Food Security and the Developing World-Emerging Issues

Food security is an important aspect of every developing nation in the process of achieving sustainable development. This analysis therefore sought to discuss the methods and techniques which have been used by other researchers to understand food security. The analysis first presented the background on food security which showed the dire state of food insecurity in these nations. Objectives were then formulated on the basis of the presented background. The objectives of the analysis were to determine the factors affecting food security and discussing the methods and techniques which have been used in identifying them. Identifying the emerging issues which are affecting the achievement of food security was also tackled by the analysis. The theoretical framework on which food security is based was discussed in the analysis. This included availability, access and utilization components of the food security. It was important to note that for example the production functions guiding the supply of commodities accounted for the availability component. Empirical studies on food security were then presented to provide the evidence on what researchers have practically found in the field. The issues of household asset holding, climate and trade liberalization were identified as some of the issues affecting the attainment of food security. Emerging constraints were then presented against the theoretical and empirical studies provided by the analysis. These were shown as to negatively affecting the attainment of food security both at household and national level with countries like Zimbabwe being cited. Global climate change, bio-fuels and GMO’s were among the emerging issues which were affecting food security in the developed nations. However the analysis took into cognisance that these emerging issues have also presented an opportunity to meet food security. This can be shown by the GMO’s which have increased agricultural productivity in countries like South Africa. Conclusion and policy recommendations were then formulated based on the findings from the discussion. These included up-scaling nutritional programmes to deal with the utilization aspect. This was done under the background that there can be availability and access without food security as the utilization component is often neglected. Targeted social nets should also be implemented to cushion those households who cannot meet their requirements from normal agricultural activities.