How to address global food inequity and inequality?
Global food inequity and inequality, which manifests in a situation whereby more than one (out of seven) billion people are hungry, while two billion people eat too much wrong food, can be addressed by:
A. The development of accessible rural financial markets (productive credit and consumption credit).
B. Adopting the appropriate development technological pathway option for food security (traditional agriculture, industrial agriculture or sustainable agriculture).
C. Only A.
D. Only B.
E. Both A and B.
F. None of the above.
Agriculture
Environmental health
Food Safety
Public health
Amalya
Food insecurity is one of the greatest challenges in the world. Unfortunately, our planet is full of inequalities: inequality and injustice are "legal citizens" of the world.
Nevertheless, I have some optimistic evaluations to this question. First, each of us can make the world a better place which will contribute to the solution of food inequality. Secondly, developed countries can help the poor ones financially, also by creating job opportunities for the people. Thirdly, some specific programs can be projected (step-by-step) for helping the poor people to have tangible results and a better life.
Nevertheless, I have some optimistic evaluations to this question. First, each of us can make the world a better place which will contribute to the solution of food inequality. Secondly, developed countries can help the poor ones financially, also by creating job opportunities for the people. Thirdly, some specific programs can be projected (step-by-step) for helping the poor people to have tangible results and a better life.
Myrtille Lacoste
Those choices reflect disciplinary biases e.g. techno-centrism. Each domain promotes their own research and innovation priorities, in line with their dominant paradigms. e.g. see Conti et al 2021 "Why are agri-food systems resistant to new directions of change? A systematic review".
The answer more likely lays along the line of: there are many core problems across several dimensions that are linked and must be addressed jointly. My own take, based on pragmatic and academic experience, would be to prioritise the co-production of knowledge (local + science), the explicit regulation of power imbalances (political agronomy/ecology), and to change institutional incentives.
The answer more likely lays along the line of: there are many core problems across several dimensions that are linked and must be addressed jointly. My own take, based on pragmatic and academic experience, would be to prioritise the co-production of knowledge (local + science), the explicit regulation of power imbalances (political agronomy/ecology), and to change institutional incentives.
Bekele et al.
Unsuitable food and adulteration are the primary causes of food insecurity. Technological advancements and development are required to improve productivity and product quality in order to capitalize on rural areas. As a result, A and B are both required.
Nithin
For urban development, rural resources are misused. This may be a common scenario in most countries. The availability of excess food leads to individuals eating wrong food. Areas with limited food supply may be identified and individuals or areas with excess food supply can hand over the excess food to these identified areas.
Виталий
Виталий Бекенев. В. Это зависит во-первых от политики государств. Там, где не хватает пищи, следует развивать технологии, позволяющие получать соответствующие продукты или зарабатывать на приобретение продуктов в других государствах, где много земли, которая не используется, например, в Сибири. Во-вторых, рождаемость людей, плодовитость коров, свиней уменьшается в странах с хорошим питанием. Там, где недостаёт продовольствия, кормов для скота, плодовитость выше. Проблема имеет биологическое объяснение. При хорошем обеспечении людей продовольствием, животных – кормами усиливается работа митохондрий, и параллельно выделяется больше АФК – свободных радикалов. Они инактивируют сперматозоиды, митохондриальная ДНК посылает особый белок humanin в гиппокамп с требованием уменьшить размножение в органы внутренней секреции. У животных пропадает желание размножаться. Так что при нормальном питании население Земли будет постоянным, пищи будет хватать. Неравенство будет ликвидировано.
Javier Mateo
E: A and B, but B seems to be more relevant. Small farms and farmers should be protected against exclusion from the productive system.
Dr Mac
definitely A and B. Another one to add is that science and proof are needed. A lot of information on this subject is political rather than scientific. For instance "XXX diets are better and safer and will save the world...". Statements made must include MEASURABLE indices. Some work I have done in very low income communities : an egg a day provides all the vitamins, minerals and protein for a young child. So we taught grannies how to feed chickens on scraps and home grown carbohydrates. Working as a group, the grannies could feed kids. We also arranged for excess egg production from broiler breeders to be channeled affordably to rural areas where these could be cooked and eaten. In another area, we arranged that edible innards of game shot by hunters, could be inspected, cooked and supplied to orphanages. The game animals shot were all young males so overgrazing was prevented as well. Tourism brought employment. So it was an integrated protein production system to feed humans affordably.
Isabela
D. Only B. I think that B includes also A, to develop technological pathway needs also financial support. But in the same time a education of consumers and producers should be considered. It should be an equilibrium between them to can reach the equality.
DonO
Technology, logistics, etc. are wonderful things, but in the end it is only the political will to do so that can allow progress away from inequity. I am an old man, and I have long seen this will bending in the other direction in those countries most blessed with plenty.
Komal Farooq
Both A and B, actually rural financial markets are the need of hour in order to capitalize the rural areas, and technological advancements and development is necessary in order to enhance the productivity as well quality of production. Because the food insecurity is not mainly because of food shortage but because of inappropriate food and adulteration.
MMichetti
This is a complex problem not depending on this or that but on a series of contributing factors, mainly of a socio-economic nature. Amongst those, there are at least A and B. Low or lack of access to financial resources may prevent good nutrition; notice that good financial mkts might also provide insurance mechanisms working countercyclically with respect to agricultural losses (A). Technology enhancement is key to counteract the negative impacts of weather and adapt to climatic changes, thereby supporting production. Many other aspects should be considered, such as policies and the institutional context, people's behaviours and habits, food prices and production costs...just to mention some.
Isaac Oluwatayo
E i.e. Both A and B. Accessible credit enables poor and vulnerable households or individual to afford and access nutritious and safe food and improved technology enhances food availability which in turn reduce or eliminate inequity
Prasad Variyar
The main focus should be on reducing the enormous food waste particularly in the developed countries that can help in more availability of food thereby considerably reducing huger in the world. This would require application of newer and novel food processing technologies including nonthermal preservation technologies.
E: Both A and B with greater focus on solution B
E: Both A and B with greater focus on solution B
Zhong Xiang Cheah 谢忠祥
E. Both A and B.
However, although the combination of both these options may contribute to solving food security for the disadvataged, they do not solve the problem of food inequity and inequality. These solutions help increase food production and accessiblity, but does not solve problems about food that is already produced, such as wastage and the need for better distribution/logistics.
However, although the combination of both these options may contribute to solving food security for the disadvataged, they do not solve the problem of food inequity and inequality. These solutions help increase food production and accessiblity, but does not solve problems about food that is already produced, such as wastage and the need for better distribution/logistics.
Andres Trostchansky