PRESENTED BY: KARUNYA VINUKONDA

INTRODUCTION
WHO considers household food and nutrition security as a basic human right.

 A household is food secure if it can reliably gain access to food in sufficient quantity and quality for all household members to enjoy a healthy and active life. [Gillespie and Haddad 2001, 40].

 It is more people oriented than commodity [food] Its is achieved when there is adequate food for a balanced diet for all members of the family And when there is knowledge and skill to manage or utilise accessible food for the nutritional betterment of all family members.

 It is well recognized that household food insecurity is one of the three underlying causes of malnutrition. At the International Conference on Nutrition (ICN) held in Rome in 1992, food security was defined in its most basic form as physical, social and economic access by all people at all times to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Thus food insecurity exists when people lack access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food and are therefore not consuming the food required for normal growth and development, and for an active and healthy life.

 This may be due to the unavailability of food, insufficient purchasing power, inappropriate distribution, or inadequate utilization at household level. Food insecurity, poor conditions of health and sanitation, and inappropriate social and care environment are the major causes of poor nutritional status.

It is difficult to know how many households or even individuals are food and nutrition insecure, given the multiple dimensions (chronic, transitory, short-term and long-term) of food and nutrition insecurity and intrahousehold inequalities of differing natures in different regions.

 mainstream nutrition goals into development policies and programmes, improve household food and nutrition security, protect consumers through improved food quality and safety, prevent and manage infectious diseases, promote breastfeeding, care for the socioeconomically deprived and nutritionally vulnerable, prevent and control specific micronutrient deficiencies, promote appropriate diets and healthy lifestyles, and assess, analyse and monitor nutrition situations.

 Globally there is enough food for everyone, but inequitable access is a glaring problem. Therefore, understanding factors affecting household food and nutrition security and developing guiding principles to be incorporated in national nutrition policies and programme will be significant for:

 Improving nutritional well-being of the most nutritionally vulnerable groups through enhanced access to adequate social and care environment within the household; Enhancing a understanding of womens reproductive, nurturing, educational and economic roles, which are fundamental to the health and nutritional well-being of both the household and the entire community; Ensuring meaningful equity between men and women and encouraging equitable distribution of food and other resources within the household, among all its members.

REFERENCES
WHO website Food and nutrition nexus by soekirman Food for All : Investment forum for Food Security in Asia & Pacific :ADB-FAO-IFAD Driving food security through connectivity: echoupal: case study Food security in India by Abhishek bhartiya Sustainability challenge: Food security for all: case reports by Committee on Food Security for All as a Sustainability Challenge; National Research Council. Various online resources.