Food Security
Food security refers to the availability of food and one's access to it. The World Food Summit of 1996 defined food security as existing "when all people at all times have sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life." Most often, the concept of food security is defined as including both physical and economic access to food that meets people's dietary needs as well as their food preferences. The three main elements of food security are:
The issues of accessibility, affordability and sustainability of our food supply presents significant challenges for the future. Although Australia is a food exporting country, about 5% of Australians suffer food insecurity. Issues currently involving food security include:
Unfortunately, many Australians experience personal food insecurity. This means that approximately 1.2 million people cannot regularly provide themselves with a culturally appropriate, safe and nutritious food supply from a non-emergency source.
- Availability relates to improving sustainable productivity in farming systems, including better natural resources management and conservation, and enabling policies to enhance productivity.
- Access relates to enabling market access for smallholders, and to generating more income from cash crops, livestock products and other enterprises.
- Utilization relates to improving nutrition and food safety, increasing diversity in diets, reducing post-harvest loss and adding value to food.
The issues of accessibility, affordability and sustainability of our food supply presents significant challenges for the future. Although Australia is a food exporting country, about 5% of Australians suffer food insecurity. Issues currently involving food security include:
- There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately; the problem is distribution.
- Future food needs can - or cannot - be met by current levels of production.
- National food security is paramount - or no longer necessary because of global trade.
- Globalization may - or may not - lead to the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in rural communities.
Unfortunately, many Australians experience personal food insecurity. This means that approximately 1.2 million people cannot regularly provide themselves with a culturally appropriate, safe and nutritious food supply from a non-emergency source.
Food Inequity
Food inequity refers to communities with limitations in resources and income, are often not informed about the knowledge and variety of healthy foods in their area. Food equity occurs because certain communities do not have access to high quality foods.
Food inequity is a global issue. It is caused because some people do not have sufficient access to enough food in total or the variety of food needed to fulfill nutritional daily requirements.
People who experience food inequality:
Food inequity is a global issue. It is caused because some people do not have sufficient access to enough food in total or the variety of food needed to fulfill nutritional daily requirements.
People who experience food inequality:
- rural & isolated communities - living in rural areas, costs of transportation can increase the price of fresh fruit and vegetables
- low income or unemployed - people on low incomes or unemployed have the difficult choice of how to spend the small amount of money they obtain
- homeless people
- alcohol and drug users - alcohol and substance abuse can cause malnutrition, addiction may affect one's ability to take care of themselves
- women and children - children are completely reliant on their mother's for support, any failures in the mother's health will affect their children's nutrition
- indigenous people - they are occasionally marginalized and discriminated against, some indigenous people live in isolated remote areas
- elderly people - prone to malaria, tuberculosis and respiratory infection, have more demanding nutritional needs
- chronically ill people
