Gke Task 2 Food Security Research Paper
Humanities II
25 January, 2014
Part II: Food Security
The average American takes for granted the aisles of food with loaded shelves in grocery stores around the country. Elsewhere in the world and in Africa specifically, access to food can be a struggle of life or death. The FDA defines food security as a condition that "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” (Food Security USDA). With this definition, food security is very difficult to find in Africa. Many people do not have the “sufficient, safe and nutritious food... for an active and healthy life.” Although food security in Africa from 1900 to the present varies significantly throughout the continent, the ongoing efforts to create food security, along with obstacles, have changed over time. …show more content…
In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the arid and desert like climates lead to extreme food insecurity. “Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest concentration of food insecurity of any region” (Food Security). Other regions of Africa also suffer. The African food development bank points out that the “Ecological constraints on food production in North Africa, however, are severe, with shortages of both arable land and water” (North Africa). While there are some differences, North Africa has food insecurity that stem from its heavy reliance on food imports which is why it has the largest food deficit in the world (North
25 January, 2014
Part II: Food Security
The average American takes for granted the aisles of food with loaded shelves in grocery stores around the country. Elsewhere in the world and in Africa specifically, access to food can be a struggle of life or death. The FDA defines food security as a condition that "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” (Food Security USDA). With this definition, food security is very difficult to find in Africa. Many people do not have the “sufficient, safe and nutritious food... for an active and healthy life.” Although food security in Africa from 1900 to the present varies significantly throughout the continent, the ongoing efforts to create food security, along with obstacles, have changed over time. …show more content…
In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, the arid and desert like climates lead to extreme food insecurity. “Sub-Saharan Africa has the largest concentration of food insecurity of any region” (Food Security). Other regions of Africa also suffer. The African food development bank points out that the “Ecological constraints on food production in North Africa, however, are severe, with shortages of both arable land and water” (North Africa). While there are some differences, North Africa has food insecurity that stem from its heavy reliance on food imports which is why it has the largest food deficit in the world (North