World Food

Situation: Food
and Nutrition
Security

MS. SARA ISHTIAQ

HND-304
Food Security

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to
sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for
an active and healthy life - 1996 World Food Summit

4 main dimensions of food security

Duration of Food Insecurity

Food security analysts have defined two general types of food insecurity
The Integrated Food
Security Phase
Classification (IPC):

IPC is a standardized system

used to classify and analyze the
severity of food insecurity in a
given area. It uses a range of
indicators, such as food
availability, access, utilization,
and livelihoods, to determine
the phase of food insecurity a
population is experiencing
Nutrition Security

Dating from the early 1970s, food security was conceptualized primarily as sufficiency of
food on a global scale. The 1974 World Food Conference defined food security as the
“availability at all times of adequate world food supplies of basic food stuffs to sustain a
steady expansion of food consumption and to off set fluctuations in production and
prices.” It was not until the 1990s that the concept of nutrition security was included in
the definition

Nutrition security exists when all people at all times consume food of sufficient quantity
and quality in terms of variety, diversity, nutrient content and safety to meet their dietary
needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life, coupled with a sanitary
environment, adequate health, education and care
Food Supply Chain

• A food supply chain or food system refers to the processes that describe how food from a
farm ends up on our tables
• It comprises all the stages that food products go through during their movement from
producer to customers and consumers
• The processes include production, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal
• The food we eat reaches us via food supply chains through which food moves
systematically from producers to consumers while the money consumers pay for food goes
to people who work at various stages along the food supply chain in the reverse direction
There are certain key stages that appear in the food supply chain, including:

•Production – This is where the food supply begins at a production level, and where the
food is sourced. Whether it is grown or developed, the food will follow local and
international guidelines to ensure quality and food safety
•Handling and Storage – This refers to the preparation and last minute steps that food
undergoes once the product has been harvested. This step will occur before food is sent to
be processed
•Processing and Packaging – This is where the food, whether it be from plants or
animals, is converted into an edible form. Here it is especially important that the food
meets all food safety requirements before it is packaged for sale and distribution
•Distribution – This is where, once the food is edible, it is transported and distributed to
the necessary retail or supplier
•Retailing – This is the process used to deliver the products from suppliers to consumers,
and involves everything from obtaining the food to selling it on
•Consumption – This takes place once the customer purchases a food from a retailer
Global Hunger Report
• The report was jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children's
Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Program (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO):

• The number of people affected by hunger globally rose to as many as 828 million in 2021, an increase
of about 46 million since 2020

• Around 2.3 billion people in the world (29.3%) were moderately or severely food insecure in 2021

• The gender gap in food insecurity continued to rise in 2021 - 31.9% of women in the world were
moderately or severely food insecure, compared to 27.6% of men – a gap of more than 4 percentage
points, compared with 3 percentage points in 2020

• An estimated 45 million children under the age of five were suffering from wasting, the deadliest form
of malnutrition, which increases children’s risk of death by up to 12 times. Furthermore, 149
million children under the age of five had stunted growth and development due to a chronic lack of
essential nutrients in their diets, while 39 million were overweight
Challenges to Food Security

• There are three areas of global concern that impact food security: overpopulation, climate
change and urbanization

Over-population
• Areas of the world with the highest birth rates and population, where demand often
exceeds supply, also have the greatest levels of hunger and disease
• Local ecosystems provide the resources a population needs for food production, health,
environmental management and water. Examples include rangeland, fertile soil, and
wildlife for hunting, among others
• The local ecosystem has a certain carrying capacity, and once this is exceeded the
ecosystem becomes stressed and begins to break down. This is defined as ecosystem
vulnerability
Climate Change
• Climate change is one of the most significant threats to global food security, affecting
food production, access, utilization, and stability. Changes in temperature, precipitation
patterns, and extreme weather events disrupt food systems, threatening both crop and
livestock production

Availability (Food Production and Supply)

•Rising Temperatures: Heat stress reduces crop yields (e.g., wheat, maize, rice)
•Changing Rainfall Patterns: Unpredictable monsoons and droughts lead to lower
harvests
•Increased Pests and Diseases: Warmer temperatures promote the spread of crop and
livestock diseases
•Soil Degradation and Desertification: Loss of fertile land reduces agricultural
productivity
Access (Economic and Physical Access to Food)

•Higher Food Prices: Climate-induced crop failures lead to price surges

•Loss of Livelihoods: Farmers and agricultural workers struggle with income instability
•Disruptions in Food Supply Chains: Floods, storms, and droughts damage infrastructure
and transport networks

Utilization (Nutrition and Food Quality)

•Food Safety Risks: Rising temperatures increase foodborne diseases and contamination
risks
•Water Scarcity: Reduced access to clean water affects food preparation and hygiene
Stability (Sustainability and Resilience)

•Extreme Weather Events: Hurricanes, droughts, and wildfires disrupt food production
cycles
•Loss of Biodiversity: Changing ecosystems threaten pollinators, fisheries, and traditional
crops
Urbanization

Availability

•Reduction in Agricultural Land: Expansion of cities leads to the loss of farmland

•Increased Dependence on Food Imports: Urban areas rely on rural and global food
supply chains
•Strain on Water and Resources: Urban growth increases demand for water and energy,
affecting food production

Access

•Urban Food Deserts: Limited access to fresh, nutritious food in low-income urban areas
•Rising Food Prices: Higher demand and transportation costs drive up prices
•Income Inequality: Poorer urban populations struggle to afford nutritious food
Utilization

•Shift to Processed Foods: Urban diets often include more ultra-processed, calorie-dense,
but nutrient-poor foods
•Increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): Urban diets contribute to obesity,
diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases
•Food Safety Risks: Increased food handling, storage, and transport can lead to
contamination

Stability

•Supply Chain Vulnerabilities: Cities depend on long food supply chains that are vulnerable
to disruptions
•Waste Management Issues: High levels of food waste in urban areas
•Climate Change Impact: Urban heat islands and pollution affect local food production