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Scurit Alimentaire

Aztecs storing corn, illustration of Florentine Codex.

The concept of food security refers to the availability of and access to food in sufficient quantity and quality.

Food security comprises four dimensions:

availability (domestic production, import capacity, storage and food aid);
access (depends on purchasing power and infrastructure available);
stability (infrastructure but also stability and political climate);
safety, quality (hygiene, especially access to water).

Food security goes beyond the notion of self-sufficiency food. However, it is distinguished from the only food safety , which relates to the hygiene and the safety of food, and to maintain their safety.

Summary

1 History
2 Sufficient and necessary
3 Factors of food insecurity
4 Notes and references
5 See also
- 5.1 Articles Related
- External 5.2 Links

History

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the concept of food security emerged in the 70s. It has evolved and economic considerations rather to a quantitative definition taking into account the quality and the human dimension.

Thus a definition of 1975

Capacity at all times to supply the world for commodities to support growth in food consumption, while controlling price fluctuations and (UN 1975).

and a definition of 1990.

The ability to ensure that the food system provides the whole population a nutritionally adequate food supply in the long term (Staatz, 1990).

This trend has influenced the design of the strategies recommended by the FAO to ensure food security for all, especially the South.

Sufficient and necessary

Field of grain ( barley common )

During the second half of the twentieth ^century, world food production per capita has increased by 25%, while prices declined by about 40%. For example, between 1960 and 1990, total production of cereals increased from 420 to 1176 million tonnes per year.

However, food security remains alive in the early ^twenty-first century. Despite the decline in fertility observed in most countries, some believe there should be about 8.9 billion people in 2050. In 2000, 790 million people worldwide suffering from hunger. The inhabitants of 33 countries consume less than 2200 kcal per day.

It is generally accepted that food needs will increase in coming decades for the following reasons:

increase in population , implying an increase in demand;
increased purchasing power of many humans;
increase in urbanization , frequently involving a change in dietary practice , in particular an increase in consumption of meat (it is estimated that 7 kg of feed needed to produce 1 kg of beef , 4 kg to produce a pig and 2 kg for poultry ).

An adequate supply and well managed is a prerequisite to eradicate hunger and malnutrition.

However, food security is not necessarily achieved when the food supply is adequate, and asks questions such as who produced the food, "who has access to information necessary for agricultural production" and "who has power Buying enough to buy food "and finally" that has a sufficient purchasing power to acquire the information needed for good production. "

Thus, the poor and hungry need technologies and practices inexpensive and readily available to increase local food production. In general, women and children who suffer most from food shortages. Indeed, low birth weight is a cause of death and premature infant malnutrition. Low birth weight is often due to undernourishment of the mother herself.

In 2000, 27% of preschool children in developing countries and were suffering from rickets (due to poor nutrition and / or little variety and low quality). Women are often disadvantaged because they have little land and receive less guidance and credit for the improvement of technology.

Different options are possible to increase production agriculture , through adoption of agricultural production systems Specific:

increase in agricultural land (with the negative effect the loss of forest areas , the meadows , and in general, places rich in biodiversity );
increase productivity (quantity per hectare) in countries exporting (and export surplus to deficit countries);
increase overall productivity in the deficit countries, which may become self-sufficient.

The peri-urban agriculture or urban agriculture can also help solve the problem of food security, enabling citizens with limited income to grow vegetables or fruit for example, in the middle city. It also ensures a better preservation of foods and their nutritional qualities.

The quality required to have identified the risks and dangers , "from farm to fork", including therefore the aspects (conservation, food contact , secondary impacts and deferred cropping patterns , transport of food, cooking methods .. ) and to take precautionary measures and evaluation to limit the expression of risk (eg, of food poisoning ).

In Europe, Directive 93/43/EC on the hygiene of foodstuffs calls the method HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) to "identify any critical aspect for food safety and to ensure that the appropriate safety procedures are established, implemented, respected and updates.

The new EU regulation called "hygiene package" aims to prevent hazards with an obligation of result, "from farm to fork," while leaving more freedom for head teachers of Food Production or the means of get there. Guides to good practices established by the vocational tracks, with or without the aid of government can also contribute, as well as standards and benchmarks used by the food industry (BRC, IFS , ISO 22000 , EurepGAP Factors of food insecurity

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Water shortage

As agriculture is increasingly irrigated, it depends more and more fresh water. The UN warning regularly on the progress of deserts and shrinking freshwater resources, and more in drinking water easily accessible.
In Europe, a report on the risks of water shortages and drought risks in Europe and problems of this type appear in Northern Europe (Map 3.1 of the European report cited above, p 23 ^{Land Degradation}

A major cause of land degradation is the concreting. It is constantly increasing and rain makes the land (and often flooded fields nearby). (Completed)

Monoculture and intensive agriculture also degrade the quality of the soil, depleting its diversity and nutrients that the earth contains. This type of agriculture depends on a strong external input (inputs, mines nitrogen, etc..) That is not eternal. The problem of land degradation in this type of agriculture raises the question of how to encourage production to ensure a sustainable supply to humans. The lack of fallow is also a factor of soil degradation because land is not left idle for several years and without the input of nutrients. (Completed)

Erosion is another degradation. This is partly natural and partly caused by the type of farming chosen. (Completed)