Food security

A woman selling produce at a market in Lilongwe, Malawi

A farmer holding up onions he has grown on his farm near Gilgil, Kenya

Percentage of population suffering from hunger, World Food Programme, 2021.      < 2.5%     2.5–4.9%     5.0–14.9%     15.0–24.9%     25.0–34.9%     > 35.0%     No data

Food security means that everyone in a specific geographical area has access to food. This also means that the food is affordable. That way everyone in the area can get enough food for a varied diet, with enough nutrients. This is especially important for staple food. If there's no food security, malnutrition and famine will result. People who cannot get enough food will also be more likely to start riots.

If there is no food security, this is called food insecurity. One of the reasons for food insecurity is that there are special markets (like stock markets) for food (called commodities). Like with other goods, supply and demand influence the price. Grains can also be used as a food for livestock, or the can be processed to produce biofuel. These resources are then no longer directly available as food. People can place a bet on rising (or falling prices), something that is called a future. External events, such as bad harvests, or wars also influence the price.

Food insecurity can also be defined as the limitation or unavailability of nutritionally adequate food or the inability to acquire acceptable foods.

Food Security Media

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  A woman selling produce at a market in Lilongwe, Malawi

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  A farmer holding up onions he has grown on his farm near Gilgil, Kenya

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  Number of people affected by undernourishment in 2010–12 (by region, in millions)

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  Number of severely food insecure people by region (2014-2018)

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  Percentage of population suffering from hunger, World Food Programme, 2021:*     < 2.5%*     2.5–4.9%*     5.0–14.9%*     15.0–24.9%*     25.0–34.9%*     > 35.0%*     No data

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  Infographic about food insecurity in the US

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  Growth in food production has been greater than population growth. Food per person increased since 1961. Data source: Food and Agriculture Organization.

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  Growth of World Food Supply (caloric base) per capita

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  Goats are an important part of the solution to global food security because they are fairly low-maintenance and easy to raise and farm.

Related pages

• Energy security
• Green Revolution
• Food Security

Other Sources for Information

• Food Access in Crisis
• Food Insecurity among Marginalized Communities
• Urban Agriculture
• Social Protection Programs which help to alleviate food insecurity
• Food Apartheid