1. Food security

2. What is food security?
There are many different definitions of food security. The definition below is frequently used.
The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing “when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life”.

3. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Food security as defined
Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
(World Food Summit, 1996/2009)

4. What is food security?
Food security includes the following aspects:
Availability
Access
Affordability
Quality
Nutrition
Safety
Think of an example of an issue which may affect each aspect of food security.

5. What are some of the issues affecting world food security?
Food security is one of the biggest challenges facing humankind. There are many factors which have combined to make food security such a large issue. This includes:
Increasing population - In 2009, the world population was 6 billion. By 2050, it is predicted to reach 9 billion. Our current output of food is not enough to feed a population of 9 billion.
Changing diets - As countries develop and people become richer they tend to eat a more varied diet, including more meat, which requires more energy to produce. This also means there is more competition for the same types of food.
Reduced arable land - The drive to produce more biofuels for transport uses edible crops and has reduced arable land.

6. What are some of the issues affecting world food security?
Transport costs - The relatively high price of oil in recent years has increased the price of food storage and distribution.
Climate change - Climate change is leading to a warmer world which will affect what crops can be grown where. Climate change can also lead to more frequent extreme weather events (e.g. floods) which can damage crops.
Pests and diseases - Pests and diseases are becoming more resistant to pesticides and sprays. The changing climate is also bringing pest and diseases into new areas where they could not previously survive.

7. What is being done?
There are a number of EU funded projects investigating how food security can be improved.

8. Food Security Indicators

9. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013

10. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
The four dimensions of food security
Availability
Access
Utilization
Stability

11. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
The four dimensions of food security (2)
Food Availability refers to the physical existence of food, be it from own production or on the markets.
2. Food Access is ensured when all households and all individuals within those households have sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
Depends on the level of household resources -capital, labour, and knowledge, and also on prices;
Function of the physical environment, social environment and policy environment, which determine how effectively households are able to utilize their resources to meet their food security objectives; and
Drastic changes in conditions, such as during periods of drought or social conflict, may seriously disrupt food production and threaten the food access of affected households.

12. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
The four dimensions of food security (3)
3. Food Utilization has a socio-economic and a biological aspect. If sufficient and nutritious food is both available and accessible:
socio-economic
households make decisions/choices on what food to consume (demand) and how the food is allocated within the household;
Unequal distribution leads to suffering from food deficiency;
the same is true if the composition of the consumed food is unbalanced;
biological utilization of food – Focused at the individual level food security, which refers to the ability of the human body to take food and translate it into either energy that is used to undertake daily activities or is stored.
Utilization requires not only an adequate diet, but also:
a healthy physical environment, including safe drinking water and adequate sanitary facilities (so as to avoid disease); and
an understanding of proper health care, food preparation, and storage processes.

13. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
The four dimensions of food security (4)
4. Food Stability refers to the temporal dimension of nutrition security - i.e. the time frame over which food security is being considered.
Distinction of chronic food insecurity - the inability to meet food needs on an ongoing basis; and
transitory food insecurity when the inability to meet food needs is of a temporary nature;
cyclical (where there is a regular pattern to food insecurity, for example, the "lean season" that occurs in the period just before harvest); and
temporary (which is the result of a short-term, exogenous shock such as droughts or floods). Also civil conflict belongs to the temporary category, although the negative impact on food security often continues over long periods of time.

14. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Major challenges
Too much “toktok” but less real commitment to progress work;
There are no additional resources at the national and regional levels;
Lack of coordination among stakeholders – at both the national and regional levels

15. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Future activities
Define the minimum indicators required at the national level using the SPC Minimum Development Indicator List as the basis for discussion, considering the indicator requirements of the key pillars as well as the underlying factors (work in progress now);
Determine priority list for immediate compilation or collection which could be done through a national food security stakeholder workshop series; 32

16. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Future activities (1) 3. Having agreed on the minimum national level priority indicators, review data availability from existing collection systems; and organize data mining/extraction from these and other secondary sources, which will then form countries’ core food security database to assist in food security monitoring, and evaluations;

17. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Future activities (2) 4. Following this situational assessment or stock-take of what data are available, identify means/ processes to make such data more readily accessible. This is a classical and perennial problem facing all statistical agencies in collecting far more data and statistics than are subsequently published (made accessible) or converted into information;

18. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Future activities (3)
5. This stock-take also serves as a gap analysis highlighting existing data holes and deficiencies (where statistics are neither available nor accessible) which should then provide unambiguous directions of what additional statistics need to be collected to allow the development of key food security indicators;
Obtain political sign-off that the collection and compilation of food security related statistics and indicators are a national development priority;

19. Food Security Indicators: 2010 – 2013
Future activities (4)
7. Mobilize domestic and international resources to support food security indicators related work;
8. Think laterally and act smart, and look for ways to make such data collections sustainable (and regular), by developing specific stand-alone modules that can be integrated in population and housing censuses or standard HIES/DHS surveys, etc;
9. Disseminate results in PRISM and national statistical websites and through other appropriate mediums.

20. Reaching Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020
I n t e r n a t i o n a l F o o d P o l i c y R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e
Reaching Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020
Getting the Priorities and Responsibilities Right

21. Reaching Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020
Getting the Priorities and Responsibilities Right

22. The Human Tragedy Each day 800 million people go hungry
Among them are 170 million children under 5 years of age

23. The World Food Summit Goal
Halve the number of hungry people by 2015
22 million must achieve food security every year
Since 1990, only 6 million a year have left “the prison of hunger”

24. Vision 2020: A World Free from Hunger
Every person has access to sufficient food to sustain a healthy and productive life
Malnutrition is absent
Food originates from efficient, effective, and low-cost food systems
Food production is compatible with sustainable natural-resource use

25. Progress in the Developing World Since 1970
Number of food-insecure people has fallen from 959 million to 780 million
Percentage of food-insecure people has fallen from 37% to 17%
Progress has been uneven
major reduction in East and Southeast Asia
slight increase in South Asia
number of hungry people in Sub-Saharan Africa has more than doubled

26. Even Less Progress without China
Between 1991 and 1998
The number of food-insecure people declined in China by 76 million
In all other developing countries the number of food-insecure people increased by 40 million

27. Uneven Income Distribution
20% of the world’s population lives on the equivalent of less than US$1 a day
Fully half of the human race earns less than US$2 a day
The income of the richest 1% of our planet equals that of the poorest 57%

28. The Gap Is Widening
In 1960 average per capita income in industrialized nations was 9 times the average of Sub-Saharan Africa
Today it is 18 times
Difference in magnitude

29. A Focus on Children
One-third of preschool children in developing countries are malnourished
Malnutrition among preschool children
impairs their mental and physical development
compromises their future health, productivity, and food security
undermines economic growth and social justice

30. The Cost of Child Malnutrition
Is a factor in more than 5 million deaths of children under five
Accounts for 20-25% of the economic impact of childhood diseases in developing world
Reduces gross domestic product by 0.7% annually in India and 0.5% in China

31. Indicators of Human Development
In developing countries in the past 30 years
Life expectancy rose from 56 to 64 years
Mortality rates of preschool children fell from 167 per 1,000 live births to 89
Adult literacy rate rose from less than 65% to 73%
Incomes per capita more than doubled

32. Food Availability
Improved dramatically in developing countries as a whole during past 30 years
Daily per capita calorie availability
rose from 2,100 to 2,700 in all developing countries, or more than enough to meet minimum needs
lags behind in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia
remains below minimum requirements in Sub-Saharan Africa

33. Agricultural Productivity Increases
Benefits
Improved per capita production
Reduced unit costs and prices
Increased incomes and purchasing power for farmers and consumers
Restrained expansion into forests, grasslands, and wildlife habitats, helping to avert natural resource degradation
Costs
Increased soil salinity and lowered water tables in irrigated areas
Exacerbated health and environmental problems through inappropriate use of fertilizer and pesticides

34. Where Are We Headed?
With business as usual there is no possibility of achieving food security for all by 2020
Number of malnourished children will decline by only 20% by 2020
Number of food-insecure people will decline from to only 675 million by 2015
The goal of cutting hunger in half will only be reached by 2050

35. Confronting the Causes
We must address
food insecurity
malnutrition
unsustainable resource management
within the context of nine driving forces

36. Nine Driving Forces (I)
Accelerating globalization, including further trade liberalization
Sweeping technological changes
Degradation of natural resources and increasing water scarcity
Emerging, reemerging, and continuing health and nutrition crises

37. Nine Driving Forces (II)
Rapid urbanization
Changing structure of farming
Continued conflict
Climate change
Changing roles and responsibilities of key actors

38. Getting the Priorities Right
Rapid pro-poor economic growth
Effective provision of public goods
Empowerment of poor people

39. Seven High-Priority Policy Actions (I)
Invest in human resources
Improve access to productive resources and remunerative employment
Improve markets, infrastructure, and institutions

40. Seven High-Priority Policy Actions (II)
Expand appropriate research, knowledge, and technology
Improve natural resource management
Promote good governance
Support sound national and international trade and macroeconomic policies

41. 1. Investing in Human Resources
Improve access to healthcare
Assure clean water, safe sanitation, and low-cost quality child care
Fight “hidden hunger”
Ensure food safety
Educate girls as well as boys

42. 2. Improve Access to Productive Resources and Paid Employment
Promote broad-based agricultural and rural development
Foster secure urban livelihoods
Promote civil society organizations
Empower women

43. 3. Improve Markets, Infrastructure, and Institutions
Ensure that markets are not biased against small farmers, less-favored areas, or food-insecure consumers
Develop private competitive markets with supporting institutions and infrastructure
Build competent public administration
Invest in public goods

44. 4. Expand Appropriate Research, Knowledge, and Technology
Invest in pro-poor agricultural research
Make use of the agroecological approach
Tap the potential of conventional agricultural research
Explore the potential of modern agricultural biotechnology
Bridge the “digital divide”
Pursue affordable alternative energy technologies

45. 5. Improve Natural Resource Management
Overcome water-related constraints
Manage soil fertility
Promote sustainable development in less-favored areas
Assure property rights and collective action
Address global climate change

46. 6. Promote Good Governance
Institute rule of law
Protect and promote human rights
Prevent and resolve conflict
End corruption

47. 7. Support Sound National and International Trade and Macroeconomic Policies
Make globalization work for poor people
Expand development assistance
Undertake debt relief
Conserve plant genetic resources

48. Roles and Responsibilities (I)
Governments of developing countries have primary responsibility for
creating conditions to end hunger
forging partnerships with other sectors
ensuring local governments have necessary resources and authority
Governments of developed countries should
put resources behind their pledges
relieve unpayable debt of poor countries
restructure global trading system

49. Roles and Responsibilities (II)
Parliaments and judiciaries
assure poor people have a political voice
promulgate pro-poor policies
prevent arbitrary government action
ensure that governments fulfill their obligations
International organizations and multilateral institutions
provide development finance, technical assistance, and information
provide global public goods
facilitate/strengthen international agreements

50. Roles and Responsibilities (III)
Global and civil society
design and implement development activities
promote open, vigorous, and peaceful debate
Transnational business and industry
make useful proprietary technologies available
provide innovative financial support to sustainable development
practice social responsibility

51. Roles and Responsibilities (IV)
Domestic private sector, including farmers
produce food
develop markets
support credit institutions
invest in small enterprises that employ people and develop skills
Food-insecure people are important actors in achieving food security, not passive victims

52. Food Security for All Is Affordable
Public and private investments will be needed to achieve IFPRI’s 2020 Vision
Investments to reduce number of malnourished children by 34 million by 2020 amount to just 3.6% of total spending by developing-country governments
A more optimistic future with 72 million fewer malnourished children by 2020 requires that investments increase to 4.9%

53. Costs and Benefits Global investment 1997-2020`
Number of malnourished children in compared to 1997
US$323 billion
12 million more
US$579 billion
34 million less
US$802 billion
72 million less

54. The Need for Political Will
Political will means
Placing food security higher on the agenda
New partnerships, new programs, new institutions, and new ways of thinking
Economic and political empowerment of poor people
governments must be held accountable to their own citizens and to international public opinion
institutions are needed that represent the interests of food-insecure people
national governments, the private sector, and civil society must put the well-being of poor and hungry people at the top of their priority lists
global advocacy effort is needed to push for food security for all

55. The impact of food prices on women

56. Karigirwa Widowed Insecure land Weather changes Failing crops
Despite this
Produces
Supports her children and orphans
works with other widows some of whom are HIV+
Planting trees
Karigirwa

57. The perfect storm Women caught between: Increasing food prices
Climate Change driven environmental stresses
Impact of HIV and Aids (more care giving by women, more new infections among women)
Existing and continuing marginalization

58. The food price problem
Prices of basic food stuffs rose in some cases by over 100% from early 2007 to mid 2008
Poor families spend up to 80% of incomes on food so feel the pressure more
Increased import costs hurt many economies
At least 119million more people going hungry
Small farmers not benefiting from higher prices as many (70% in Tanzania) are net consumers and the terms of trade have worsened for the farmers
Despite recent fuel price decreases food prices, especially in many rural areas, have remained high
Food insecurity is not new for millions around the world, it is structural (as is the oppression of women) and must be dealt with as such

59. Are we looking in the right places?
Gendered power operates at all levels from household to community to national
Our analysis of the food crisis must be at all levels and not stop at the household door
To go beyond generalizations we must understand the impact on women in poverty:
In the home
The farm; and
The market.

60. 52% of married women in India suffer from anaemia
Women in the home
Main providers of food
Access/control of fewer resources and less food
Less decision making power
Responsible for most domestic work
Pressure on time fetching, making, cooking and working.
Women and girls first to eat less and eat worse
Girls first to be pulled out of schools
Increase in forced marriages of girls
Women first to miss proper health care
More of women’s time to make rather than buy
Increased psychological stress (e.g. child care)
52% of married women in India suffer from anaemia
Food Crisis Impact

61. Women on the farm Majority of workforce in agriculture Insecure tenure
Less and worse quality land than men
Limited access to credit and extension services
Less access to storage and transport infrastructure
More vulnerable to corruption
More time needed to produce sufficient crops
Marginal land gives less options
Vulnerable to increased exploitation as workers
Worsening terms of trade for women as small producers
Women not benefiting from interventions
In Africa women receive only 7% of extension services and 10% of credit to small-scale farmers despite being the majority of small farmers

62. Women in the market Earn lower wages
Often in informal economy or temporary informal jobs
Don’t get benefits of those formally employed
Less power to negotiate in markets when buying and selling
More vulnerable to corruption
Larger proportion of women’s smaller incomes going to food
Unable to benefit from increased prices
Vulnerable to increased exploitation as workers, traders and consumers
In the Philippines, “women make up the majority of those in the informal sector, some 27 million. They have no social security, no protection … workers in this sector are eating less and less” (Women Thrive Worldwide, 2008)
While women lost out
Big business profited
- Nestle’s sales grew 9%
Tesco’s profits up by 10%
Monsanto 26% increase in revenue
Some grain traders and speculators
making massive profits

63. Drivers of food prices increases
Bio-fuel industry, especially maize for ethanol as in the USA (contributing 30-70% of increases)
Climate changes putting pressure on production in some areas
Growing middle classes increasing demand for food (meat) and fuels
Unfair trade regimes, in particular ‘northern’ subsidies, undermined investment in agriculture in Africa and other developing countries.
All MMM

64. Climate Change in the mix
Marginal land that women often have access to becoming more unviable
Increasing conflicts that often have a gendered impact
Displacement that always has a disproportionate impact on women and children
Water and other natural resources that women collect are becoming more scarce; taking a longer time, distance, and risk to find
Women not in decision making on CC responses
Higher vulnerability and mortality of women in disasters (The 1991 floods in Bangladesh killed 140,000 people of which 90% were women)

65. Women the obvious solution
“If our goal is to improve economic development, we must invest in women as economic and social agents in the agricultural economy” Amrtya Sen
We all know that investing in women is good for development, good for children, good for communities
But we still sadly and amazingly have programmes that are gender blind or at least partially sighted
Example fertilizer subsidies

66. Resolve the Food Crisis By Focusing on Women
Our analysis of the food crisis in every country and region must be gender differentiated, focus on the impact on women, and not stop outside the household
Interventions must be explicitly focused on women ensuring that women benefit and that the worst impacts on women are addressed
Involve, listen and respond to women in poverty during the analysis and design, delivery and monitoring of interventions
Be responsive to the specificities of each context as gender relations manifest and impact in different ways

67. Specific recommendations
Cash/food vouchers for women
Support to women small farmers, food vendors, informal workers, pregnant or nursing mothers
Early childhood nutrition and school feeding with specific measures to ensure girls benefit
Provide incentives for keeping girls in school
Improve HIV and Aids care and support
Increase women’s land tenure security
Improve women’s access to and control of credit, agricultural inputs, storage facilities, and technologies
Listen to women in poverty and strengthen women’s organisations and women’s leadership in organisations

68. Feminization of responses
The causes of and responses to this food crisis – and climate change - have been beyond the control of women
Success will require not just the delivery of better services for women, it is about women being able to assert their rights and gain greater control of their lives
Especially for women to have more control over fundamentals like securing food and the environment for survival today and in the future