New Zealand

Food security: One of humanity’s ‘most significant challenges’

By RJ Whitehead

- Last updated on GMT

Food waste accounts for one-third of the world's food supply
Food waste accounts for one-third of the world's food supply
While food security is nothing new, the scale and interconnectedness of the problem the world is now facing make it “one of the most significant challenges humanity has ever faced,” according to a New Zealand academic.

Countries like China are already well aware of the issues they face to be able to feed their populations, but according to Dr Malik Hussain, a food microbiologist at Lincoln University, many countries have yet to understand the complexity of the problem, and the urgent measures it demands.

A perfect storm of insecurity

Writing in the journal Advances in Food Technology and Nutritional Sciences​, the parallel issues of a rapidly growing population, deteriorating agricultural soils, falling water tables, and the need to rapidly modify production methods based on climate change have combined to create a perfect food security storm.

The planet is, in a sense, creaking and groaning under the pressure. The seriousness of the issue is exacerbated all the more by the truly global nature of the problem. Even a single event such as drought or famine has the capacity to cause massive disruption to the world food supply​,” wrote Hussain.

He also highlighted that food safety and security issues could very quickly translate into issues of social, economic and political instability.

It's not just about food. The interconnectedness of the issue means that it's also a question of policy, regulation, political will, efficient supply chains, and education. If we are going to solve this problem then we need all these facets moving forward in a systematic and sustained manner​.”

One-third of world’s food supply is waste

Food science and technology will only save the day if they are used smartly, with policymakers involved in helping their development and implementation. These, says Hussain, can “collectively see the need and have truly fathomed the broader global issue.​”

The multifaceted nature of the problem means there is no single panacea. However, he noted that one area where food science should put its focus is in exploring ways to limit waste, either through improving food quality or improved utilisation.

Even though 1.2bn people are currently believed to be facing hunger and extreme poverty, the United Nations found that in 2013, approximately 1.3bn tonnes of food was wasted. That's about one-third of the world's supply​.”

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2 comments

Food security at risk.

Posted by Bob Bingham,

Most government policy forecasting agencies predict a 6% reduction in food production for every 1C increase in temperature. With a steeply rising population this is going to bring real problems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMJpqxFaMqk

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A Solution to Fight Food Insecurity

Posted by Bruce Rubin,

There are a great many articles concerning the statistics and issues concerning food insecurity, waste, and hunger globally.
There are articles about solutions that are aimed at the small stakeholder farmer.
Even with all this effort we still have this issue.
What is missing is investment and focus on large scale solutions that become part of the infrastructure of those areas of the world that lack it.
A solution that can and will address the issues stated in this article can be seen at www.nenkoai.com and the RASP link.
Unfortunately this product goes begging for the funding needed to erect a demonstration unit that will show the world that large problems are solved by large solutions not by inexpensive ones.

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