The Agriculture Trilogy: Food security

Food security is crucial, yet for millions, access to nutritious food remains unmet. In the developing world, over 700 million individuals lack the necessary food to lead active and healthy lives, and 2.4 billion people experience moderate to severe food insecurity. Hunger and malnutrition not only undermine people’s health but also hinder national progress. Establishing resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food systems is essential for meeting global development goals.

Food security

Food security is defined as ensuring that every person has physical and economic access to enough safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and preferences for an active and healthy life. This concept encompasses four dimensions: the physical availability of food, economic and physical access to food, food utilization, and stability. Food security has become a critical topic in development finance circles, especially as global efforts have intensified in recent decades. Since 2000, there has been a 54% increase in the global production of primary crop commodities, reflecting significant agricultural efforts. Despite these extensive resources dedicated to agriculture and food production, approximately a quarter of a billion people currently experience severe food insecurity. This persistent issue highlights the gap between food production capabilities and the equitable distribution and accessibility of food, emphasizing the urgent need for sustainable and resilient agricultural practices to ensure food security for all.

Certain groups such as women, small-scale farmers, and the urban poor, are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. Despite operating on only 12% of agricultural land globally, smallholder farmers contribute approximately 35% of the global food supply. Alvaro Cabrera, a Development and Humanitarian Professional, explained “Food security heavily relies on smallholders, who produce many of the essential products we depend on. However, this vital part of the value chain is greatly affected by unfair market conditions and by the impacts of climate change. Smallholders often don’t manage formal financial information, and policies are often influenced by major stakeholders.” Addressing these challenges is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2, “Zero Hunger”, which aims to eradicate all forms of malnutrition and double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale producers by 2030. However, the target of ending global hunger by 2030 is not on track. This trend is expected to worsen as the global population will approach nearly 10 billion people by 2050. As mentioned by Aparna Raturi, Chief of staff at CarbonFarm, “It’s crucial to cultivate sustainably while ensuring we produce enough food to feed the growing global population. Innovative methods and technology (such as remote sensing technology) are essential to tackle food security issues, but this remains challenging in the developing world due to inadequate funding, infrastructure, and incentives.”

Key drivers and consequences of food insecurity

Numerous and recurrent disruptions, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events to economic crises and conflicts, adversely affect food systems and exacerbate food and nutrition insecurity. These disturbances frequently result in higher food prices and increased costs for agricultural inputs. Notably, 70% of the world’s hungry population resides in regions afflicted by war and violence, further complicating the stability of food, energy, and input prices. The consequences for food production and security have been devastating for millions, forcing people from their homes and driving them into severe poverty, thereby undoing significant development gains. Smallholder farmers are particularly vulnerable to food insecurity. They are disproportionately affected by climate change and have limited resources to adapt to climate shocks and decreases in food production. Moreover, the instability of their income food supply often compels them to resort to unsustainable agricultural practices.

The increasing effects of climate change could further reduce crop yields, particularly in the most food-insecure regions of the world. The rising frequency and intensity of natural disasters have severely impacted some areas, destroyed crops and reduced the availability and quality of food for communities. Additionally, current food systems threaten both human health and the environment, generating unsustainable levels of pollution and waste. One-third of food produced globally is either lost or wasted, and these food systems account for approximately 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. Addressing food loss and waste is essential for enhancing food and nutrition security. It also plays a crucial role in achieving climate goals and alleviating environmental stress.

Barbara Novak, Manager, Agriculture and Food Pathway at The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBSCD), emphasized the importance of efficient land use in this context. She pointed out, “In the future, we can expect increasing competition for land use for the production of food, fiber, and fuel. In this context, optimizing productivity per unit area, especially in developing countries which demonstrate significant yield gaps, is crucial. Closing yield gaps requires optimizing the use of resources, ensuring access to the correct inputs and innovation, and providing farmers technical assistance on best farming practices.” Poor diets and their associated risks are the leading cause of death globally. While food insecurity predominantly impacts rural populations, the consumption of highly processed foods is rising in both peri-urban and rural areas. Millions of people are either undernourished or consuming the wrong types of food, leading to a dual burden of malnutrition that can trigger illnesses and health crises.

Enhancing global food security 

Addressing food security challenges requires a multifaceted approach that integrates sustainable agricultural practices, equitable resource distribution, and collaborative efforts across all sectors. Assisting farmers in adopting resilient techniques such as diversifying crops and enhancing irrigation systems can mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change and strengthen food production. Francesca Nugnes, Platform for Agricultural Risk Management, told us “We currently produce a lot, but in an unsustainable way. By promoting and transitioning to agroecology practices, we can not only increase food production but also enhance the nutritional quality of food to meet the growing population’s demands. Agroecology practices can also offer solutions to improve the distribution of agricultural products.”

Concern’s initiative in promoting Climate Smart Agriculture alongside their Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) standard-setting program exemplifies effective strategies in helping rural communities adapt to changing environments. Additionally, The World Bank Group’s significant commitment of 9.6 billion USD in 2022 to build robust food systems reflects their dedication to improving food security, promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and enhancing food safety. These efforts include strengthening safety nets, providing emergency support, and advancing climate-smart farming techniques. With adequate funding and training, small farmers can access necessary resources, reduce information gaps, and strengthen their adaptive capacity, fostering environmental sustainability, food security, and poverty reduction.

Linda Broekhuizen, Board Chair of Foodvalley NL, stated “We need a systemic change in our food systems and look at regenerative agriculture production. This involves supporting farmers to produce more efficiently while preserving soil quality, ecosystem services, water use, etc. Sustainable food production should be holistically connected to the agri-food domain to protect our planet’s ecosystems. Local actions are essential but must be aligned with a global perspective, connecting nature with farm and fork.” Collaboration remains essential in achieving SDG2 of Zero Hunger by 2030. Empowering smallholders and involving stakeholders in policymaking are crucial steps toward addressing all dimensions of food security. By embracing sustainable practices and fostering partnerships, we can create resilient food systems that nourish communities while safeguarding our planet’s resources.