Food Insecurity
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THESIS STATEMENT
Food insecurity is a global challenge as most people, particularly women and children face hunger and starvation. While food insecurity exposes people to poor health outcomes, spurring economic growth, and creating awareness can help alleviate the problem.
SUPPORTING POINT 1
The world is at a poor state of food security as many people face starvation and hunger. Limited investment in agriculture aggravates the effects of food insecurity and “The hungry themselves pay most immediately and most painfully” (Food and Agriculture Organization 4). It is not only the hungry that pay the price, but “the costs are also crippling for their communities, their countries, and the global village…” (Food and Agriculture Organization 4).
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SUPPORTING POINT 2
Food insecurity is gendered and women farmers often face the most severe consequences. Agricultural gender inequalities exist and “women farmers are particularly at risk of hunger…” (Oxfam 8). While agricultural policies promised to bridge the gender gap after the food crisis, women face hurdles “in accessing extension services and financial and agricultural resources, limited legal benefits and protection…” (Oxfam 24).
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SUPPORTING POINT 3
Food insecurity is associated with poor or negative health outcomes. Improving the health and wellbeing of populations means that “understanding negative health outcomes that stem from food insecurity is of direct importance to healthcare professionals and policymakers…” (Gundersen and Ziliak 1831). It results in various disorders as “food insecurity is seen as leading to depression…” (Gundersen and Ziliak 1836).
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SUPPORTING POINT 4
While economic development is essential in addressing food insecurity, it is not enough to speed up hunger and malnutrition reduction. For economic development to be successful, “growth needs to reach and involve the poor…” (FAO 15). Besides, FAO maintains that “governments need to spend additional public resources on safety nets and key goods and services such as education, infrastructure, and public health measures” (15).
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SUPPORTING POINT 5
Increased awareness can improve people’s food access. The US Government Accountability Office reports that colleges address food insecurity “by educating faculty, staff, and students” (20). According to Reeves, to enhance “understandings of food access and nutritional knowledge…,” it is essential to know community contexts (Reeves 148).
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SUPPORTING POINT 6
Food insecurity is a major source of war. Gerdes maintains that “food insecurity is a cause and consequence of armed conflict” (25). The primary motivators of hunger include “violent conflict, economic instability, and climate change…” (Oxfam 7)
CONCLUSION
Globally, countries are facing the problem of food security that mainly affects the vulnerable such women. It results in poor health outcomes while economic growth and creating awareness are essential remedies.
Overall, food insecurity has been an international challenge. Poor communities and women are at greater risk, especially after the 2007-2008 food crisis. It is gendered and characterized by poor health outcomes. To address the problem, governments need to improve economic growth and create awareness.
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Works Cited
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “The state of food insecurity in the world 2002. Food insecurity: When people must live with hunger and fear starvation.” (2002). Available at http://www.fao.org/3/y7352e/y7352e00.pdf
Gerdes, Louise I. Food Insecurity. Greenhaven Press, 2012.
Gundersen, C., & Ziliak, J. P. (2015). Food insecurity and health outcomes. Health Affairs, 34(11), 1830-1839. Available at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0645
IFAD, FAO. “The state of food insecurity in the world 2012: economic growth is necessary but not sufficient to accelerate the reduction of hunger and malnutrition.” Rome: FAO (2014). Available at https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/pdf/10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0645
Page-Reeves, Janet, ed. Women redefining the experience of food insecurity: Life off the edge of the table. Lexington Books, 2014.
US Government Accountability Office. “Food insecurity: better information could help eligible college students access federal food assistance benefits [Internet].” (2018). Available at https://www.gao.gov/assets/700/696254.pdf
Oxfam. “Gender Inequalities and Food Insecurity.” (n.d). Available at https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/bp-gender-inequalities-food-insecurity-150719-en.pdf