foodsecurity

Food security refers to a situation in which all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. It comprises four interrelated dimensions: availability, access, utilization, and stability. Availability means adequate safe and nutritious food produced or imported; access concerns the affordability and ability to acquire food through markets or incomes; utilization covers proper food preparation, biological use, water, sanitation, and health to absorb nutrients; stability requires consistent access over time despite shocks.

Measurements vary but commonly use indicators such as undernourishment, prevalence of malnutrition, food insecurity scales, and composite indices like the Global Hunger Index. Causes include poverty and inequality, conflict, climate change, economic shocks, and inadequate governance. Food insecurity worsens health, cognitive development, educational outcomes, and productivity, and can trigger social instability.

Policy responses focus on increasing production sustainably, improving market access, strengthening safety nets, and promoting nutrition-sensitive programs. This includes agricultural support, cash transfers or in-kind assistance, price stabilization, social protection, and investments in water, sanitation, and storage. International efforts by organizations such as FAO, WFP, and the World Bank aim to monitor trends, provide assistance, and promote resilience.

Efforts increasingly emphasize sustainability and resilience, linking food security with climate adaptation, biodiversity, soil health, and resilient food systems. Food security is central to SDG 2, Zero Hunger, and intersects with health, education, and economic development.