Food Security Redefinition with a Focus on Nutrition Security
With just nine years left towards the Sustainable Development goal to end hunger by 2030, it is evident that there will be a major setback with the current pandemic that has already and will continue to worsen food security globally. Vast issues are looming, that rightfully so, add to issues such as policies adopted by governments, climate change, and the generic agricultural systems.
Several other factors must be incorporated into the definition of food security to quickly re-strategize and find out ways to mitigate the situation. As it stands, the FAO has over the years defined the four pillars of food security: accessibility, availability, affordability, and the utilization of the food.
Globally, pandemic-related disruptions, conflicts, and changes in the food supply chains have to a great extent re-defined the plight of food security in several countries. Flashing back to March 2020, it is evident that the Supermarkets supply chain was never ready for an abrupt crisis. Agricultural systems across the globe could equally not foster resilience to the shock and the rapidly changing conditions.
If anything, the importance of variety, nutrient-dense food sources are some of the highlights that individuals and households have realized in equal measure over the pandemic and lockdown periods. It is no longer just how much food you have in the house, rather the quality of the food to mitigate issues such as hidden hunger, It is the reassurance that the food consumed is safe if bought through modern systemic food supply chains. It goes right into re-thinking about the reliability of the sources of food at an individual level, now and in the future, especially in times of crisis.
In this breath, with several studies coming up within the agricultural sector, there needs to be a mind shift in the policymakers who plan and design sustainable goals such as ending hunger. The shift into investing and embracing agricultural activities both on small and large scales needs to be the heart of any food system along with the education of the importance of Nutrition security.
The shift into making Nutrition security a core aspect of Food Security and not just a diet culture fad that we strive to meet needs to be adopted by bodies that are pivotal towards Global Hunger. Most dietary patterns ought to shift from artificial sources of essential minerals and vitamins to the natural forms of food. This can only truly occur if we can meet Nutrition needs from stable food systems. Utterly so, the change in food systems is no longer not only vested in the mandate of governments and external bodies that regulate food security. It lies in the hands of individuals, communities, the youth. It lies in the paradigm shift of making agriculture sexy again. It is no longer just an African but a global issue if we will ever sigh of relief that we have ended hunger and are no longer worrying about vicious cycles.
