Download Food Security - Pat

PatMedMUNCIX
UNOCHA
Food Security
The definition of food security as defined by the World Food Summit (WFS) in 2002 is,
“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an
active and healthy life”. Food security is when all people can easily access safe and reliable food.
Many people go hungry and are malnourished due to food insecurity. Food insecurity is when
there is no access, availability, utilization, and reliable food source. The Malthusian catastrophe
is a theory that states that every population has a limit and once that limit is reached greater food
insecurity will occur. This theory is believed to occur in the near future and is observed in other
populations of species besides the human race.
Food Security became an issue in the early 1930s as recognized by the League of
Nations. However, not much was done until 1946 after World War II when the Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) surveyed the population and determined that at least one third
of the global population did not obtain a sufficient amount of energy. Due to this information,
governments increased agricultural production, which lead to surpluses of food. The surplus of
product was utilized to combat food insecurities. Poor climate conditions have resulted in the
increased prices of food due to the fact that the availability of food products decreasing. In the
early 1950s FAO created committees such as the Committee on Commodity Problems (CCP)
and the The Consultative sub-Committee on Surplus Disposal (CSSD) which determined how
much agricultural product is produced and how to deal with the surplus. In 1960 the United
Nation’s General Assembly passed the resolution “the provision of Food Surpluses to FoodDeficit people through the United Nations Systems” which led to the creation of the World Food
Programme (WFP). However, due to droughts, conflicts, and climate change, countries such as
Afghanistan, Cambodia, Haiti, and Ethiopia have suffered from food insecurity.
One of the main causes of food insecurity is poverty and an unstable economic system.
Climate changes can lead to natural disasters. Events such as droughts and floodings can easily
determine how much product is yielded. Events such as conflicts will also determine the
availability and access to products. With the increasing world population the availability of food
will decrease, more people means less food. Due to the lack of markets and transportation to the
markets, both the consumers and producers of food are unable to have a proper food distribution
system. A possible controversial solution is the use of genetically modified crops. While some
nations such as the United States and India agree with the use of GM crops, nations such as
members of the European Union do not agree. Consider the short term solutions are fixing the
problem at the source while the long term would be preventing food insecurity in the future.
Questions to Consider:
What has your nation done to improve food security?
What events involving your nation may have an affect on food security (e.g., drought, climate
change, population change, conflicts)?
What can be short and long term solutions to ending world hunger?
What is your country's stance on GMOs?
Useful Sources:
http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/ERP/uni/F4D.pdf
http://un-foodsecurity.org/sites/default/files/UCFA_English.pdf
http://www.wfp.org/food-security
http://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2009-december/global-economic-crisis-threatens-foodsecurity-in-lower-income-countries.aspx#.V6LfSZMrLVo
http://www.worldhunger.org/2015-world-hunger-and-poverty-facts-and-statistics/#hungernumber
http://www.fao.org/wfs/index_en.htm
http://www.un-foodsecurity.org/countries
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/?menu=1300