The problem of food security is still before us

Soaring agricultural prices in 2007-2008, marked by the
hunger riots, then the economic crisis, took a heavy toll
on the world food situation. With 925 million hungry
people in the world in 2010, we are moving further
away from the first of the Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs). The target of halving the proportion of
people who suffer from hunger by 2015 appears out
of reach.

Demographic changes (9 billion inhabitants in 2050)
and climate change make it very uncertain whether
the world will be able to feed its people. Agricultural
prices remain extremely unstable and there has never
been so much competition for access to agricultural
land resources.

Food security is a complex issue going beyond agricultural production

“Food security exists when all people, at all times,
have physical and economic access to suffi cient, safe
and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs for an
active and healthy life." Thus defined by the World
Food Summit held from 13 to 17 November 1996, food
security covers four dimensions:
 Availability of food products, thanks to sufficient
agricultural production;
 Accessibility to food, with adequate livelihoods;
 Food quality, nutritious and safe;
 Stability of supply, to prevent food crises.

Food insecurity is not only an agricultural production
problem, but also concerns food access and poverty
alleviation. Food security is a global issue which
cannot be ensured without the close cooperation of all
stakeholders.

The Global Partnership for Food Security - (PDF, 1.5 Mo)