Food Security (cont.)
There will be less risk of commercialization of food if it is sufficient in the market. Governments should also implement programs that can allow farmers to know when there is sufficient food for everyone.
Some farmers fail to get their produce to the market because of poor infrastructure including roads, storage facilities, and food processing equipment. It ends up rotting on the farms rather than being taken to those who need it or for processing. If the infrastructure is improved, more food will be available in the market and the food insecurity levels can go down.
Some farmers fail to feed the community because of unfair trade policies. Corporate giants have already stepped in and commercialized food, making it harder for small-scale farmers to have their products in the market. Governments should, therefore, improve such policies, and make it fair for everyone to participate.
Focusing on a single food crop or staple can produce terrible outcomes for food insecurity reduction. As such, to improve food security, there needs to be training on the importance of diversified and healthy diets for better nutrition.
With more varieties of food and an educated community on the importance of a diversified diet, there will be sufficient staple foods available in the markets.
Most of our farming lands are drained of their natural fertility levels and cannot produce as much as they did years ago. To close the gap, governments and agricultural institutions in charge have come up with strategies and programs for improving crop yields, especially location-specific methods of sustainable agricultural intensification such as soil management and land improvement.
Land conversion should be avoided as it encroaches into natural habitats and forests, affects biodiversity and wildlife, and increases GHG emissions. The strategy or program set-up should ensure food is available for all, and that wildlife and forests are not affected.
Climate change is severely affecting our lives and the production of food. If we fight climate change and farm sustainably, we will be able to ensure there is enough food for us and future generations. It is an additional step in fighting food insecurity.