1. Biosecurity and Food Security
Marnie L Campbell
Chad L Hewitt
Biosecurity and Food Security
Wicked problems that exacerbate each other?

2. Acknowledgements Survey participants and respondents
Ethics approval was obtained from CQUniversity Human Research Ethics Committee (H11/08_135)

3. What are Wicked Problems?
Wicked problems ≠ Evil problems
Resistant to resolution
Problem that is difficult or impossible to solve because of incomplete, contradictory and changing requirements that are often difficult to recognise
First coined by Rittel and Webber (1973): 10 characteristics, focussed on social policy planning
Solutions need to be collaborative
Shared understanding
Shared commitment

4. Darwin’s Nightmare (2004)
Incredibly powerful and poignant documentary film
Underlying theme of biosecurity failure
Placed into the context of
Food security
Economic security
Social justice
Globalisation

5. Biosecurity Managing introduced species
We don’t always have solutions
Data is deficient
3 values (environment, economics, socio-cultural)
Are we missing links between biosecurity and other threats?

6. Food Security
Food security will exist “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life” World Food Summit (1996)
3 pillars (WHO
Food availability: sufficient quantities on a consistent basis
Food access: having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet
Food use: appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation
All about (other definitions)
healthy food and optimal nutrition
Sustainable economic development, environment and trade

7. Food Security

8. Food Security

9. Juxtapose: Biosecurity & Food Security
Concepts are not aligned
3rd IUCN World Conservation Congress (in 2004)
We can’t think about biosecurity when our people are starving
Examples
Abalone and its food (kelp) in Chile
Imported microalgae for aquaculture food (global)
Introduced prawn farming in Thailand
Nile Perch in Tanzania’s Lake Victoria

10. Is there a problem? Debates Developed and implemented a survey
Not all introductions are bad
Aquaculture will help solve food insecurity
Yet aquaculture uses a lot of introduced species
Developed and implemented a survey
Online
22 questions
5 themes

11. Sample Design Survey themes Survey frame (population)
Conservation Philosophy & Biodiversity Ethic
Biosecurity background
Food security background
Food security vs biosecurity
Demographics
Survey frame (population)
Target population (even representation of FS/BS)
Conference attendees
Listservers
Journals
Government and non-government agencies

12. Results Disciplines of respondents Targeted 35 countries
Responses from 23
48.8% response rate (n=162)
89 from original s
73 from snowballing
Disciplines of respondents
12% Food security
70% Biosecurity
28% Other

13. Food Security – the Cloud

14. Food Security 12% of respondents work in FS 6 themes
Food availability*
Food access*
Other
Contamination
Food use*
Protection
66% of definitions contained the 3 pillars
12% of respondents work in FS
65% FS used 3 pillars
62% BS used 3 pillars

15. Food Security – Respondents Field of Expertise

16. Biosecurity – the Cloud

17. Biosecurity 70% of respondents have worked in BS 62% BS used 3 values
7 themes
Environment*
Economics*
Socio-cultural*
Prevention
Management
Loss of Biodiversity
Other
59% of definitions contained the 3 values
70% of respondents have worked in BS
62% BS used 3 values
50% FS used 1 value

18. Biosecurity – Respondents Field of Expertise

19. Perceptions by Discipline
Are all introduced species bad?
No – ‘biocentric’ / ‘anthropocentric’ views
χ2[3] = 1.794, p = 0.616

20. Perceptions by Discipline
Is food security important in all countries?
Yes
χ2[6] = 5.738, p = 0.453

21. Perceptions by Discipline
Does food security compromise biosecurity?
Yes
χ2[9] = , p = 0.01

22. Perceptions by Discipline
Does biosecurity compromise food security?
Yes
χ2[9] = , p = 0.004

23. Perceptions by Discipline
Which is more important?
Equally important
χ2[9] = 7.324, p = 0.603

24. Other Trends Current job
What’s more important (χ2[12] = , p = 0.005)

25. Other Trends Ecosystem they work on
Food security is important to all countries (χ2[5] = , p = 0.018)

26. Other Trends Age (generation)
No statistical significance across the questions posed
EG does FS compromise BS

27. Implications
We know there are examples of where FS and BS act synergistically
Food security and Research Higher Degree respondents(especially policy makers) have limited understanding of biosecurity
FS do not recognise biosecurity as an issue
‘starving people may be impelled to do things that will compromise social security, including biosecurity’

28. Implications
Food security and biosecurity issues are going to increase through time
We need to start the dialogue now to better manage both of these issues in a “win-win” mind-set

29. Publishing services of REABIC – Open Access journals
Slide 2: Publication services of REABIC for experts – three targeted Open Access journals provide platform for information publication by different professional networks