Essential Long-Term Solutions to Food Insecurity for Vulnerable Populations

Alongside shelter and clothing, food is the primary basic need. It is important for the simple sustenance of life, but it is also a factor in good health and is evolving into a social instrument.

The distribution of food across demographics isn't uniform or even. The ever-evolving world has created a complicated and dramatic change in food accessibility. Through rapid urbanisation, a globalised economy, climate change, and the rise in global conflicts, food distribution has become a growing problem.

This has led to food insecurity as a global problem—one that has prevailed for quite a significant time. In light of this, this article will discuss what exactly food insecurity is, which communities are most vulnerable to it, and the long-term solutions to food insecurity.

What is Food Insecurity?

The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) states, "A person is food insecure when they lack regular access to enough safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active and healthy life."

Food insecurity occurs at various levels of severity. Though not severe, the uncertainty of food access remains worrisome. Left unchecked, this can tip over the slippery slope into severe hunger, which is at the opposite end of the spectrum. To properly offer long-term solutions to food insecurity, it is important to distinguish the different levels of severity affecting different communities and individuals.

The FAO, in their article on hunger and food insecurity (one of the many documents curated to offer long-term solutions to food insecurity) through the FIES (Food Insecurity Experience Scale), categorises different levels of severity. On one end of the scale, there is mild food insecurity, which refers to the uncertainty regarding the ability to obtain food. Moderate food insecurity is a sliding scale ranging from an individual compromising on food quality and variety to a general reduction in quantity, including missing meals. Severe food insecurity stands at the extreme end of the spectrum, where an individual has not consumed food for a day or more. 

What are the Causes of Food Insecurity? 

Food insecurity is a byproduct of a myriad of factors; often, it is a side effect of more pressing issues. In order to fully grasp the severity of food insecurity and construct viable options for long-term solutions, it is imperative to understand its causes.

The following are among the primary causes of food insecurity in the modern world.

Poverty and low income are major factors in food insecurity. About 47% of the world's population lives on less than $6.85 a day, a poverty line generally adopted in upper-middle-income countries. 

Conflict and war are other serious, if not the leading causes of food insecurity. An estimated seventy-five per cent of the world's malnourished people live in conflict zones. As these conflicts continue to spill into neighbouring countries and regions, that estimate is expected to continue. 

Climate change can cause more frequent and intense extreme weather events. These manifest as droughts, wildfires, or floods, which can destroy crops and limit food availability. 

Population growth also incredibly affects the production, distribution and availability of food. It's also an accelerant of other factors. Dr Nafis Sadik, the executive director of the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, states, "Population acts as the multiplier that determines the total impact. Population is always part of the equation. For any given type of technology, level of consumption or waste and poverty or inequality, the more people there are, the greater the impact on the environment is and, in turn, the greater the impact on food production capacity will be."

Which Communities are Most Vulnerable to Food Insecurity? 

Although the demographics vary depending on the country and geopolitical region, the overlying common features that plague most of these communities are low-income or absolute poverty, landless societies and refugees or victims of conflict and wars.

What are the Long-term Solutions to Food Insecurity?

The primary method of addressing food insecurity is to address the causing factors. In essence, the long-term solution to food insecurity is to eradicate the major causes. Although simplistic in a broad perspective, it is still important to discuss the converging details of how the matter should be approached.

Addressing vulnerable communities through activism or direct action is a viable option in addressing food insecurity. As stated, food insecurity is an unevenly spread phenomenon and tending to the most affected and likely to be affected will play a crucial role.

Diversifying food sources and practising sustainable agricultural methods allow for increased food availability in terms of quality and variety. They also ensure that food is accessible for an extended period of time.

Addressing climate change will be a beneficial way to fight food insecurity, particularly on the natural front, as the effects of climate change, which manifest in extreme weather events, are outside our control. This serves as one of the long-term solutions to food insecurity as it addresses a long-term threat.

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Conclusion 

For many, food insecurity is not an article, case study, or part of an annual report by a charitable foundation or Non-government organisation. It is the reality of daily life. This makes it all-important to remember that the statistical graphs and charts we pour through are not numbers but people. As we assess the causes and long-term solutions to food insecurity, it is important to bear in mind that it is our responsibility as those in positions of privilege.

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