The greatest food security gains typically come...indirectly, through policies that promote poverty reduction

Quote of the week (From the great Science Mag Special issue on Food Security):

The greatest food security gains typically come not directly, from feeding programs, but rather indirectly, through policies that promote poverty reduction through employment creation and productivity growth among the poor, as well as safety nets to safeguard the vulnerable nonpoor. Enhanced control over productive assets and access to the technologies and markets necessary to sustainably use them to generate a stable livelihood are especially crucial to reducing vulnerability to food insecurity and facilitating the escape from poverty traps ; hence, the importance of continued efforts to boost crop productivity, especially for micronutrient-rich foods, where food availability remains limiting, as is true of dozens of low-income countries.

From Science 12 February 2010: Vol. 327 no. 5967 pp. 825-828 DOI: 10.1126/science.1182768

PERSPECTIVE

Measuring Food Insecurity

Christopher B. Barrett

ABSTRACT

Food security is a growing concern worldwide. More than 1 billion people are estimated to lack sufficient dietary energy availability, and at least twice that number suffer micronutrient deficiencies. Because indicators inform action, much current research focuses on improving food insecurity measurement. Yet estimated prevalence rates and patterns remain tenuous because measuring food security, an elusive concept, remains difficult.