Metropolitan Model United Nations Conference XLII General Assembly

Food Security
Food security is defined by the World Health Organization as existing when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a health and active life. Food security includes the physical and economic access to foods that meet ones dietary needs as well as their restrictions. Food security has three main aspects: availability, access, and use. Food availability is defined as having adequate amounts of food present consistently. Food access refers to the ability to obtain nutritious food for a proper diet. Food use concerns the proper use of food, based on knowledge of nutrition and sanitation. In developing nations, availability and access are the more substantial problems, while in highly developed nations food use is more of a concern. In a ranking of food secure nations, the United States of America ranks 1/107 while the Democratic Republic of Congo ranks 107/107. The World Food Programme identifies a number of factors that contribute to hunger and food insecurity. These factors are: The Poverty Trap. Poor people cannot afford to buy nutritious food, and poor farmers cannot afford seeds, tools, and fertilizer. Others cannot afford the land, water, or education that would enable them to be more productive farmers. Lack of investment in agriculture and the agricultural infrastructure, such as roads, warehouses and irrigation. This results in high transportation costs, lack of storage facilities and unreliable water supplies. These factors limit agricultural yields and access to food. Research by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization shows that investment in agriculture is five times more effective in reducing poverty and hunger than investment in any other sector. Climate and Weather. Natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and long periods of drought are on the increase -- with disastrous consequences for the hungry poor in developing countries. Climate change is making these disasters even worse. In addition, erosion, salination, and desertification are reducing the amount of farmland available for use. War and Displacement. Conflict consistently disrupts farming and food production. Refugees who have fled fighting are not able to feed themselves. The conflict in Syria is a recent example. In war, food sometimes becomes a

weapon as soldiers starve opponents, seize or destroy food and livestock, and systematically wreck local markets. Soldiers also plant landmines in fields are often mined and contaminate water wells, forcing farmers to abandon their land. This has happened in Somalia and the Democratic republic of Congo, to provide just two examples. Unstable Markets. In recent years, the price of food products has been very unstable. Price spikes may temporarily put food out of reach, which can have lasting consequences for small children. Consumers are forced to choose cheaper, less-nutritious foods, leading to malnutrition. Food Wastage. One third of all food produced (1.3 billion tons) is never consumed. In addition, producing food that is wasted uses up precious natural resources, including land and water. Malnutrition is responsible for almost half of the deaths of children. It is estimated that 870 million people are hungry and/or malnourished today, mostly in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. Food prices throughout the world are increasing dramatically which further exacerbates this issue. Food insecurity and malnutrition also occur when a person eats foods without proper nutrients, due to lack of availability of certain foods or knowledge. Malnutrition often causes many other issues. For example, malnutrition weakens the immune systemmaking it more difficult for the individual to fight disease. For women, pregnancy becomes very dangerous for the fetus and the mother. Even if both survive childbirth, the malnourished woman will most likely have difficulty nursing. The United Nations World Food Program (UNWFP) recognizes that a malnourished woman, giving birth to a malnourished baby, often creates a cycle. That child will grow into a malnourished adult who will be the parent of malnourished children and so on. The developmental effects of malnourishment on a child from birth to two years old are permanent. Malnourished children do not develop their full intellectual capacities. Acting during this window of opportunity is essential in preventing the cycle. Preventing malnutrition costs half the amount of treating it. There is enough food in the world for every person to have proper nutrition. The problem is distribution. Approximately 3.6 billion dollars can provide all malnourished infants and toddlers with the proper food and medication; Europeans spend roughly 11 billion dollars a year on ice cream. Not only is distribution to countries and communities an issue, but distribution within a household is also problematic. Families who face food insecurity often have to choose which children to feed and which to let go hungry. Supporting local agriculture in small rural neighborhoods can potentially solve part of this issue.

The World Food Programme has developed a comprehensive food security analysis system. This function is commonly referred to as VAM (Vulnerability analysis and Mapping). VAM gathers data to answers these questions before implementing programs to address food security.1 Who is food insecure or vulnerable? How many people are affected? Where do they live? Why are they food insecure or vulnerable? Is it because of crop failure, natural disaster, conflict, corruption, poverty or some other cause? How is the situation likely to evolve and what are the risks threatening them? What should be done to save their lives and livelihoods? Delegates must collaborate on a comprehensive resolution that encompasses all issues that food insecure nations face. The factors that lead to hunger, and the questions asked in the VAM must all be considered as the committee debates this issue and moves towards crafting resolutions. Questions to Consider: 1. How food secure or food insecure is your nation? 2. What is the cause of the food security or insecurity in your nation? 3. Which aspect of food security is your nation lacking the most in? Why? Notes: 1. VAM Understanding Vulnerability, the World Food Programme, http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/documents/communications/wf p252355.pdf 2. What Causes Hunger? The World Food Programme,http://www.wfp.org/hunger/causes Sources: http://www.wfp.org/hunger/stats