scholarly journals Global food security: assessing trends in view of guiding future EU policies

foresight ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 551-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albino Maggio ◽  
Tine Van Criekinge ◽  
Jean-Paul Malingreau

Purpose A foresight process was put in place to examine potential developments that can affect the world food situation in 2030 to identify the most useful areas for European Union (EU) policy intervention. Design/methodology/approach Four interactive workshops involving over 100 experts were organised. The structure of the foresight was designed based on the following five objectives: envision the future of food systems, agree on the most crucial drivers of change affecting food security, reach a consensus on a likely vision for 2030, challenge this vision and analyse current policies and policy needs in terms of responsiveness and resilience to food security future challenges. Findings The study contains four key messages accompanied by several related policy recommendations for the immediate and medium term to enable the EU to contribute to achieving food security by 2030. These refer to the transformation of agriculture production systems, the enabling environment, trends in production and consumption and demand-driven food systems as important determinants of sustainable food security. The study recommends a stronger coherence and coordination between different EU policies impacting food security. The development of urban areas is an overlooked challenge for food security as well as the contribution of trade and demand-side dynamics. Originality/value This is one of the very few attempts to look at food security with a system approach. A new paradigm shift is proposed: securing “regular” access to adequate food for the majority of the 8-9 billion people who will live on earth in the period 2030-2050, while addressing the food insecurity of a fraction of that total, is how a future European food security policy should be approached.

2022 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stacia Stetkiewicz ◽  
Rachel A. Norman ◽  
Edward Hugh Allison ◽  
Neil L. Andrew ◽  
Gulshan Ara ◽  
...  

The contribution of seafood to global food security is being increasingly highlighted in policy. However, the extent to which such claims are supported in the current food security literature is unclear. This review assesses the extent to which seafood is represented in the recent food security literature, both individually and from a food systems perspective, in combination with terrestrially-based production systems. The results demonstrate that seafood remains under-researched compared to the role of terrestrial animal and plant production in food security. Furthermore, seafood and terrestrial production remain siloed, with very few papers addressing the combined contribution or relations between terrestrial and aquatic systems. We conclude that far more attention is needed to the specific and relative role of seafood in global food security and call for the integration of seafood in a wider interdisciplinary approach to global food system research.


2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-162
Author(s):  
Angela Wilkinson

AbstractGlobal food security, livestock production and animal health are inextricably bound. However, our focus on the future tends to disaggregate food and health into largely separate domains. Indeed, much foresight work is either food systems or health-based with little overlap in terms of predictions or narratives. Work on animal health is no exception. Part of the problem is the fundamental misunderstanding of the role, nature and impact of the modern futures tool kit. Here, I outline three key issues in futures research ranging from methodological confusion over the application of scenarios to the failure to effectively integrate multiple methodologies to the gap between the need for more evidence and power and control over futures processes. At its core, however, a better understanding of the narrative and worldview framing much of the futures work in animal health is required to enhance the value and impact of such exercises.


Author(s):  
Abiodun Elijah Obayelu ◽  
Simeon Olusola Ayansina

Policy plays significant role in defining the food system of any country, and a sustainable food system is necessary for food security. This chapter maps out the causal interactions between food systems, food security and policy, and the challenges in transition to a sustainable food system while respecting the rights of all people to have access to adequate food in Nigeria. Explicit, rigorous, and transparent literature search was undertaken and many articles were assessed and reviewed. Although the results established a mutual relationship between food system and food security, existing literature have widely failed to take interactions between food systems, food security and policy into account. While food production is used as an entry point to improving food system sustainability, the quest for food security are undermining transition towards sustainable food systems. It was found that without right policies in place, it may be difficult to have food systems that are sustainable and ensure food security. This chapter provides a useful contribution to policy, and research on transitions towards sustainable food system. Any policy intervention to address one part of the food systems will impact on other parts and will determine whether a country is food secure or not. Enabling policy environment is therefore essential in ensuring a sustainable food system and for the attainment of food security.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzana Smeets-Kristkova ◽  
Thom Achterbosch ◽  
Marijke Kuiper

Nigeria is one of the most dynamic economies in Africa. Strong GDP and population growth coupled with urbanization trends place tremendous pressures on natural resources and the food systems that are dependent on them. Understanding the impact of these “mega trends” is important to identify key leverage points for navigating towards improved nutrition and food security in Nigeria. This paper contributes to the Foresight Project of the Food Systems for Healthier Diets which aims to analyse how the food system in Nigeria is expected to transform in the next decades, and to identify the leverage points for making sure that the transformation contributes to balanced consumer diets. For the food systems foresight, a well-established global economy-wide model, MAGNET, is applied that enables to capture the interlinkages among different food industry players in one consistent framework. By linking MAGNET to the GENUS nutritional database, it is further possible to relate the developments occurring on a macro-level with detailed macro and micronutrient consumption. Model projections suggest that a process of intensification of agriculture in combination with land substitution appears critical for the evolution of food and nutrition security, and for shifts towards healthy diets for the population. Intensification results in greater diversity of the production systems, which in turn cascades into positive effects on the diversity in the food supply and better food security outcomes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 106-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Christophe Bureau ◽  
Johan Swinnen

Significance Funds for emergency maize crop purchases from Zambia were allegedly misappropriated, with former Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development George Chaponda implicated in the deal. The scandal comes as the government struggles to deal with the impacts of an ongoing food security crisis which has been compounded by the arrival of the fall armyworm (FAW), a pest which has affected maize crops nationwide. Impacts Chaponda’s leading allies in government could lose their positions. Protests and demonstrations against government are likely to increase in urban areas. Projected economic growth of 4.5% for 2017 may prove unachievable.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shenggen Fan ◽  
Emily EunYoung Cho ◽  
Christopher Rue

Purpose The paper is a synthesis of the 2017 Global Food Policy Report, and the purpose of this paper is to put into perspective the major food policy issues, developments, and decisions of 2016 and highlights challenges and opportunities for 2017. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents an overview of recent changes in the global context for food security and nutrition, and synthesizes research findings on major issues that arise in an urbanizing world. Based on its findings, the authors present policy recommendations and areas for future research for food security and nutrition. Findings Urbanization is linked with dietary changes to more energy-dense diets, and, the triple burden of malnutrition is increasing, particularly in rapidly urbanizing developing countries. Rural-urban linkages are key to improving food security and nutrition in both rural and urban areas, and traditional agricultural value chains linking farms to cities are undergoing a “quiet revolution.” Governance to enhance food security in the context of rapid urbanization faces various challenges in the institutional, administrative, and political realms, especially for the informal economy in developing countries. To address the unique challenges of urbanization, policies will need to create enabling environments, promote efficient and inclusive value chains, improve governance, and promote tailored programs. Research gaps that need to be filled include better, updated, and disaggregated data on food security and nutrition, as well as an enhanced understanding of enabling environments. Originality/value The paper highlights the increasingly relevant issue of rapid urbanization, especially in developing countries, for food security and nutrition, and synthesizes recent research in this area.


2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 668-687 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Brzeska ◽  
Mousumi Das ◽  
Shenggen Fan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the pathways through which social protection policies in China and India can address the key challenges facing poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups under rapid transformation in both countries. Design/methodology/approach – This paper reviews the main social protection policies in China and India and analyzes the challenges that they are facing. This analysis is based on an evaluation of poverty and food security trends in both countries among vulnerable and disadvantaged groups followed by an overview of major experiences and gaps in social protection policies in the two emerging Asian giants. Findings – Improving the coverage and targeting of social protection systems is vital, and will require a multi-faceted reform portfolio that promotes more integrated and horizontally equitable systems. Emphasis should be placed on developing productive, cross-sectoral social protection programs that combine short-term social safety support with long-term tools to enhance productivity, paying special attention to nutrition, health, and human capital development. More efficient coverage and targeting should bridge the rural and urban divide and be grounded in transparent criteria and procedures that govern program implementation at all levels of the government. As both countries become more urbanized, social protection programs need to give equal attention to emerging food insecurity and nutrition issues within urban areas without detracting from food security and nutrition efforts in rural areas. Originality/value – Faced with a sizable population of undernourished and poor people, India and China have applied rather different approaches to address food insecurity. The originality and value of this paper lie in an in-depth parallel analysis of how China and India can better use their social protection systems to address food insecurity and undernutrition among poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ariful Islam ◽  
Sazali Abd Wahab

Purpose The informal segment compared to the formal segment is developing rapidly in urban areas of many developing Muslim countries. However, matter of fact, the contribution factor of the food cart business to the economic outline of the country has been vastly overlooked or neglected. The authority, policymakers, social organisations, vendors and the customers together need to play a contributing role based on intervention tactics regarding the major focus areas related to the development of this business segment. As a result, this study aims to explore concerns or issues that are hampering future business prospects considering the philosophy of halalan tayyiba. Design/methodology/approach The study has organised 16 semi-structured interview procedures with relevant food cart vendors of Chittagong, Bangladesh. The study selected participants (food cart vendors) from lower- to medium-income areas occupying at least one high school, one college in relation to several commercial premises (ex-mini shopping malls, offices and small factories) considering 6 out of 41 wards of Chittagong city corporation. All meetings with reflected participants were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim and transcripts were loaded into NVivo for coding and analysis procedure. Findings This investigation revealed that issues with food security, weather, lack of proper legislation, lack of awareness related with halalan tayyiba and erratic policies are the major challenges for the development of the food cart business in Chittagong. This study also advances how street food security well-being and hygiene practices are a piece of the halal idea and should in this way be adjusted by the halal food segment to accomplish halalan tayyiba affirmation. The outcomes also indicate an agenda for future research in this area. Research limitations/implications More reflections from the different stakeholders do have both pertinence and potential for incorporation in suggestions. Practical implications The detected findings may help both authority and other concerned entities to identify the critical dynamics to initiate appropriate strategic activities towards local economic growth considering halalan tayyiba outlines. Social implications It will ensure social well-being and food security. Originality/value This explorative research is one of few studies in the Bangladesh context, which is investigating halalan tayyiba-oriented business development outline for micro entrepreneurs.


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