What is food security?
Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and
economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their
dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy lifestyle.
(World Food Summit 1996)
To be "food secure" means that:
Food is available
- The amount and quality of food available globally, nationally and
locally can be affected temporarily or for long periods by many factors
including climate, disasters, war, civil unrest, population size and
growth, agricultural practices, environment, social status and trade.
Food is affordable
- When there is a shortage of food prices increase and while richer
people will likely still be able to feed themselves, poorer people may
have difficulty obtaining sufficient safe and nutritious food without
assistance.
Food is utilised
- At the household level, sufficient and varied food needs to be
prepared safely so that people can grow and develop normally, meet
their energy needs and avoid disease.
SOURCE:
http://www.globaleducation.edna.edu.au/globaled/go/cache/offonce/pid/177
THIS DEFINITION IS A STARTING POINT
There is also the concept of "Food
Sovereignty" or "Food Self-sufficiency" which is not just a secure food supply, but one that
is actually produced in one's own country or region. (i.e.. not having to rely on imports)
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