GLOBAL FOOD

SECURITY IN
CONTEMPORARY
WORLD
 PRAYER
Father, we thank you for your grace, love and mercy that has been extended to us one more time. We thank you for protecting
us and keeping us in our right minds, especially throughout this pandemic.

Lord, we thank you for granting us this opportunity to come together in this fashion to increase our knowledge. Lord, you said
that if anyone lacks wisdom, they should ask you and you will give liberally without reservation. I pray today that you grant us
wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

Increase our capacity, Lord, as we learn. Give us understanding, Oh God, that we will be able to grasp whatever is being
taught. May what we receive today be beneficial to our growth and development.

Lord, I pray for the one that will be imparting knowledge to us. I pray that you will bless them with the requisite skill and
mastery as they seek to open up our understanding in this area.

We ask that you bless this session in every way, bless the participants, and bless the instructor. Take full control, Oh God, and
may everything go according to your will and purpose in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen!

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UNLOCKING OF DIFFICULTIES:
Identify the jumble words according to its description.
1. 1. LLYGEENTIAC MDOIFIDE DOFO – are foods derived from organisms
whose genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur
naturally through the introduction of a gene from different organism.
2. 2. OBLGAL ODFO SCERTYIU - helps to enhance the productivity and
consecutively the production of food. It can assist in providing opportunities for
income generation.
3. 3. ATEMLIC HNGCAE - rising global temperatures are beginning to have a
ripple effect on crop yields, forest resources, water supplies and altering the
balance of nature.

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WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY?

According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the UN’s Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
- Food Security exists when all people, at all times have physical and economic
access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life. (FAO)
- Food security for a household means access by all members at all times to
enough food for an active healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum.
(USDA)
(1) (1) The ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods.
(2) (2) An assured ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways
(that is, without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or
other coping strategies).
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 In 2006 it was reported that globally:
-The number of overweight people has surpassed the number who are undernourished-
the world had more than one billion overweight people, and an estimated 800 million
who were undernourished.
- Worldwide, around 852 million people are chronically hungry due to extreme
poverty, while up to 2 billion people lack food security intermittently due to varying
degrees of poverty.
- 17,000 children die of hunger and malnutrition related diseases everyday, which
equals 6 million children who die because of hunger every year.
- In the United States of America there are approximately 2,000,000 farmers, less than
1% of the population. A direct relationship exists between food consumption levels and
poverty. Families with the financial resources to escape extreme poverty rarely suffer the
most from chronic hunger but are also the segment of the population most at risk during
food shortages and famines.
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THINGS AFFECTING FOOD SECURITY TODAY:
1. GLOBAL WATER CRISIS- water table reserves are falling in many countries
(including Northern China, the US, and India) due to widespread over-pumping and
irrigation.
2. CLIMATE CHANGE- rising global temperatures are beginning to have a ripple
effect on crop yields, forest resources, water supplies and altering the balance of
nature.
3. LAND DEGRADATION- intensive farming leads to a vicious cycle of
exhaustion of soil fertility and decline of agricultural yields.
4. GREEDY LAND DEALS- corporations and governments buying rights to
millions of acres of agricultural land in developing countries to secure their own
ling-term food supplies.

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GENETICALLY MODIFIED (GM) FOOD AND FOOD SECURITY

GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD – are foods derived from organisms whose

genetic material (DNA) has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally
through the introduction of a gene from different organism.
- The technology is often called “modern biotechnology” or “gene technology”,
sometimes also “recombinant DNA technology” or genetic engineering”.
- GM Foods allow for reductions in food prices through improved yields and
reliability.
- The Top 3 genetically modified foods/crops grown in the U.S. are soy, corn and
cotton, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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 Will genetically modified foods be the answer to a crisis in food security?
- At present, little is known on the consequences and future safety aspects of GM
foods. The movement of genes from GM plants into conventional crops in the wild
(out-crossing), as well as the mixing of crops derived from conventional seeds with
those grown using GM crops, may have an indirect effect on food safety and food
security. This risk is real, as was shown when traces of maize type which was only
approved for feed use appeared in maize products for human consumption in the
United States of America.
- Far from focusing on the needs of the poor in developing countries, GM crop
development is driven by the commercial interests of US and European companies.
The major GM crops currently grown- soya, oilseed rape, cotton and maize- are
designed to support the food and textile industries of the developed countries. There is
currently little GM research and development by private companies on staple of food
crops vital to developing countries.
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 - - “Terminator” seeds are modified to produce sterile seeds. This prevents farmers
saving seeds to plant the following season. 1.4 billion people, mainly poor farmers
in developing countries, depend on saved seed. Farmers are then forced to buy
new seeds every year from the biotech companies. Despite universal
condemnation from farmers movements all over the world, the technology is still
being developed today.

- - Food security is not just a poverty issue, it is a much large issue that involves
the whole food system and affects every one of us in some way. Issues such as
whether that food fulfills the nutrition needs of all members of the household
show that food security is clearly linked to health. Global Food Security must
exist to meet the challenge of providing the world’s growing population with a
sustainable, secure supply of good quality food.

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GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY FACTS AND
STATISTICS
1. Food insecurity is measured in the United States by questions in the Census
Bureau’s Current Population Survey.
2. Diseases affecting livestock or crops can have devastating effects on food
availability, especially if there are no contingency plans in place.
3. The approach known as food sovereignty views the business practices of
multinational corporations as a form of neocolonialism.
4. FAO reported that almost 870 million people were chronically undernourished in
the years 2010-2012.
5. The United States Department of Agriculture defines food insecurity as “limited or
uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods in socially acceptable
ways.
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 8. The 1996 World Summit on Food Security declared that “food should not be used
as an instrument for political and economic pressure”.
9. 842 million people in the world do not have enough food to eat. This number has
fallen by 17 percent since 1990. Source: State of Food Insecurity in the World,
FAO, 2013
10. One out of six children- roughly 100 million- in developing countries is
underweight. Source: Global Health Observatory, WHO, 2012
11. Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five- 3.1
million children each year. Source: Series on Maternal and Child Nutrition, The
Lancet, 2013
12. The vast majority of hungry people (827 million) live in developing countries,
where 14.3 percent of the population is undernourished. Source: State of Food
Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2013
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 13. If women farmers had the same access to resources as men, the number of
hungry in the world could be reduced by up to 150 million. Source: Women in
Agriculture, Closing The Gender Gap For Development, FAO, 2011
14. Asia has the largest number of hungry people (over 500 million) but Sub-Sharan
Africa has the highest prevalence (24.8 percent of population) Source: State of Food
Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2013
15. 66 million primary school-age children attend classes hungry across the
developing world, with 23 million in Africa alone. Source: Two Minutes to Learn
About School Meals, WFP, 2012
16. WFP calculates the US dollar 3.2 billion is needed per year to reach all 66
million hungry school-age children. Source: Two Minutes to Learn About School
Meals, WFP, 2012
17. One in four of the World’s children are stunted. In developing countries the
proportion can rise to one in three. Source: Prevalence and Trends of Stunting
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Among Children, Public Health Nutrition, 2012
GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY
- - helps to enhance the productivity and consecutively the production of food. It
can assist in providing opportunities for income generation. And, it generally
provides improvement of nutritional advice through home economics programmes
and enhances the quality of rural life by way of community development.
GLOBAL CHALLENGES ON FOOD SECURITY
1. 1. World Population Growth
2. Increase demand for food.
3. Food price, the disappearance of the variety of agricultural plant species.
4. Increase in the area of scarcity water and the limitation of the availability of
land.
5. The food losses and food waste.
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WHAT IS THE PRESENT CONDITION OF GLOBAL FOOD
SECURITY TODAY?
The food security and nutritional status of the most vulnerable population groups is
likely to deteriorate further due to the health and socio-economic impacts of the
COVID-19 pandemic, according to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the
World 2021 report.
- The latest edition of that report, which was published mid-2021, estimated that
between 720 and 811 million people went hungry in 2020. High costs and low
affordability also mean billions cannot eat healthily or nutritiously. Considering the
middle of the projected range (768 million), 118 million more people were facing
hunger in 2020 than in 2019- or as many as 161 million, considering the upper bound
of the range.
- The COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying the vulnerabilities and inadequacies of
global food systems- understood as all the activities and processes affecting the
production, distribution and consumption of food.

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WHAT IS FOOD INSECURITY?
- Has been defined as a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and
healthy life. In other words, there are millions of people all over the world who
suffer from a shortage of food and cannot tell if they will be able to feed
themselves the next day or at the end of the day.
CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY
1. 1. Lack of Access to Farming Lands – food is grown or produced from the land.
In doing so, income is also generated. However, many people do not have their
own land, or cannot afford to have access to farmable land. Land ownership
strengthens agricultural productivity as it can be used to produce a variety of food
crops at a small scale level. Without access to farming land, it means the lack of a
key resource for producing food crops.
2. 2. Land Grabbing – is closely related to the point above. Land grabbing is when
land, traditionally owned or farmed by families or groups or communities, is
15 taken away from them by large investors or influential government officials.
 They acquire the land to expand their empires, extract natural resources, or even grow
food for export. It deprives local communities of the resources they desperately
require to grow food crops and vegetables for survival. The ultimate outcome is
poverty and social instability which further worsens food insecurity.
3. Unfair Trade Rules – the ways in which large corporations do business with local
food producers are largely unfair and do not reward farmers for the worth of their
labor or produce.
4. Fast-paced Population Growth – we live in a world where despite the rates of
deaths, the birth rates are higher. The growing population means there are extra
mouths to feed daily. The rise in population with limited growth in the food available,
means an increase in food insecurity.
5. Biofuels – agrofuels are produced from plants like corn and sugar cane. Producing
such biofuels is emerging as a response to tackling climate change. Unfortunately,
farms will be diverted into growing such plants and crops for biofuels, decreasing the
number of grains available for food.
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 6. Natural Disasters – drought, floods, typhoons, cyclones and other natural disasters
can wipe out an entire harvest or destroy crops. This is devastating most especially to
rural communities and families, who generally rely on such harvests and staple
small-scale farming for their daily food.
7. Climate Change – changes in climatic patterns have fundamentally affected
agriculture. Farmers are experiencing the effects of climate change, as rains are
coming in earlier than before, and droughts are lasting longer. Freshwater is also
scarcer as a result of rising sea levels, storm surges, cyclones and other extreme
weather events, which are more frequent and intensive.
8. Wastage of Food – there are billions worth of edible food being thrown away every
year, mostly in developed countries. For instance, during the Coronavirus pandemic,
farmers are throwing away billions worth of food since restaurants and supermarkets,
which previously bought such food, are shut down. The production levels are greater
than the consumption, meaning food has to be thrown away, yet people are dying of
hunger in developing nations.
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 FAO reports that each year, the food wasted globally is about 1.3 billion tonnes.
9. Market Dominance by Corporate Giants – Giant multinational agribusinesses and
exporters have flocked the food market, meaning small-scale farmers have limited
avenues to market their produce. They, therefore sell at unfair prices, and the giant
businesses control the market, including selling food at high prices by targeting
customers who are most of the time are over-selective, leading to food wastage.
10. The Financialization of Food – food has become a precious commodity and is
being traded as a commodity on international markets. Price hikes in international
food markets trigger severe and prolonged food crisis. Therefore, this means that to a
considerable degree, hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity could be as a result of
market priorities and the greed to achieve higher profits.

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EFFECTS OF FOOD INSECURITY
1. Effects on Children – children who are food insecure or come from families that are
food insecure are more likely to require hospitalization and are at a higher risk of
chronic health conditions like anemia and asthma. They also have frequent oral health
problems. Food insecurity in children also related to the poor physical quality of life
and prevents them from fully engaging in daily school activities, as well as social
interaction with their peers.
2. Food Insecurity Leads to Hunger – Hunger costs billions every year, with US using
about 178. 9 billion dollar every year. This makes the government spend more on
feeding the nation, instead of concentrating such monies to other projects such as
infrastructure, healthcare and education.
3. Increases in Food Prices – food insecurity means there is shortage of food
commodities, making the available food expensive to purchase. This means the prices
will go up and will result in related items being more expensive. People’s access to
food, care, feeding and access to healthcare may also become limited as a
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consequence, making the nation more insecure.
 4.Unemployment – when a nation is insecure about their availability of food, the
economy will slow down. This means more people will lose their jobs, wages will be
lost, and losses in income will be prevalent.
5. A Rise in Health-related Costs – the higher the rate of food insecurity, the higher
the risk of developing chronic illnesses such as heart diseases. The burden is,
therefore, placed on the healthcare system. In a study, food-insecure households spent
about 6, 100 dollar on medical care in a year as compared to 4, 200 dollar for
food-secure households, which is a 45% increase in costs.
6. Violent Conflict – despite violence being a cause of food insecurity, the reverse is
also true. Food insecurity, especially when caused by a rise in food prices, is a threat
and results in violent conflict. It might not be the only cause, but coupled with other
factors, for example, in the political or economic spheres, food insecurity could be the
factor that determines whether and when violent conflicts erupt.

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HOW CAN WE IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY?

Solutions to Food Insecurity:

1. Reduce Food Waste
- food is wasted mainly because of inefficient preparations, bumpy or bad roads,
over-selective customers, and inadequate storage facilities. If storage facilities are
improve And there are adequate preparations for how the food will be used, less food
will be wasted, and there will be a more food secure community. FAO reports that
each year, the food wasted globally is about 1.3 billion.
2. Reduce the risk of commercializing
- if food is grown for the purposes of feeding the community or nation, food
insecurity levels will go down. Farmers can produce more food crops and will be able
to produce cash crops when there are enough food crops in the market. There will be
less risk of commercialization of food if it is sufficient in the market.

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 3. Improve Existing Infrastuctural Programs
- Some farmers fail to get their produce product to the market because of poor
infrastructure including roads, storage facilities, and food processing equipment. It
ends up rotting in the farms than being taken to those who need it or for processing. If
the infrastructure is improved, more food will be available in the market and the food
insecurity levels can go down.
4. Improve Trade Policies
- Some farmers fail to feed the community because of unfair trade policies.
Corporate giants have already stepped in and commercialized food, making it harder
for small-scale farmers to have their products in the market. Governments should,
therefore improve such policies, and make it fair for everyone to participate.
5. Promote Diversification
- Focusing on a single food crop or staple can produce terrible outcomes for food
insecurity reduction. As such, to improve food security, there needs to be training on
22 the importance of diversified and healthy diets for better nutrition.
 6. Close the Yield Gap
- To close the gap, governments and agricultural institutions in charge have
come up with strategies and programs for improving crop yields, especially
location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification such as soil
management and land improvement.

7. Work Towards Defeating Climate Change

- Climate change is severely affecting our lives and the production of food. If we
fight climate change and farm sustainably, we will be able to ensure there is enough
food for us and future generations. It is an additional step in fighting food insecurity.

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 THANK YOU!!!!

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 PRESENTED BY: GROUP 3
LEADER: Gladys G. Hernandez
MEMBERS: Jocelyn V. Lopez
Rosinni P. Rodelas
Gwenneth Amanda Villafuerte
Jhasmine Pia F. Calitis
Christel Joy R. Manaog
Rommel M. Maligat

PRESENTED TO: Ms. Jennelyn E. Bodoy

Instructor
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