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Islands of Hunger in a Sea of Food

The role of agriculture should be seen as improving livelihoods and nutrition, not simply producing crops and commodities
MORE than half of the worlds undernourished people live tn countries where adequate supplies of food are available.
But lack of money, poor diets and feeding practices and inadequate distribution sys: terns keep the food out of the reach of many people
So much so that despite advances made tn recent years in Improving food availability and nutrition, hunger and -under-nutrition continue to exist in many countries.
At the same time, types of malnutrition associated with over-consumption — like obesity — are increasing in both developed and developing na lions.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says that malnutrition. In all its forms, persists today tn virtually every country of the world.
There arc indications that
about 15-20 per cent of the developing world's population (excluding China) do not have continued access to enough food to meet their minimum needs for a healthy, productive life and could be classified as chronically energy deficient." accordihg lo the FAO report. Nutrition and Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development.
The report says that in some instances, "about 50 per cent are also affected by some type of nutrient deficiency ... In addition, chronic diet-related non-communicable diseases. such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases and some cancers, are increasing dramatically and iodine deficiency disorders continue to affect millions worldwide."
This situation persists despite impressive gains tn food production in recent years. FAO estimates indicate that the average daily per caput dietary energy supply worldwide
increased from 2.320 calorics in 1961 1963 to 2.000 calories In 1983-1966
However. these gains have been unevenly distributed. In some low Income countries according to the FAO report, per caput food availability Is even lower now than 15
The FAO report stresses the importance, of ensuring the provision of an adequate, ■table, and secure food supply" as a basic requirement for the nutritional well-being of al populations.
“Food security means that all people at all times should have both the physical and economic access to the basic food they need. This implies that every household should have the opportunity of producing or procuring food tn sufficient quantity and of sufficient quality for all its members to lead an active and healthy life." says the report
While food supply ts a critical component of food security. the ultimate issue is access u, food. Even where adequate food is available at the national level, it 1s clearly not available to the entire population simply because many lack the economic means to procure IL
The FAO report underscores the need to ensure that the food supply is safe, tn addition to being stable and secure. This means ensuring that the desirable characteristics of food are retained during Ils production, handling, processing and packaging." it says.
The FAO report calls attention to the importance of agriculture in ensuring that popu-lalions gel the right kind of food.
"Agriculture (including the fisheries, forestry and livestock sectors) is the major source of income and Itveh1 hood for many of the worlds poor. Consequently, agriculture policies and programmes have a great potential for improving nutritional status." the report says.
It points out that the multiple causes of malnutrition may all be significantly affected, directly or indirectly, by agricultural policies and programmes.
These causes include poverty, social discrimination, tnequai ity in the distribution of food and resources, infectious diseases, inadequate care and feeding practices, environmental degradation and a lack of opportunity for betterment.
"Agricultural policies which incorporate nutrition objectives can have pronounced beneficial effects through their impact on the level and fluctuation of income of nutritionally at-risk households, food prices, women's labour demands and time allocation and the nutrient content of food." the FAO report says.
The report stresses that the effects of the agriculture sector on nutrition go far beyond food production and supply. The role of the agriculture sector should be seen as improving livelihoods and nutrition, not simply producing crops and comnxKiltles.
— Depthnews