Food security and nutrition challenges at global and regional level

Mark SmuldersSenior Economist

Agricultural Development Economics DivisionFAO, Rome

Inclusive policy dialogue to make trade policies conducive to food security and nutrition

16-17 December 2014, FAO, Rome

Key messages

• Food security and good nutrition (FSN) can be achieved when state and non-state actors coordinate their actions well

• Given the multidisciplinary nature of FSN, different sectors (food, agriculture, trade, health, etc.) need to work together

• Policies in one sector need to be assessed against policies in another to avoid conflicting action during policy implementation

• Trade policies can be conducive to FSN with a good understanding of underlying concepts of food security and nutrition

Food Security Defined

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.

World Food Summit, November 1996

Four dimensions of food security

availability access stability utilization

• domestic production

• import capacity

• food stocks

• food aid

• poverty

• purchasing power

• transport and market infrastructure

• food distribution

• weather variability

• price fluctuations

• political factors

• economic factors

• food safety & quality

• clean water

• health & sanitation

What is nutrition?

Nutrition is the consequence of the intake of food and the

utilization of nutrients by the body.

Good nutrition produces a healthy physical and physiological

condition. It is secured when food intake, absorption and

utilization provide all essential nutrients in required amounts.

CFS, 15-20 October 2012; CFS 2012/39/4

• food availability

• stability

• food access

• utilisation of food

• care and feeding practices

• health and sanitation conditions

Food security and nutrition: key determinants

food security dimensions

determinants of good/poor nutrition

Food insecurity and malnutrition world-wide

• 805 million people suffer from chronic hunger (undernourishment)

• 161 million children are stunted (low height-for-age) and 51 million

wasted (low weight-for-height)

• 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, or “hidden hunger”

due to a lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet

• > 500 million adults are obese, while an estimated 42 million children

under the age of five are overweight; this has increased the incidence of

non-communicable diseases related to diet, such as heart disease, stroke,

cancer and diabetes

Food availability in selected countries/regions

Armen

ia

Azerbaij

an

Georgi

a

Kazakh

stan

Kyrgyzs

tan

Tajik

istan

Turkm

enist

an

Uzbek

istan

Caucas

us and Cen

tral A

sia

Belaru

s

Rupublic of M

oldova

Russian

Federa

tion

Ukraine

Develo

ping reg

ions

Landlocke

d develo

ping reg

ionsW

orld

100

200

300

400

500

600

Average value of food production, $ per caput 1992-1994

Average value of food production, $ per caput 1999-2001

Average value of food production, $ per caput 2009-2011

Indicators of deprivation (poverty, stunting, hunger)

Armenia Azerbaijan Georgia Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Uzbekistan Caucasus and Central

Asia

Belarus Rupublic of Moldova

Russian Federation

Ukraine

32.4

6.0

14.8

2.9

38.0

5.5

16.6

11.09.1

20.8

11.313.1

17.8

26.8

6.4

10.4

6.5

34.7

7.2 8.4

Poverty headcount ratio at national poverty line, % of population 2011-2013 Children aged <5 years stunted, % 2012Prevalence of undernourished in total population, % 2013

Strengthening synergies between trade policies and food security and nutrition

objectives• Given the multi-disciplinary nature of food security and nutrition

challenges, actions across many sectors are needed

• Policies and investments from different sectors need to be assessed in

terms of their impact on food security and nutrition (+ or -)

• For example, what impact does a change in trade policy have on food

availability, access to food and/or stability questions?

• Or, how does a change in food safety regulation impact on food trade?

• How do food policies impact on what people buy and eat?

• Are policies implemented for the purpose they were formulated?

Towards the eradication of hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition - the enabling

environment

1. Policies, programmes

and legal frameworks

2. Human and financial

resources

3.Governance, coordination mechanisms

and partnerships

4. Evidence-based

decision-making