Food Insecurity Student’s name Course Name and Number Supervisor Name Date Food Insecurity Across the world, food insecurity is an issue that affects millions of people. Food insecurity can be outright, manifesting in visible malnourishment, or more subtle in the case of millions of poor who don't have access to healthy food and thus suffer from obesity and other related health issues. This essay will employ a systemic solution to this crisis in the scope of the United States and argue that food insecurity can be addressed practically by nutritional aid programs, creating more cooperatives, increasing food availability, tackling unemployment, and reducing food wastage through awareness campaigns. In 1939, at the end of the Great Depression, the United States federal government established several nutrition aid programs to address the rising rates of food insecurity. Food security is innately unverifiable and challenging to define, but it is both inherently and instrumentally crucial. Individuals have a physiological requirement for the nutrients provided by food. Food is a significant factor in people's performance and health. Therefore, many development programs, initiatives, and regulations include food security goals. Aside from its physiological benefits, food serves as a source of enjoyment. Furthermore, food security extends beyond an individual's nutritional status to include the risk of future interruptions in people's access to sufficient and suitable food (Barrett). Worries about whether individuals and families make better use of their food access are reflected in utilization. Do they obtain nutritionally necessary food they can afford, or do they avoid nutritional intake in favor of eating an insufficiently diverse diet, purchasing non-food goods and services, or investing in an individual's future well-being? Are the foods they buy safe and adequately prepared in hygienic conditions to get the nutritional benefit? Do people have enough healthcare access to avoid diseases impairing their capacity to absorb and digest essential nutrients? Over the last generation, there have been widespread fears about micronutrients caused by insufficient intake of necessary nutrients such as zinc, iron, and vitamins. According to some organizations, like the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stability is essential to food security. Individual food insecurity due to interruptions in access, availability, or utilization is captured by stability. Specific people within societies or families may be more susceptible to food insecurity. It is crucial for intervention targeting and the layout of social programs designed to safeguard vulnerable people to food security. Comprehension of the risks to food security and the factors that contribute to food insecurity has become progressively more developed as food security perception has progressed from a first-generation focus on accumulated food accessibility to a second-generation emphasis on an individual level and families level food access to a third generation conception that positions food security in a wider concept associated with risk, health care access, and a wide variety of micronutrients. Various individual, family, societal, and national factors cause food insecurity. A thorough understanding of the affiliative cause of food insecurity prevalent to a wider subgroup due to wages, crop yields, and civil wars is required for generalized initiatives such as food aid programs and long-term, overall advancement in food security at the community, country, and religious levels. Understanding the personal sources of food insecurity is critical for successful interference in targeting specific food-insecure people. Its premise was simple; families that make below a certain amount qualify for nutritional assistance with groceries, food stamps, and canned goods. With these programs, families already struggling with financial problems could at least not have to worry about putting food on the table. Even after the country's economy recovered, such programs were maintained. One such program is SNAP, a supplemental nutrition assistance program for California residents. Since 1970, it's been providing "nutrition benefits to supplement the food budget of needy families." Studies have shown that such programs are highly effective, especially when reducing "extreme food insecurity," when family members are forced to skip meals (Chartbook). One way we can address food insecurity is by attacking it at one of the core sources; unemployment. Unemployment is understandably linked to food insecurity, given that less access to employment and wages means less ability to provide food for families. To further demonstrate this link, one study by researchers demonstrates a direct correlation between the receipt of unemployment and food insecurity, specifically during the Covid-19 pandemic. In some instances, the correlation was as high as 4.3 data points (Rafman). Finally, we can reduce food insecurity by raising awareness about food wastage. Each year, billions of pounds of food in the United States are outright wasted (How). This same food could feed families in need, and we can reduce this food wastage through basic education. For example, many people are hesitant to eat food approaching its expiration date (Behr). They would opt to waste it instead of eating it. We'll tell people it's wrong through awareness programs and save food. Through practical and tested means, we can address the food insecurity crisis in the United States. to completely fight food insecurity. You've got to cover all bases, from food availability to the quality and the community's role; one without the other two can't work. As witnessed through the main arguments presented, if a community doesn't have enough stores to supply its people, they're going to starve and starting one or two, or ten urban farms will not help a city. Hence it would result in not caring much about quality even if the food comes from mars as long as it's available" a city of nearly 1 million people without a supermarket—but it's true. No A&P. No Meijer's. Not even a Wal-Mart. Any Detroiters who want fresh storebought fruits and vegetables or wrapped meats have to get in their car and drive to the suburbs". (Longworth). It's that simple without food available near; who would care if there's a moderation of consumption or if there are coops? Although it depends on the problem's prevalence in some places, it can be milder. "The closing of Double 8 Foods is a complex issue. It was a food source for neighborhood residents; however, it often did not meet customers' expectations in product quality and overall shopping experience." (Barbour) for a different community, as the problem and the shortage were mild with more options to discuss, it presented the opportunity to think far beyond just providing food and establish a sustainable model where you can find a quality, fresh food while participating in the local community. But to other places to reach progress regarding the matter, people got to eat before they start looking for a more systemic solution, such as community programs or even take steps to reduce waste. Although providing more stores in places like Detroit can be a solution, in the long term, consumption will increase, leading to more demand creating more waste, and contributing to the main issue. It can't be sustained or guaranteed that providing stores would solve the problem, "I am against the proliferation of dollar stores in our communities because there is a direct correlation between their presence and food deserts." (brown). At the same time, for some, it's essential to have chain stores. For others, they aren't helping. Still, instead, they are creating a bigger problem by serving less fresh food, targeting communities where affordable food meets the need for decent food—resulting in obesity, multiple illnesses, and contributing to food waste. Food insecurity is deeply rooted, and solving such a problem requires fulfilling the three main points. Adopted by the kephrew institution ccfi coop was another way to look at this problem and how, despite being a major issue, it can gather people together, participate, and benefit the local community in the process. "CCFI aligns with the basis of cooperative practice and the mission of KI to empower the community through food access." Barbour. But can only one coop solve such a widespread problem? The answer is no. For coops to thrive, they need the participation and the collaboration of other community-based operations on integrating their effort into solving food insecurity." In addition to sourcing locally, the cooperative movement considers building a support system among co-ops as another of its seven guiding principles. It's why NFCA helped launch five new co-ops in the Northeast in the last ten years, and it's why they're collaborating with Blanding and FSC to buy pecans and watermelons from the organization's farmers, who lost 85 percent of their markets in the pandemic" Nargi. However, some might find cooperatives to be ineffective, considering that in places where the population exceeds the resources, there isn't enough food for everybody, and local farm markets are unable to supply enough food to satisfy that demand, rendering the whole thing useless without any effect on those who need food the most. The availability of nutrition education may lessen hunger vulnerability. The maternal nutrition training program can impact children's nutritional status, but the impacts vary depending on socioeconomic status (Devereux). Good child feeding patterns and healthcare access can compensate for poverty and inadequate maternal education (Ruel). Breastfeeding has numerous health benefits that are well known. However, due to competing requirements on mothers' time in low-income families, fewer infants are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of their lives (Horton). As a result, research into breastfeeding advancement and utilization is currently underway (Horton). Improving food security and quality can be accomplished by enhancing storage and postharvest handling of crops. Genetic improvement, or cross-breeding crops to increase nutritional content, could be a long-term, cost-effective remedy for persistent nutritional deficiencies. Enhancing access to clean and safe drinking water and providing health care can improve food security. Therefore, good nutrition can reduce the risk of illness and chronic conditions. Food insecurity remains a major global issue, affecting billions of people worldwide who lack access to adequate, secure, and nutritious foods that satisfy their nutritional requirements and preferences for food for a healthy lifestyle. This type of research crosses global boundaries. Therefore, we have a good understanding of the underlying causes of food insecurity. The most pressing current research challenges revolve around measuring food insecurity and identifying and evaluating which programs work best under which conditions. References Barrett. "Food Security and Food Assistance Programs." The social economics of poverty (2002): 83-94. Behr, F. "Why you should stop throwing out expired food ." (2022). Document. Chartbook. Snap helps struggling families put food on the table. December 23, 2021. print. December 4, 2022. Devereux, S.& Maxwell. "Food Security in less Developed countries." Action against hunger (2012): 2433. Print. Horton, Alderman & Rivera. "Hunger and Malnutrition." Copenhagen Consensus 2008 (2008). How we fight food waste in the US. Feeding America. (n.d.). Retrieved December 4, 2022, https://www.feedingamerica.org/our-work/reduce-food Rafman, J., Bor & Venkataramani. "Association between Receipt of Unemployment Insurance and Food Security Among People Who Lost Employment During the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States." Jama network (2021). print. Ruel, M. Levin, Maxwell. "Good care practices can mitigate the negative effects of poverty and low maternal schooling on children's nutritional status." (2002): 44-57.
