Poverty and Food Security Paper Example

Introduction

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2015) defines poverty as a social condition characterized by the absence of adequate resources vital for human survival or essential to meet the specific living standards required depending on where the individual resides. Some of the underlying conditions necessary for survival include; shelter, clothing, and food. Poverty can be as a result of the inadequate distribution of wealth and resources. According to Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2015), global food security is the effort to ensure adequate access of nutritious, safe and sufficient food for a healthy life to all people around the globe. It can be enhanced through the provision of effective fertilizers, improving irrigation systems and the use of useful storage facilities to minimize food shortage. Vella (2012) claims that there is a link between food security and population growth, many developing countries, for instance, Egypt are facing food insecurity problems due to the high number of people in the country resulting to an inadequate supply of proper nutritional needs. This paper discusses the relationship between population growth and food security, factors interrupting the flow of food and the various technological methods which can be used to reduce hunger and improve food security.

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What is Food Insecurity and What Role does Population Growth Play in it?

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (2015) defines food insecurity as a social condition which occurs when people do not have access of sufficient, safe and nutritious food for development of a normal healthy life. About 12% of the world population cannot have access to enough food and are suffering from hunger, and approximately 793 million people in the world are food insecure. FAO argues that food insecurity can result from unequal distribution of food to every household, higher food prices, increased use of biofuels, global warming, and insufficient food production in the world and population growth which also plays a crucial role in food insecurity in the world. Increased access to different methods of family planning can help curb rapid population growth in the world hence promoting food security (Headey &Martin, 2016).

There is a relationship between population growth and food insecurity among many developing countries in the world especially those in sub-Saharan Africa for instance; Egypt (Vella, 2012). One out four people lacks access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food due to the high number of population in the country. Increase in population means that food demand goes up leading to increased use of water and arable land. High number of people results to inadequate land and water leading to deforestation to create arable land for food production which is not sufficient enough to feed the multiplying population Lack of enough land in rural areas to farm pressures many people to move to urban areas in search of work leading to overcrowding, food scarcity and increased food prices. Most poor individuals in the metropolitan regions spend around 60% of their earned income in the purchase of food, increased food prices and low-income results to malnutrition and hunger hence food insecurity (Connolly-Boutin & Smit,2016).

What Factors Specifically Interrupt the Flow of Food from the Source to the People in the Developing Country you Selected?

There are many factors affecting food distribution from the source to the people in Egypt. These factors may be cultural, political or social factors.

Geography and Climate (Remote and inaccessible locations): Climatic changes and poor terrain are significant factors influencing food flow in Egypt. Most people living in rural areas may not have access to safe, sufficient and nutritious food due to poor transportation channels to distribute the food needed by the population. During rainy seasons, most poor roads become inaccessible hence vehicles cannot safely transport relief food form the source to the people. It also leads to flooding making it difficult for any airplanes to land if need be. This leads to many people in these remote areas lacking staple food supply all year round (Vella, 2012).

Religious and Cultural Beliefs: Different communities have different cultural and religious beliefs influencing the active flow of food, for instance, Jewish and Muslims in Egypt have diverse food preferences and choices. Both groups do not eat pork; this dictates the type of food to be supplied in these regions. This limits the type and amount of food s which can be provided to such areas occupied by these communities.

Government Policies and Multinationals: According to Vella (2012), High taxes and trade restrictions influence food distribution in Egypt, this results to problems between the producers and consumers. These policies affect the farmers negatively by decreasing their income rates. Multinationals force the farmers to sell their land at lower prices hence they only get little profits which cannot sustain them for long. These farmers lose their ability to produce sufficient foods to be supplied to the other parts of the country.

What Forms of Technology Can be Used to Reduce Hunger and Improve Food Security? Explain How these Technical Solutions Can do that.

Use of machines in the farms: Examples; Modern harvesting machines and tractors. This type of technology enables farmers to cultivate a large piece of land with the use of less labor and spend less cost. Using farm machineries like the harvesters and planters enhance food production hence reducing food insecurity. These machine farms enable farmers to produce high levels of food at the shortest time possible and ensure timely delivery on the stores for supply (Borlaug,2000).

Modern Transportation Technologies: This ensures the timely delivery of fresh foods and vegetables to the markets from the farms. Different people from different areas will be able to consume freshly harvested food products on the same day of harvest. Framers can easily transport different farm products and fertilizers to the farm and quick transportation of the farm products to the market for easy access by the consumers hence increasing food availability and reducing food insecurity.

Use of biotechnology for irrigation in dry areas: For instance in Egypt, Borlaug (2000) argues that farmers collect water for river Nile through the use of pipes and direct it to their farms. Many crops like rice can be produced in areas like the deserts through this form of technology. This increases food production hence improving food security.

Use of Remote sensing satellite Imagery: This form of technology enables policy makers and farmers to be able to predict and forecast the cause of food insecurity several weeks before it happens and will allow them to prepare adequately. Impeding famine can easily be sensed enabling policymakers to react effectively (Borlaug, 2000).

Conclusion

The long term and short-term causes of prolonged food insecurity should be addressed to increase food security in the world. The existing aid measures should be made flexible to make it possible to address these dimensions of food insecurity. Food insecurity eradication should be included among the long-term development goals. Other goals such as reduction in maternity and infant mortality, provision of education and better health services and poverty alleviation should all be combined, and incorporated help reduces food insecurity. These goals should progress within the human rights framework, and community participation and gender equality in decision making should be encouraged to enable individuals to take part in making decisions which affect their lives in one way or the other.

References

Vella, J. (2012). The future of food and water security in new Egypt. Future Directions International Pty Ltd.: Dalkeith, Australia.Retrieved on 2nd February 2019 from http://futuredirections.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/FDI_Strategic_Analysis_Paper_-_22_November_2012.pdf

Borlaug, N. E. (2000). Ending world hunger. The promise of biotechnology and the threat of antiscience zealotry. Plant Physiology, 124(2), 487-490.Retrieved on 2nd February 2019 from http://www.plantphysiol.org/content/124/2/487.short

McGuire, S. (2015). FAO, IFAD, and WFP. The state of food insecurity in the world 2015: meeting the 2015 international hunger targets: taking stock of uneven progress. Rome: FAO, 2015.Retrieved on 2nd February from https://pai.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/PAI-1293-FOOD_compressed.pdf

Connolly-Boutin, L., & Smit, B. (2016). Climate change, food security, and livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa. Regional Environmental Change, 16(2), 385-399.Retrieved on 2nd February from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10113-015-0761-x

Headey, D. D., & Martin, W. J. (2016). The impact of food prices on poverty and food security. Annual review of resource economics, 8, 329-351.Retrieved on 2nd February from https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/abs/10.1146/annurev-resource-100815-095303