“WHERE WILL YOUR NEXT MEAL COME FROM?” FOOD INSECURITY “WHERE WILL YOUR NEXT MEAL COME FROM?”

WHAT IS “FOOD INSECURITY” Definition: the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. BRAINSTORM Using the above definition, video clip and your knowledge from last week, consider factors that would influence “Food Insecurity.”

FACTORS INFLUENCING FOOD INSECURITY What are some factors that affect FOOD INSECURITY??? RECORD FACTORS IN YOUR NOTES

Who are the hungry? Most of the world’s hungry live in developing countries. According to the latest Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) statistics from 2013, there are 842 million hungry people in the world and 98 percent of them are in developing countries. They are distributed like this:

Let’s look at some common factors! POVERTY TRAP: People living in poverty can’t afford nutritious food for themselves & their families. Makes them weaker & less able to earn the money that would help them escape poverty & hunger. Is not just a day-to-day problem: When children are chronically malnourished, or ‘stunted’, it can affect their future income, condemning them to a life of poverty and hunger.

Lack of Investment in Agriculture Too many developing countries lack key agricultural infrastructure Ex. enough roads, warehouses irrigation Results in high transport costs, lack of storage facilities and unreliable water supplies. All work to limit agricultural yields and access to food Investments in improving land management, using water more efficiently and making more resistant seed types available can bring big improvements.

FIRST WORLD VS. THIRD WORLD Consider how different our lives would be without rich soil and farm equipment! Any thoughts?

NATURAL DISASTERS Natural disasters (floods, tropical storms, long periods of drought) Are on the increase – with consequences for the hungry and poor in developing countries. Drought  one of the most common causes of food shortages in the world In 2011, recurrent drought caused crop failures and heavy livestock losses in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. In 2012 there was a similar situation in the Sahel region of West Africa. In many countries, climate change is affecting: the world's fertile farmland is under threat from erosion salination (salt in soil) desertification (fertile land becomes desert) deforestation by human hands

War & Displacement Across the globe, conflicts consistently disrupt farming & food production Fighting also forces millions of people to flee their homes, leading to hunger emergencies as the displaced find themselves without the means to feed themselves. In war, food sometimes becomes a weapon. Soldiers will starve opponents into submission by seizing or destroying food and livestock and systematically wrecking local markets Fields are often mined and water wells are contaminated, forcing farmers to abandon their land.

Unstable Markets In recent years, the price of food products has been very unstable. Roller- coaster food prices make it difficult for the poorest people to access nutritious food consistently. The poor need access to adequate food all year round. Price spikes may temporarily put food out of reach, which can have lasting consequences for small children.

Food Wastage One third of all food produced (1.3 billion tons) is never consumed. This food wastage represents a missed opportunity to improve global food security in a world where 1 in 8 is hungry. Producing this food also uses up precious natural resources that we need to feed the planet. Producing this food also adds 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, with consequences for the climate and ultimately for food production. Think about what you had for breakfast … did you throw any of it away? If so, why?

HUNGER IN…. About hunger in Canada Many people do not realize the extent of hunger’s reach in this country. Each month, close to 850,000 Canadians are assisted by food banks, and 36.4% of those helped are children and youth. The problem of hunger is a persistent one, with food banks providing comparable levels of food and other assistance for the better part of a decade. Who is turning to food banks? Important facts: 36.4% of those turning to food banks are children and youth     4.3% of adults helped are over age 65     11.3% of people assisted are Aboriginal     11.5% have income from current or recent employment     16.4% receive disability-related income supports     8% of food banks ran out of food during the survey period     50% of food banks needed to cut back on the amount of food provided to each household

HUNGER IN THE WATERLOO REGION By the Numbers –Year End 2012 – Waterloo Region · 91,233 emergency hampers distributed in Waterloo Region · 35,445 different individuals were served in 2012 across Waterloo Region · 36% were children Most Needed Food Items  Peanut Butter Beans in Sauce Canned Fish Canned Fruit Cold Cereal

HOW IS THE FOOD DISTRIBUTED? All people deserve to be “Food Secure”

Be thankful for food security! Don’t forget how lucky you are to have nutritious food to eat on a consistent basis. Consider what we can do to reduce the risk of food insecurity and help those who are currently “food insecure.”