Food Security

At DIVRS, our programs are aiming to address food insecurity in our local community.

Food security is a term that we hear and use quite a lot. While we often think of food security as simply one having access and availability to enough food, there are other factors to consider!

The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN, incorporating two new domains, revised the global definition of food security earlier this year: sustainability and agency. This is an important step in explicitly acknowledging that sustainability and agency are key to transforming our food systems for the better.

The FAO report links sustainable food systems with each food security domain in their definition:

“Sustainable Food Systems” are:

·         productive and prosperous (to ensure the availability of sufficient food)

·         equitable and inclusive (to ensure access for all people to food and to livelihoods within that system)

·         empowering and respectful (to ensure agency for all people and groups, including those who are most vulnerable and marginalized to make choices and exercise voice in shaping that system)

·         resilient (to ensure stability in the face of shocks and crises)

·         regenerative (to ensure sustainability in all its dimensions)

·         And healthy and nutritious (to ensure nutrient uptake and utilization).”

See below for the updated definition! For the full FAO report click here!

by MOLLY FAIRWEATHER

Reference: HLPE. 2020. Food security and nutrition: building a global narrative towards 2030. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition of the Committee on World Food Security, Rome.