Abstract
The definition of food security has evolved and changed over the past 50 years, including the introduction of the four commonly cited pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability, which have been important in shaping policy. In this article, we make the case that it is time for a formal update to our definition of food security to include two additional dimensions proposed by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition: agency and sustainability. We show that the impact of widening food system inequalities and growing awareness of the intricate connections between ecological systems and food systems highlight the importance of these additional dimensions to the concept. We further outline the ways in which international policy guidance on the right to food already implies both agency and sustainability alongside the more established four pillars, making it a logical next step to adopt a six dimensional framework for food security in both policy and scholarly settings. We also show that advances have already been made with respect to providing measurements of agency and sustainability as they relate to food insecurity.
Generated Summary
This viewpoint article, published in Food Policy, advocates for a shift in the conceptual understanding of food security by proposing a six-dimensional framework. The authors build upon the existing four pillars of food security—availability, access, utilization, and stability—by incorporating two additional dimensions: agency and sustainability. The research approach involves a review of the evolution of food security definitions, an analysis of the importance of agency and sustainability within food systems, and an examination of current international policy guidance, including the Right to Food Guidelines. The article emphasizes that agency and sustainability are crucial for addressing hunger and malnutrition more effectively, especially in the context of rising global hunger and widening food system inequities. The scope of the study includes the historical development of food security concepts, the importance of agency and sustainability in food systems, and the implications of incorporating these dimensions into policy and measurement frameworks.
Key Findings & Statistics
- In 2020, approximately 2.37 billion people, nearly one in three, faced moderate or severe food insecurity.
- The article references the 1974 World Food Conference, which defined food security as ensuring “availability at all times of adequate world food supplies of basic foodstuffs.”
- The 1974 World Food Conference also aimed to avoid acute food shortages and maintain stable food consumption in countries with low per capita intake.
- The 1982 FAO Director General’s report highlighted the importance of stability of food supply. It warned of economic cycles leading to instability that could affect food prices.
- The 1996 World Food Summit’s definition of food security, updated in 2001, highlights the four pillars: “Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.”
- The IPCC estimates that between 21 and 37 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food systems.
- Around one-quarter of world food production is now traded internationally.
Other Important Findings
- The definition of food security has evolved over the past 50 years, with the introduction of the four commonly cited pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability.
- The High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE) proposed the inclusion of agency and sustainability as additional dimensions.
- Agency and sustainability have been widely recognized in scholarly literature as relevant to food security for several decades.
- International policy guidance on the right to food already implies agency and sustainability.
- The article emphasizes the importance of agency, referring to the capacity of individuals and groups to exercise control over their own circumstances and provide meaningful input into governance processes.
- Agency is important at both individual and community levels, and agency moves toward the idea of active ‘food citizens’.
- Sustainability is distinct from stability; the latter accounts for shorter-term disruptions, while sustainability emphasizes the connections between ecosystems, livelihoods, society, and political economy.
- The industrial model of food production is not environmentally sustainable.
Limitations Noted in the Document
- The article acknowledges the challenge of measuring agency and sustainability.
- The study does not provide a detailed methodology for quantifying agency and sustainability, instead suggesting the need for new measurement innovation.
- The analysis is based on existing literature and policy documents, which may not fully capture the complexities of real-world food security issues.
- The article doesn’t explore the practical challenges of implementing a six-dimensional framework.
- The lack of specific examples or case studies where the six-dimensional framework has been applied.
- The reliance on existing definitions and frameworks might not fully capture all aspects of food security.
Conclusion
The authors propose a shift from a four-pillar framework to a six-dimensional framework for food security, incorporating agency and sustainability. They argue that this formal recognition is crucial for several reasons. Firstly, to address widening inequities and challenges like global hunger and the negative impacts of food systems on ecological systems. Secondly, the shift would codify ideas already agreed upon in other policy contexts, particularly within the right to food guidance. The six-dimensional framework aims to ensure that food policies on the ground take agency and sustainability fully into account, strengthening food security policies. The article stresses that formal adoption of this six-dimensional framework is a logical and necessary step, as the current approach might fail to adequately capture the full range of dimensions that matter for food security. The authors emphasize that formalizing the inclusion of agency and sustainability into food security frameworks will strengthen food security policies and interventions, especially by recognizing that the causes of food insecurity are complex and require action on multiple fronts. The implications of the six-dimensional approach will affect food security, and measurement innovation will be needed. The paper concludes that the formal incorporation of these dimensions is essential to better address food insecurity in the face of growing challenges in the current food system.