Food Security in Developed Countries (original) (raw)

**Food Security in Developed Countries**

Kanan Mammadov | Orkhan Huseynzada | Elmin Huseynli | Agil Huseynzade | Tunjay Huseynov

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**Abstract** *Food security is considered one of the most crucial problems of the modern age; yet the entire world discusses this issue in the context of developing countries, mostly Africa and the poor states of Asia. When we say food security, we often refer to fertilized, harmful food in areas where diseases are abundant and nutrition lacks. However, scientists often seem to forget about the food problems in the USA, Europe and other developed regions. In Africa, diseases and malnutrition are two of the key aspects of food problems; however, in USA, as an example, fast food and fertilized food are still huge problems causing dozens of unprecedented and inevitable health issues. Geographical and economical factors affect the food security, but the they are also impacted in a negative sense in turn. There have been several attempts in prioritizing the food security in the light of a more sustainable methods of cultivating foods.*

**Introduction**

Food insecurity has been considered the global problem almost the all period however, institutionally, magnitude of problem increased sharply since industrialization age (19th century) as developed states started to lead colonization and exploitation politics which directly expanded the gap among dominant and dependent agents. However, enrichment of country may not be considered appropriate measurement tool for assessing food security rate in any region. For clarity, according to 1996 World Food Summit, the concept of food security means at individual, regional, global level, when all people have economic and physical ability to access food resource to provide him/herself with essential, safe, nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for active and healthy life. Developed countries have higher risk of food insecurity even as much as under-developed countries owing to increasing number of people suffer from insufficient food and malnutrition problem.

Recent study, published by the journal US Population Health Management, exhibiting that over portion of the patients in the investigation who were admitted to clinic – more than 3 times over the earlier year – did not have consistent access to sound nourishment and even didn’t generally have enough sustenance in the house. The reasons which prompt these apparently extraordinary conditions are in reality extremely normal: the individuals who experience the illness effects of nourishment weakness are elderly individuals, individuals on low livelihoods or the individuals who experience issues going out to purchase sustenance and cook it or who are reliant on others. The given data surprisingly demonstrates that even certain proportion of population in developed countries have difficulties to purchase enough food to achieve active life, so once again circumstance makes us work again to accomplish food problem.

Our study is aimed to use all available data conducted regarding food security problem in developed countries to answer the question how the food security in developed countries and environmental issues and climate change are inter-related if not causally correlated. The paper will show how malnutrition in fruit, pesticide and fast food are playing a dangerous role in the developed countries, especially in USA and Europe and what possible solutions can be applied to resolve food insecurity problems for a long term and reduce risks to food security from climate change.

**Literature Review**

As the topic is extremely popular among the politicians, scientists and environmentalists, there have been dozens of debates, discussions around the topic itself, which are often accompanied with extremely controversial and uncertain points. Many scholars seem to rethink the way we perceive the food security issues and try to base its grounds on the environmental points. Traditionally, we point out Africa, poor countries of Asia and America when we talk about the food security issues around the world. However, we need to draw our attention to western world, where even immense development cannot prevent food security issues.

Alisha Judith Coleman-Jensen, an American scholar, is the author of “U.S. Food Insecurity Status: Toward a Refined Definition” article, which mainly discusses how the individuals acquire food resources, which depends on the income. Hence, as per Coleman-Jensen, middle and poor class often have very limited access to healthy foods considering the fact that organic foods are way more expensive than the others. Another article called “Food Insecurity and Obesity in New York City Primary Care Clinics” precisely correlates how unhealthy food results in obesity among the young and mid-age generation.

The next great article, “The Economics of Food Insecurity in the United States” by Craig Gundersen is one of the most impactful writings on this topic. The study explores how what the economic reasons and outcomes of food insecurity in the US are, which is followed by questioning what health issues are caused by insecure food. The author also attempts to relate the economic results of this insecure food chain in the environment. P.J. Gregory, on the other hand, discusses the relations between climate change and food security, which gives a whole new perspective on the causal relations stating the fact that each can affect to the other independently. Also, the author explains how our food security definitions adapt to the climate change in the recent years.

Similarly, the article “Food Security, Population and Environment” by Pail Ehrlich is a good tool to explore why food security is not only an economical, but also demographic and environmental priority to work on. As per the article, we can claim it would get difficult to supply the world with enough foods. Also, the article touches a crucial point that last years the production of fruits and food sources have increased a lot. Yet the quality of foods is still subject to big discussions.

**Methodology**

The study relies on discourse analysis of researching on top of qualitative method. However, the paper incorporates quantitative data to show correlations between two variables and support arguments with statistical information.

Primary and secondary sources are used for data and information in the research. We gathered previous data and information gathered by other colleagues, who are experts in field of food security.

**Findings**

Food security exist when individuals do have access to, and afford sufficient, safe, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food always to meet their dietary needs, and there is question which was asked mostly is that what causes the food security in developed countries. This paper examines some essential causes of food security on human and financial improvement in developed countries. Food security is known to be caused by a couple of components that many developed countries have been attempting to improve it day by day.

If we look at the statistics, it will be obvious that many Americans are obese due eating unhealthy or fast food. This a national problem in the US, which is an extremely disappoint fact see how the nation is damaging themselves even if it is the most powerful country in the world. Several urbanists believe that the main reason to point out is the poor environment with low-quality food only what we call “food deserts”. Not only meals, but also fruits and groceries are unhealthy or not organic either. However, a new research conducted by the New-York University and the Stanford University proves that there is only one thing to blame in this situation, which the low-income disadvantaged neighborhoods. It is a fact that most of the consumer goods come from a completely different place, not where we live basically.

However, there is a strong bond between the environmental science and food security issues and both are inter-related with each other. Especially, the climate change is obviously a potential problem towards achieving food security. Climate change globally shifts the seasons, rises the temperature, and affects the crops production. The results clearly project that food security vulnerability will increase if the current status quo of the carbon dioxide remains same. The geographic map of vulnerability has some similarities with the South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, which are the most affected ones from the cashier. Just as several scientists, we are in the adaptation process, and will need to continue the way we are doing. The results of the study depict state that we, as humans, need to be ready for mitigation and adaptation, which are already happening.

Under such conditions, farmers, scientists and owners seek for alternative options – genetically modified foods. This new tendency is probably one of the most dreadful threats to the entire food system and health of people. Certainly, GMOs (Genetically Modified) foods are often more durable, fruitful and embodies several more advantages as well. Nonetheless, such foods are not only unhealth for humans, but also harmful to the environment as well. First of all, it is absolutely uncertain whether particular GMO food is health and safe as it is no longer original and cannot guarantee to be safe to consume. Secondly, it takes massive chemicals to bring up GMOs, which contaminates the food itself a lot. For example, the Environmental Protection Agency of the US warns the consumers that some pesticides may contain toxic ingredients, which are associated with bodily affected diseases.

However, the environment is the most vulnerable victim of the GMOs by being home to all crop production. Besides health problems, such foods may potentially affect the environment in a negative way. As they are protected with chemicals, herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers, it is no surprise that they can easily travel over air, soil and wind. Speaking of soil, those chemicals are often sprayed into soil, which makes it difficult for soil to function properly and maintain the ecosystem. Some pesticides or fertilizers may become invasive over time killing others around it. For example, there is a particular sort of fertilizers that increases productivity of soybeans by 2-3 times; yet damages the soil. After this fertilizer, the soil becomes unable to grow anything even after several resting years. That is why, such chemicals are mostly dangerous for the environment and overall ecosystem.

**Discussion**

Before proposing any potential solutions, we need to look at the limitations of our food system. According to the statistics of United Nations Environment (UNE), every 1 person out of 3 suffers from malnutrition, nearly 800 million people are in hunger, around 2 billion people cannot afford to access necessary vitamins to grow. Strangely, about 2 billion people on Earth eats more than the needed amount, and 600 million people have become obese, which leads to diabetes type 2 eventually. The food system is mostly comprised of fat, sugar, salt and meat more than needed. Such irregularity has both health and environmental outcomes: it leads to heart disease in health and more greenhouse gases from the production of meat, sugar and fat.

It is not a surprising fact that around 75% of our food comes from only 12 plants and 5 animals species, which makes our food system much less diverse and restricted. It is already no secret that there is a substantial evidence of warming on the Earth as of 19-20^{th} century. And there is a direct correlation between how changing climates affect the productivity of the crops, which is often in a negative sense. However, we need to make sure that the food system remains stable over the decade. Given the fact that the climate change is happening, farmers and producers come across with the need of using fertilizers, pesticides and many various chemicals to protect or increase the durability and productivity of the crops. Nevertheless, it is obvious that such crops are produced in greenhouses or in special environments where farmers or owners create artificially favorable environment.

Moreover, when the country has low-quality foods in the market, the citizens of it becomes very unhealthy. The obvious impacts of child ages malnutrition lead to many problems in among the nation. For example, according to the United Nation statistics, poor level nutrition results in around three million death incidents among the kids under 5. Malnutrition in early childhood is associated to the irreversible health outcomes throughout the lifelong of a person along with lower earnings in the adult ages. If we think of the long-run, poor nutrition means unhealthy nation, which in turn undermines the growth of the economy as unhealthy citizens cannot contribute to their nations with low level cognitive and physical competence.

**Solution**

Just like many other science disciplines, there is a huge gap between the theoretical proposals and implementation of the ideas. We are still uncertain how the climate change will evolve in the next decade and how it will affect our lives later on. Most environmental protection discussions, the panel consists of state members or more generic – some experts in the field. We need to get every stakeholder to the discussion and decision-making procedure. Such contingent should include farmers, environmentalists, activists, businessmen, local people, communes and anyone whoever is anyhow related to the point. Apparently, the discussions should be directed for only long-term goals instead of short-term along with correct prioritization. Most countries sacrifice their natural resources for economic development, which normal in many case to prioritize the economic power of the country in a top level. Instead of planning for on-farm methods, it is much more suitable to interfere with support, technology and various services to collaborate. Surely, there is always trade-off in any decision, yet the operations and discussions get smoother if the prioritization is agreed by all stakeholders.

All countries should develop their own agriculture in order to be both economically self-satisfied and agriculturally rich. As any inch on Earth can give different crops, it is the best case to grow up plants in all countries. Rather than developing unhealthy GMOs of foods, the scientists and experts must focus on the adaptive versions of the crops. The environment is being harshly utilized by commercial companies, which is the direct cause of the climate change, which shows itself in unprecedented weather conditions, newly-emerging illnesses, erratic natural disasters. At the same time, fast food company restrict their range of activities since the food they provide are not healthy at all.

**Conclusion**

Food security is one of the most significant issues in the world. There have been hundreds of discussions, debates and conferences dedicated to this topic precisely. Food security in developed countries get much clearer if we look at the way those your grow up the food. It not only affects the individuals, but also damages the environment, and it is the place, where we live, will live.

**References**

  1. Coleman-Jensen, A. (2010). U.S. Food Insecurity Status: Toward a Refined Definition. Social Indicators Research, 95(2), 215-230. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.ada.edu.az/stable/40542287
  2. Ehrlich, P., Ehrlich, A., & Daily, G. (1993). Food Security, Population and Environment. Population and Development Review, 19(1), 1-32. doi:10.2307/2938383
  3. Ehrlich, P., Ehrlich, A., & Daily, G. (1993). Food Security, Population and Environment. Population and Development Review, 19(1), 1-32. doi:10.2307/2938383
  4. Gregory, P., Ingram, J., & Brklacich, M. (2005). Climate Change and Food Security. Philosophical Transactions: Biological Sciences, 360(1463), 2139-2148. Retrieved from http://0-www.jstor.org.library.ada.edu.az/stable/30041400
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