology also plays a crucial role in improving food security. Advances in technology help make agricultural practices and food processing more efficient, healthier, and faster compared to manual methods.
Technology also enhances food storage, ensuring that crops and food commodities remain safe throughout distribution and consumption. It can also be used to develop high-yield crop varieties.
3. Agricultural Land
The amount of agricultural land is a key factor in food production. More land typically means greater food output. A reduction in farmland can threaten food stability.
4. Infrastructure
Infrastructure is vital to food distribution. Inadequate infrastructure can disrupt food supply chains, especially in remote areas — leading to potential food crises.
Good infrastructure also supports increased agricultural productivity (through fertilizers, high-quality seeds, etc.). The UN points out that hunger is often not due to poverty alone — the inability to access food is also a major contributing factor.
5. Economic, Social, Political, and Security Conditions
Food security is deeply tied to a nation's economy, politics, society, and security. If these four aspects are unstable, the effects ripple across all sectors — including food security.
It's not just about food supply — it's about whether people can safely access healthy food. This is what's referred to as food safety.
Challenges to Achieving Food Security
Ensuring national food security is no simple task. Many factors must be addressed to maintain steady food supplies and provide safe access to food for all.
Beyond the influencing factors mentioned earlier, there are also several challenges to achieving food security:
1. Land Degradation
Continuous agricultural activity can degrade soil quality, reducing crop yields. It's estimated that 40% of global farmland is seriously degraded.
In Africa, if this trend continues, the continent may only be able to feed a quarter of its population by 2025.
2. Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases can devastate both crops and livestock. For example, Ug99, a wheat stem rust disease, can cause up to 100% crop loss. It has already spread in parts of Africa and the Middle East.
Developing new, disease-resistant wheat varieties is one potential solution.
3. Global Water Crisis
Many nations now import wheat due to water shortages. Countries like China and India face groundwater depletion from over-pumping, which also affects neighboring countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran.
Water scarcity will likely lead to reduced food production and rising prices.
4. Climate Change
Extreme weather — droughts, floods — is worsening with climate change. By 2040, much of the Nile River basin may become desert, making agriculture impossible.
Climate change impacts everything: agricultural productivity, economic income, infrastructure, and markets. Future food security will depend heavily on how well societies adapt through sustainable agricultural practices.
Conclusion
Food security is a vital foundation for the survival, well-being, and development of any nation. It is more than just ensuring the availability of food — it is about guaranteeing that all individuals have continuous, safe, and affordable access to nutritious food.
Achieving food security is a complex challenge that involves navigating climate change, land degradation, pests and diseases, water scarcity, and shifting socio-political landscapes. To meet these challenges, nations must adopt sustainable agricultural practices, invest in technological innovations, improve infrastructure, and ensure that food systems are resilient and adaptable.
Ultimately, food security is not merely a government responsibility; it requires the collaboration of farmers, industry players, scientists, policymakers, and communities. Only through such collective effort can we ensure that current and future generations enjoy a stable, healthy, and sustainable food supply.