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WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY?

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Food security is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as:

'when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life'

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BY WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? 

It would seem straight forward but it still needs to be so stressed out so much so.. 

Access to quality, nutritious food is fundamental to human existence basically.  Secure access to food can produce wide ranging positive impacts, including:

• Economic growth and job creation

• Poverty reduction

• Trade opportunities

• Increased global security and stability

• Improved health and healthcare

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It's even an article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 

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ARTICLE 25
"(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control."

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But unfortunately, not everyone in Australia is fortunate to have access to food, and this includes the Indigenous Australians.

The underlying cause of food insecurity in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities include socioeconomic factors such as:  

• income and employment

• housing

• overcrowding

• transport

• food costs

• cultural food values

• education, food

• and nutrition literacy, knowledge and skills.

Lack of food security causes hunger and anxiety related to the food shortage in the short term and serious health consequences related to malnutrition in the medium to long term.

Young children and pregnant and breastfeeding women tend to be particularly vulnerable to the short and longer-term effects of food insecurity, which can impact on children’s growth, physical and social and emotional development and learning potential.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in remote areas are more likely to experience food insecurity than those in non-remote areas, however food insecurity is experienced in urban areas mostly due to lack of transport and quality of public transport.

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SBS's The Feed explores the improvement of food availability in remote indigenous communities. Take a look 

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Low-income families are experiencing food insecurities too. 

Economic barriers to food security are common and low-income families often experience challenges in purchasing adequate quantities of food, as well as appropriately healthy food . Concerns about the higher costs of food sometimes experienced by low income families mean that food insecurity is high amongst low-income people and families 

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Lack of access to private and/or public transport can be a big yet common issue.

Other barriers such as lack of car ownership in high population areas and/or poorly organised public transport to retail centres may confine disadvantaged people to buying food locally where there may be less choice and higher prices  Geographical isolation may also contribute to food insecurity, possibly along with inadequate transport. Remote areas may have fewer large supermarkets forcing residents to be dependent on smaller shops which stock a limited range of foods, sometimes of lower quality, and often, higher prices 

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People suffering illness, frailness or other forms of social isolation may also experience food insecurity regardless of their financial means, due to an inability to either purchase or prepare adequate food as a result of their condition. Similarly, people with substance abuse conditions may not purchase or prepare adequate food for themselves or their families, either because their material resources are spent on drugs or alcohol, or simply because they are not functioning adequately to attend to these tasks

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WHAT ARE SOME WAYS WE CAN COMBAT FOOD INSECURITY? 

• Reducing food waste. How so you ask? Here's a few steps to minimise food waste 

  • Eat down your fridge. Planning a meal? Start with what you already have. Jazz up aging produce with favorite spices or mix them into your next frittata. Vegetables past their prime can easily go into sauces for rice and pasta. Wilted lettuce and vegetable trimmings can make stock to use immediately or freeze and add later to soups or other dishes.

  • Give overripe fruits a second life. When bananas start to go bad, peel, wrap and freeze them to bake muffins or bread another day. My family likes frozen bananas in pancakes so much we even gave them a name (“bananafanna”). And don’t forget fruits on the cusp work well in smoothies or steamed and spread on pancakes and waffles.

  • Make the freezer your friend. If you don’t like eating the same thing two days in a row, freeze a portion and reheat later. If you buy in bulk, divide it up immediately into portions that are easier to use and freeze the rest. Label and date everything so it’s easy to manage.

  • Don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach. Roaming Tthe food aisles with a growling belly can lead you to purchase more food than you need. Buy enough groceries for a few days, but not enough for the whole week (most food will last just a week). And try to buy what’s in season if you can.

• Donating and Joining Food Initiatives​

  • SecondBite exists to provide access to fresh, nutritious food for people in need across Australia. We rescue surplus food from across the retail network, and redistribute it - free of charge - to more than 1,300 local charities around the country providing food relief to people in need.​ Donate at https://www.givenow.com.au/secondbitewintertax​

  • Pledge to Protect our Planet With WWF to reduce food waste at home at https://support.worldwildlife.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=885

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