It is about time that countries all over the world integrated food security and nutrition into broader efforts
BAHAWALPUR: The notion of food security is about making food available, accessible and useable for everybody at all times. Today, however, over 2 billion people are facing the acute problem of food insecurity as they do not have regular access to healthy and nutritious food. The problem persists not only in the lower income countries but also in high income countries, where many children suffer from low birth weight and stunted growth.
The climate is changing, deserts are expanding and sea levels are rising. Our arable land is being degraded, rainforests are dying and biodiversity is being lost. Freshwater is becoming scarce and the soil is being rendered less fertile as industrial factories are poisoning our lands and rivers. All these changes are causing acute shortages of food as many countries are facing famine and unless aggressive actions are taken, humanity is at grave risk of seeing a continued rise in the rate of hunger.
To fix our food system we must work together. All sectors — from agriculture, food, health and water to education, social protection and economic policies — must be seen working in collaboration with each other. Furthermore, since fewer people are choosing farming as an occupation, it is becoming increasingly important to promote local agriculture. Living and working in the countryside needs to be made more attractive and the government needs to invest in rural development programmes. It is about time that countries all over the world integrated food security and nutrition into broader efforts to reduce poverty and gender inequality.
Saad ur Rehman Malik
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2020.
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