Global Health Issue
Despite seemingly overwhelming amounts of food and consumable products, one of the major global health issues remains food insecurity and malnutrition, with the number of people affected by famine rising since 2014. It is just as much a social issue as it is a health problem. Causal factors of food insecurity are commonly identified as climate variability, regional conflict, and economic downturns/inequality. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 690 million people worldwide were undernourished, with the havoc caused by the disease estimated to add 83-132 million people (FAO et al., 2020). The health effects of food insecurity and malnourishment are extensive, affecting diet quality, increasing risks of child malnutrition that can lead to child stunting, wasting, and overweight. Similarly, adults may experience serious health conditions ranging from overweight, diabetes, and heart disease (Kiesswetter et al., 2019).
One of the primary regions/continents affected by food insecurity in Africa. Despite some economic growth, many countries are critical low-income and food-deficit populations. The region faces significant political, economic, social, and environmental constraints to food production while facing increased population growth of 3% annually. Conflicts are continuing to affect Northern and Central Africa. Meanwhile, virtually all countries face agricultural and rural development problems as a result of weak institutions and misguided policies. Africa’s agricultural productivity remains behind, averaging only 300-500 kg/ha compared to 2.5 tons/ha output in developed countries. Currently, 256 million Africans, or 20% of the continent’s population are undernourished, with the vast majority located in sub-Saharan Africa (FAO, 2019).
However, despite common misconceptions, Asia and the Asia Pacific remain the regions that have the largest number of food insecure, largely because it houses the countries with the largest populations. Asia has an estimated 552 million people or 67% of the world’s malnourished. The cause of food insecurity is largely an issue of supply and demand. Despite significant urban economic growth in Asia, rural communities are left behind, with an estimated 350 million small resource-scarce farmers needed to participate in the food value chains to address the challenges. Major food scarcity was at the same time a trigger and a consequence of the economic crisis of 2007-2012, but the aftereffects are seen today, largely due to poor agricultural policies. Water use and other climate change aspects are expected to be a driving factor for food insecurity in the next decades in the region (OECD, n.d.).
Another region that should be addressed in North America. Combining developing countries such as Mexico as well as highly developed nations such as the United States and Canada. Mexico has about 10% food insecure population due to poverty and rural areas. Canada has about 8.8% food insecurity, experienced largely by families with financial constraints and indigenous disadvantaged populations. Meanwhile, the United States has 10.5% of food-insecure households according to the latest data, but the COVID-19 pandemic is expected to raise these levels by over 20% or 50 million people. Some of the causes of food insecurity even in developed nations such as Canada and the US are poverty, unemployment, and lack of access to healthy foods (known as food deserts). While the region produces more than enough food, the market is based on income and profitability, with little social support. Along with the ineffective public policy, the inability of households to regularly buy food is the primary cause in the North American continent (Feeding America, 2020).
Risk Factors and Supportive Statistics
Across the various continents and regions that are affected by food insecurity, similar themes emerge as risk factors including socioeconomic poverty, socially disadvantaged due to race/ethnicity, and location (rural areas). Poverty is the most direct causal factor, with the worse the economic fallout or crisis, the people become poorer and food insecure. Global economic crises such as the 2009 Great Depression or the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic tend to throw people into various levels of poverty. Poverty indicates a lack of financial means, including for that purchasing food. It is a vicious cycle in areas where there is no money to purchase food, there is no means to produce it, and even if some food is delivered, it is expensive. Poverty and food insecurity are linked statistically, such as for the United States, 34.9% (pre-pandemic) of households with income below the national poverty line are food insecure (Keith-Jennings et al., 2019). In other regions discussed, there is often no social safety net and poverty is extremely widespread, resulting in an even greater percentage of malnourishment.
The socially vulnerable populations as well as those who are from certain geographic areas, such as rural communities are affected by food insecurity also strongly due to poverty. In terms of rural areas, disruption in production and commercial chains, particularly of local family agriculture are affected. Market limitations, particularly in times of crisis, may create disturbances for those who depend on local production and income for basic needs. Meanwhile, vulnerable populations such as racial/ethnic/sexual minorities as well as those living in slums, having chronic diseases, or being deprived of freedom – all face unfavorable social and economic conditions. These groups may be undernourished due to social determinants of social policies which create repercussions on their access to food as often seen with racial and ethnic minorities and food deserts even if they live in urbanized areas (Pereira & Oliveira, 2020). A significantly higher percentage of persons from racial, ethnic and other minorities are affected by food insecurity stemming from poverty and disparities.
Current Health Initiatives
Food insecurity is being addressed at national and regional levels via food assistance programs sponsored by national governments and international organizations. In the United States, these programs include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), while globally there is the United Nations World Food Programme through food and cash distributions. These programs typically aim at providing assistance to struggling impoverished populations through direct food supply on a large-scale or cash distribution to purchase food locally if applicable (Harvard School of Public Health, n.d.).
Another approach to resolving the issue is by improving and expanding agricultural practices, particularly in areas where food insecurity is high, and the grown produce can be used to at the very least maintain self-sustainability. Food security interventions combining both terrestrial and sometimes marine agriculture can improve livelihoods and household welfare in regions with the economic support of local governments by providing communities with means of securing nutrition requirements (Fisher et al., 2017).
Finally, a broader approach that is being encouraged and gradually implemented into practice at all levels ranging from international to local, is sustainable development. It is a complex aspect that ultimately focuses on development that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generations. In the context of food security, sustainable development is the approach necessary to achieve the goal of eliminating hunger. It is aimed at empowering local populations to become self-sufficient, addressing wealth disparities in the world, and providing access to food, sanitation, and education for women and children. Furthermore, national policies and agricultural practices must be ecologically sustainable to maintain the ability of the natural resources to provide food. Combined, the elements of sustainable development will inherently eliminate food insecurity at virtually every level (ADA, 2003).
Suggestions for Improvement
The first suggestion is to use agriculture as a means of providing hungry communities with more than just food, but with sustainable income to begin rising from poverty. Boosting incomes with critical crops and well-established agricultural practices can ensure better yields. In coordination of overseeing sustainability practices, this option will require coordination of FAO and potentially the WTO and multiple other aid agencies to oversee the establishment of agricultural practices in said communities. The result will be evaluated by seeing the percentage of food insecurity in the population and median levels of income in the affected communities.
Another targeted solution to resolve the food crisis is to reduce food waste. Due to overconsumption, approximately 1/3 or 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted annually. The food is not appropriately distributed, potentially having been used to feed those who are food insecure. It also helps to save both natural and man-made resources, ensuring sustainability. To implement initiatives to reduce food waste would be on behalf of developed countries which generate the most. Recently, China had begun exploring legislation that eliminates food waste. Similarly, the countries can sponsor produced food that is not necessary to be delivered to regions with food insecurity. The measure of evaluation for this proposal would be food waste reduction year over year.
An innovative approach to addressing the issue of food security is to enhance crops. The primary method of course would be via genetic modification. This can have two positive effects, making them more resistant to disaster and sickness, making a loss of crops common in harsh environments less likely. Second, it can improve the nutritional value of the limited number of staple crops that farmers in food-insecure areas do grow such as maize, rice, and sweet potatoes. This would be sponsored by the global scientific community under the various agencies of the UN and its FAO department. However, such actions require further research as well as permission from local governments to engage in such agricultural practices.
References
ADA. (2003). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Addressing world hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 103(8), 1046–1057.
FAO. (2019). Africa regional overview of food security and nutrition. Key messages.
FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, & WHO. (2020). The state of food security and nutrition in the world 2020. Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets. FAO.
Feeding America. (2020). The impact of the coronavirus on food insecurity.
Fisher, B., Naidoo, R., Guernier, J., Johnson, K., Mullins, D., Robinson, D., & Allison, E. H. (2017). Integrating fisheries and agricultural programs for food security. Agriculture & Food Security, 6(1).
Harvard School of Public Health. (n.d.). Food assistance programs.
Keith-Jennings, B., Llobrera, J., & Dean, S. (2019). Links of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program with food insecurity, poverty, and health: Evidence and potential. American Journal of Public Health, 109(12), 1636–1640.
Kiesswetter, E., Colombo, M. G., Meisinger, C., Peters, A., Thorand, B., Holle, R., Ladwig, K.-H., Schulz, H., Grill, E., Diekmann, R., Schrader, E., Stehle, P., Sieber, C. C., & Volkert, D. (2019). Malnutrition and related risk factors in older adults from different health-care settings: an enable study. Public Health Nutrition, 23(3), 446–456. Web.
OECD. (n.d.). Food security in Asia. No time for complacency. Web.
Pereira, M., & Oliveira, A. M. (2020). Poverty and food insecurity can increase as threats of COVID-19 spread. Public Health Nutrition, 23(17), 1–10. Web.