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Can we improve global food security? A socio-economic and political perspective

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Abstract

Ensuring global food security for a growing population remains a major challenge. This is especially true against the background of increasing food prices paired with growing income levels and changing demand patterns in the developing world. At the same time, climate change and the occurrence of more frequent and extreme natural disasters increase the vulnerability of rural farm households, negatively affecting agricultural production. Given the many dimensions of food security, no simple solution can be found. Promoting productivity of farming and increasing the efficiency of the food marketing system are effective measures contributing to rural development in developing countries. Policy reforms in agriculture and beyond help to reduce distortions and change consumers’ awareness with respect to food waste and resource use inefficiencies related to human diets. What is new in this context is the increasing link of agriculture with other sectors such as the energy and the financial markets. This calls for further research as additional pressure is being put on the global food system.

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Notes

  1. Overweight is defined as Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2 and obesity as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2.

  2. NCDs comprise mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases (WHO 2011).

  3. One global hectare (gha) represents a biologically productive ha with world average productivity.

  4. The differences between realized and achievable productivities are the so-called “yield gaps” but see Sumberg (2012)

  5. The European Union adopted the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) in 2009 including a 10 % target for the use of renewable energy in road transport fuels by 2020.

  6. Financialization refers to the “increasing importance of financial markets, financial motives, financial institutions, and financial elites” in the management of natural resources (with reference to a definition by Epstein 2002).

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  1. Institute for Environmental Economics and World Trade, Leibniz University Hannover, Königsworther Platz 1, 30167, Hannover, Germany

    Ulrike Grote

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Grote, U. Can we improve global food security? A socio-economic and political perspective. Food Sec. 6, 187–200 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-013-0321-5

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