Coming to terms with terminology
Collection of contributions received
8 August to 2 September 2012
Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition
www.fao.org/fsnforum
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction to the topic ..............................................................................................................................................3
Contributions received .............................................................................................................................................4
1. Lisa Kitinoja, The Postharvest Education Foundation, USA .....................................................................4
2. George Kent, University of Hawai’i, USA...........................................................................................................4
3. Vincenzo Lo Scalzo, Agorà Ambrosiana, Italy (first contribution).........................................................6
4. Urban Jonsson, the Owls International Consultancy Company, Kenya ................................................7
5. Claudio Schuftan, PHM, Viet Nam ........................................................................................................................8
6. Etienne du Vachat, ACF International, France................................................................................................9
7. Sandra Mutuma, Action Against Hunger UK, UK ...........................................................................................9
8. Peter Carter ,Climate Emergency Institute, Canada .................................................................................. 10
9 Mahmud Duwayri, University of Jordan, Jordan ......................................................................................... 11
10. Stephen Adejoro, Zartech Limited , Nigeria ............................................................................................... 11
11. Vincenzo Lo Scalzo, Agorà Ambrosiana, Italy (second contribution) ............................................. 11
12. Subhash Mehta, Devarao Shivaram Trus, India (first contribution) ............................................... 12
13. Lennox Lampkin, SVG Chamber of Agriculture and Nutrition Inc., Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines ...................................................................................................................................................................... 12
14. Subhash Mehta, Devarao Shivaram Trus, India (second contribution) ......................................... 13
15. Nguyen Van Kien, Pant Ressources Center, Viet Nam ........................................................................... 13
16. Christian Häberli, World Trade Institute, Switzerland ......................................................................... 13
17. GRET, France .......................................................................................................................................................... 14
2
Introduction to the topic
The definition of ‘food security’ has evolved considerably over time and additional terminology
and concepts, including ‘nutrition security’, ‘food security and nutrition’ and ‘food and
nutrition security’ have emerged over the past few decades. Each of these terms has varying
connotations. While this signals a much more complex understanding of the interlinkages
between food security and adequate nutrition, the lack of agreement on the use of terms often
creates confusion, and can hold back meaningful discussions on how best to address concerns
of food insecurity and malnutrition.
The 37th Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) called on ‘the CFS Bureau, in
consultation with its Advisory Group and joint Secretariat, as well as with relevant
international organizations, in particular World Health Organization (WHO) and United
Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), to propose options on the meaning and different uses, if
any, of the terms “Food Security”, “Food Security and Nutrition”, “Food and Nutrition Security”
and “Nutrition Security” to the CFS Session for the standardization of the official terminology
that the Committee should use . (CFS37 Final Report, 2011).
As the CFS continues to build its reputation as the foremost inclusive intergovernmental and
international platform on food security and nutrition related issues, it is of particular
importance that it has a common and full understanding and appreciation of key terms and
their implications for the work of the Committee and its constituents.
The UNSCN Secretariat together with the CFS Secretariat is guiding the process of the CFS Task
Team on Terminology to help ensure that conceptual and programmatic bridges are made
between food security and nutrition and evolve in a complementary and mutually reinforcing
manner. The Task Team elaborated the draft document ‘Coming to terms with terminology’
through a consultative process.
The paper proposes to move towards the more inclusive terminology food and nutrition
security in order to better reflect the conceptual linkages between food security and nutrition
security.
What are your views on this and the new proposed definition of food and nutrition security?
Your contributions will be consolidated and forwarded to the CFS Task Team as the common
voice of the food security community at large. A revised version of the document will then be
presented at the next joint Advisory Group and Bureau meeting in September, and it is
anticipated that the final version will be presented at the CFS 39 Annual Session in October
2012.
We are looking forward to your comments
CFS Secretariat
3
Contributions received
1. Lisa Kitinoja, The Postharvest Education Foundation, USA
Thank you for posting this discussion topic -- as a horticultural scientist and educator, this
subject has been of keen interest to me for many years.
"Food security" seems to be measured in terms of people's access to calories, putting high
calorie staple food like grains and root crops in the forefront, while most fruits and vegetables,
excellent sources of nutritious vitamins, minerals and micro-nutrients, have been largely
neglected.
Even when hort crops have been included in research studies or field based projects, the focus
has stayed on increasing production, while only 5% of global ag dev resources have gone to
postharvest aspects (the reduction of the current high rate of postharvest losses, and the
maintainence of quality, food safety and nutritonal value).
I would hope the term "Food and nutrition security" would better capture some of these
missing elements.
2. George Kent, University of Hawai’i, USA
Greetings
Here is a discussion of terminology from pp. 21-23 of my book, Freedom from Want: The
Human Right to Adequate Food, Washington, D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 2005. A nocost download of the book is available at
http://press.georgetown.edu/sites/default/files/978-1-58901-0550%20w%20CC%20license.pdf
“FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY”
Words like hunger and starvation have strong emotional impact, but are rarely used as
technical terms by specialists in the field. There are no measures and no published data on
starvation as such. The experts prefer to use terms such as food insecurity or malnutrition.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations:
Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to
sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an
active and healthy life.
Food security is concerned with questions relating to the food supply, but nutrition status
depends not only on suitable food but also on good basic health services and, particularly for
children, adequate care. Malnutrition generally results not from a lack of food in the
community but from the skewed distribution of the food that is available. That skew results
because some people are too poor or too powerless to make an adequate claim on the food that
is available. . . .
The FAO equates food insecurity with the more popular concept of hunger. It also distinguishes
between undernourishment and undernutrition. Undernourishment refers to an inadequate
supply of food, and is assessed by estimating food supplies. Undernutrition, however, refers to
the physiological consequences, and is assessed on the basis of anthropometric measures, that
is, people's weights and heights. . . . [N]utrition status, as an outcome, results not only from the
quality of food but also from the qualities of care and health services, as inputs. Food status is
one major factor determining nutrition status. The other two major factors are care and health
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services. Thus, we can say that nutrition status depends on food status, care status, and health
status.
There is now increasing attention to the concept of nutrition security. This term has been
defined as the "appropriate quantity and combination of inputs such as food, nutrition an
health services, and caretaker’s time needed to ensure an active and healthy life."
Food security focuses on the food component of nutrition security. Thus, food security and
nutrition security are different. The FAO's Sixth World Food Survey showed that while food
inadequacy is more prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa than in South Asia, the incidence of
malnutrition (or, more precisely, undernutrition) based on anthropometric measures is higher
in South Asia. The study suggests that the discrepancy is largely due to differences in disease
patterns. Most life-threatening malnutrition occurs among children, but children do not
require very large amounts of food. There can be widespread malnutrition in a population even
while food security measures indicate the food situation is relatively good. Millions of children
worldwide die each year as a result of diarrhea, for example, but this has little to do with the
level of food supply in their communities or even in their households.
There are many different aspects or dimensions of human security. Food security is one
component of nutrition security, together with health security and care security. . . .
The literature often fails to make a clear distinction between status and security. The
understanding proposed here is based on the idea that, in its most general form, security
means freedom from fear of harm. Particular kinds of security refer to freedom from fear of
particular kinds of harms. Thus, physical security refers to freedom from fear of physical harm,
environmental security means freedom from fear of environmental harm, and so on. In this
understanding, status refers to current conditions, while security refers to anticipated
conditions.
It would have been useful if FAO consistently used the term food inadequacy, rather than food
insecurity, to describe the condition of inadequate food supplies when they are assessing
conditions that are current at a given point in time, not conditions that are anticipated from
that moment in time. This terminology would make it easier to distinguish between food status
and food security.
Just as we can say that nutrition status depends on food status, care status, and health status,
we can also say that nutrition security depends on food security, care security, and health
security.
The distinction between nutrition status and nutrition security is particularly useful when
assessing different kinds of interventions intended to respond to nutrition problems.
Straightforward feeding programs may be very helpful in improving people's current nutrition
status. However, they do nothing to improve their nutrition security. Such interventions
respond to symptoms, and not to the underlying sources of the problem. Indeed, if people come
to depend on such feeding programs, these programs may in fact weaken their nutrition
security. In a perverse way, feeding programs, responding only to symptoms, may actually help
to sustain problems, rather than end them. You don’t solve the hunger problem by feeding
people.
Improving nutrition security would require introducing some sort of change in the local social
and institutional arrangements, or providing training or tools or some other resources that
could change things over the long run. Nutrition interventions should be assessed not so much
on the basis of their immediate impact but on the impacts they are likely to have over the long
run, long after the interventions have ended.
5
The difference between nutrition status and nutrition security may seem slight, but the
significance is that the security concept takes account of the institutional measures that come
into play. To illustrate, you are interested not only in whether your house is currently on fire,
but also in whether there are adequate institutional arrangements in place to put out a fire if
and when one should occur. Or, to offer a more appropriate illustration, if you have washed up
on a desert island and just eaten your last can of beans, your nutrition status may be alright,
but your nutrition security is bleak.”
I would add here that, despite FAO’s sometimes equating food security with hunger, I feel that
food security should be understood as a more comprehensive concept, important to people at
all levels of income. For example, issues of food safety and food supply in disaster situations
are food security concerns for everyone. The question of whether infant formula is
nutritionally adequate is a food security question that is relevant everywhere.
Aloha, George Kent
3. Vincenzo Lo Scalzo, Agorà Ambrosiana, Italy (first contribution)
Reference is made to "Presentation of a master plan to be proposed by AgoraAmbrosiana and
TN for a global debate of Food Security and Nutrition in occasion of the event of Milano EXPO
2015."
V. Lo Scalzo and A. Pasquale
In the presentation of a plan of debates by AgoraAmbrosiana the theme has been selected as:
CIBO e SICUREZZA ALIMENTARE. This definition translates in "FOOD AND NUTRITION
SECURITY", of which we were happy because the protagonist of debate is FOOD, in all and
every acception, as well as SECURITY is the co-protagonist in any and every acception of risk to
NUTRITION.
FOOD=CIBO in all acception include all raw edible materia on Earth surface and undersurface
(land and waters), air as atmosphere and stratosphere, underwater or underground. In any
form and shape. WATER is dominant.
SECURITY=SICUREZZA is to be interpreted as safety of risk to access, of certainty, of safety, of
health, of guarantee, of value, of protection, of conservation, of availability.
ALIMENTARE=FOOD, FEEDING, is solely and specifically relevant to NUTRITION, for all class of
humans and animals, based on any kind of vegetative crops and derivatives, all living bodies,
derivatives, milks, meats.
Text of the cited presentation:
Presentation of a master plan to be proposed by AgoraAmbrosiana and TN for a global debate
of Food Security and Nutrition in occasion of the event of Milano EXPO 2015.
V. Lo Scalzo and A. Pasquale
We anticipated already the decision to take part to the open Global Strategic Framework
launched by FAO-GSF as a relevant occasion to implement a potential programme of public
debates that we try to suggest since now to the Executive Committee of Milano EXPO 2015. The
heart of the event to be held in 2015 shall become the occasion for a place and space of a global
event to present and discuss the theme (as they appear in the official plan) of Milan EXPO 2015
“Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life”.
Since the finalization by GIE of the planned event for 2015, most of the attention by the
Executive Committee has been paid to the more intensive financial, social, international issues
of the complex organization to envisage and implement than to the cultural, social,
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international fundamental challenge of the 6 months debate on safe food alternatives and
future resources to provide to the living society of the Planet.
Under this stimulation, in parallel to the efforts of coverage made by the international Planet’s
organizations converging in the Society of Nations and to the specific coordination of the
efforts for implementation of efficient plans of intervention, Agora as AgoraAmbrosiana, a
cultural association created in Milan, Italy, has started the compilation of a draft plan for
coordination of open debates on the theme “Cibo e sicurezza alimentare”. The scope to cope
with the variety of problems met by the human society in the variety of the territories and
environment of the Planet is taken as preliminary target of the event.
A first occasion to contribute to the social mission of ONU and FAO and to the complex plan to
be undertaken by the Executive Committee of Milano EXPO, was given to AA and TN by the
reception of the theme by the G 8 and G 20 free meetings planned in this season. The aim is to
be ready to implement an initiative on the field by the most exposed and interested
governments of the globe, namely to be agreed and ratified in occasion of the next meeting in
Nice in November 2011, planned into a draft programme by the G20 meeting of June in Paris.
The initial scope to sustain the recommendations of the Italian Senate and Chamber debate,
which gave authorization to the Italian authority delegate to make part and approve the official
joint proposal edited at end of the meeting in June 2011.
We are personally convinced that the state of the DRAFT of CIBO E SICUREZZA ALIMENTARE
PER G 20, updated to the present date, could be a useful guide to consider also for integration
in the presumed debate and preparation of an international confrontation to succed in the
scope aimed by the CFS for preparation of a “LIVING DOCUMENT” valuable “to improve
coordination and guide actions towards a more secure world” as stated by the CFS chair Noel
de Luna.
The form of the DRAFT is naïf, in a first attempt to be defined in the proper style and format of
a larger and detailed document. The form of the draft could be appreciated to extract the useful
inputs (some originally deriving by direct multidisciplinary experiences of the small team of
partners) to the scope of its final mission.
My personal ongoing suggestion is to go through the index of the debates reported by
“Discussions up to 10 Aug 2011 - Forum on Food Security and Nutrition_ Forum
Discussions.pdf” to check if each issue of the collection could get a place in the “first hand” list
of Theme/sub themes/Tasks/Targets” of the complex plan of debates in DRAFT, as is.
Our partnership is completely independent and not supported by any of the national and
international bodies that we count to contact to offer our open cooperation. Our offer will
appear shortly also internationally through AgoraAmbrosiana group in Linkedin.
FAO-GSF as well as MILANO EXPO are a priority contact to start a screening phase of potential
cooperation for a contribution to the relevant Framework for Food Security and Nutrition as
well as to Ministero degli Esteri and Ministero della Salute of the Italian Government, to
Regione Lombardia’s Governor as nominee Executive Officer for Milan EXPO charged with the
compliance of the event with the agreed programme approved by GIE.
Access to the state of art of draft of CIBO E SICUREZZA ALIMENTARE PER G 20, August 1, is
available.
4. Urban Jonsson, the Owls International Consultancy Company, Kenya
The revised Draft of 25 July 2012 is a significant improvement from the earlier Draft of 30
March 2012. However, the wrong conclusions and final recommendations have not changed.
7
The term ‘food and nutrition security’ is promoted as the one “best reflecting the conceptual
linkages between food security and nutrition security”. I have the following comments and
recommendations:
1.
The term ‘food and nutrition security’ does not reflect the linkages between ‘food
security’ and ‘nutrition security’. First of all the term ‘food and nutrition security’ does not
necessarily mean ‘food security’ + ‘nutrition security’; neither linguistically nor conceptually. It
may mean what it says – ‘food’ + ‘nutrition security’.
2.
Second, ‘nutrition security’ conceptually requires ‘food security’, ‘health security’ and
adequate ‘caring practices’. Each of the three represents necessary conditions for ‘nutrition
security’, while none of them alone is a sufficient condition for ‘nutrition security’.
3.
All this is a logical deduction from the Conceptual Framework of the Causality of
Malnutrition launched by UNICEF in 1990 . It is quite remarkable that the Committee on World
Food Security more than 20 years later suggests to define a concept that is not consistent with
this framework that has been adopted by almost every organisation and scholar working in the
field of nutrition. It is obviously no longer about science – it is about something else.
4.
This conceptual confusion is reflected in several statements in the current Draft. For
example, the statement (p.4), “The relationship between food and nutrition is straightforward
from a technical perspective”, is not at all correct! A review of the last 30 yeas of scientific
papers and reports makes that very clear. For those of us who have participated in that long
discussion, the statement from a scientific and philosophical point of view is non-sense.
5.
Conclusions and recommendations
It should not surprise anyone that such a complex issue like the relationships between
food, nutrition and other irreducible linkages is likely to require and actually benefit from the
use of several concepts. Out of the four concepts discussed in the Draft, three are correct and
should
be used when appropriate, while one, the proposed term ‘food and
nutrition
security’, should not be used at all. The following comments reflect this conclusion.
Food security: A well-defined and appropriate concept since 1974
Food security and nutrition: This concept has a meaning, and may be
useful in
planning food-based nutrition approaches. ‘Health security and Nutrition’ is a similar
concept.
Food and nutrition security: This concept has no meaning. Should never be
used.
Nutrition security = Household food security + Health security + Adequate care. This is
the UNICEF defined concept that is correct
according to the authors of the Draft
themselves
5. Claudio Schuftan, PHM, Viet Nam
Dear Moderator.
I have been participating in the debate through a group of CSOs giving input to FAO.
We have all been frustrated at the reluctance of the drafters to add in the text a mention to the
alternative use of the concept of food sovereignty.
I do not need to add here, to the persons who have the expertise to contribute to this debate
the important differences between F+NS and food sovereignty.
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We are not advocating a total switch to this terminology; just an acknowledgement and a
reason why this may not be a choice for FAO would help bringing the document up to the
present.
Cordially,
Claudio.
6. Etienne du Vachat, ACF International, France
Dear colleagues, dear moderator,
ACF International (Action Contre la Faim) would like to share a few idea on the terminology
discussion. We hope these remarks can contribute to clarifying what is at stake in this
important debate from a nutrition standpoint. We very much welcome your comments and
reactions.
http://www.fao.org/fsnforum/sites/default/files/resources/ACF%20Response%20to%20Ter
minology%20Paper_21122012.doc
With best regards,
Etienne du Vachat
7. Sandra Mutuma, Action Against Hunger UK, UK
Dear Moderator and Colleagues,
Please find my comments and recommendations below for due consideration:
The concept of a balanced intake of food and nutrients is missing from the definition, a key
concept when defining nutrition, undernutrition or indeed malnutrition. Malnutrition exists
when there is an imbalanced intake of food and nutrients, undernutrition leads to a deficiency
in energy, wasting (acute) or stunting (chronic), micronutrients (vitamin or mineral deficiency
disorders), whereas overnutrition leads to an excess intake of energy (overweight or obesity)
or micronutrients (toxicity). The key question at this point is whether the CFS definition
pertains to undernutrition (in all its various forms) or to both undernutrition and
overnutrition. Point 33 on page 11 of 16 states ‘Keeping in mind that we are all working
towards the eradication of food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition…’, the CFS definition
should clarify its position on exactly what type of malnutrition it is working on by using the
word undernutrition in its definition.
It is clear that the CFS definition does not refer to overnutrition, although ACF notes that
undernutrition can exist in overweight or obese people due to an overabundance of certain
types of food energy e.g. from carbohydrates and fats and yet be lacking in essential fats,
protein and micronutrients. Furthermore, dietary intake of food may be balanced in terms of
nutrient intake but inadequate in terms of quantity, whilst food intake may be sufficient in
quantity without being balanced or of good quality. In the annex of key terms, undernutrition
appears only under the hunger heading where it seems to be interchangeable with
malnutrition. As such, the annex should fully and cogently define different types of
undernutrition and overnutrition.
Food preference can be a very personal and subjective thing and we know that food
preferences have never been an aspect of food security throughout history. The more pertinent
term here may be, culturally acceptable. Individuals prefer a variety foods but that is an
9
impossible condition to apply to ‘all people at all times’ as per the current definition and
individual food preferences are not necessarily ideal or conducive to health.
From reading the 37th Session Final Report (Rome 17-22 October) it is clear that when the
terms, food security and nutrition or food and nutrition security are used, in the text, there is
hardly any mention of nutrition at all and it invariably refers actually only to food security. As
such, food security and nutrition security should be two separate terms rather than merged as
current practice. However, even if Food is added as a prefix to nutrition security, I suggest that
the current definition proposed should be amended accordingly to read as:
“(Food security and) Nutrition security exists when all people at all times have physical, social
and economic access to food and water, which provides a balanced diet that is safe, consumed
in sufficient quantity and quality as well as culturally acceptable to meet all their dietary needs
and is supported by an environment of adequate sanitation, health care and to enable optimum
health and activity in all physiological states, throughout the human lifecycle.”
Best Regards,
Dr Sandra Mutuma
Senior Nutrition Advisor at Action Against Hunger
8. Peter Carter ,Climate Emergency Institute, Canada
Thank you for the background in the document which is an interesting read.
I thoroughly agree with you final definition copied below.
“Food and nutrition security exists when all people at all times have physical, social and
economic access to food, which is safe and consumed in sufficient quantity and quality to meet
their dietary needs and food preferences, and is supported by an environment of adequate
sanitation, health services and care, allowing for a healthy and active life.”
It is how ever vital to consider it in terms of the new world food nutrition security context- that
we all now face today due to immediate impacts on Northern hemisphere food security due to
committed rapidly increasing climate change impacts.
Food and nutrition insecurity from now on is not limited to the Global South.
Global drought has been increasing for 30 years and NH drought over ten years.
The Northern hemisphere warming is continuing to increase faster than the global average,
with the Arctic now warming several times faster.
Increased warming increases heat waves and drought.
Arctic snow and summer sea ice albedo cooling is the air conditioner of the NH summer.
As the NH albedo air conditioner is rapidly being lost NH drought, heat waves, and climate
variability increase.
Only an emergency transformation in the world food economy and world energy economy can
prevent the collapse the great NH agricultural regions and the world food economy. With that
of course civilization will descend into chaos and collapse.
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Peter Carter
9 Mahmud Duwayri, University of Jordan, Jordan
I am in full agreement that term food and nutrition security should be used.
I think that people and governments have become aware to a certain degree about food
security but to a lesser degree about nutrition security and thus there is a lot of suffering due
to lack of awareness about nutrition security . The use of the terminology food and nutrition
security should reduce the sufferings of human kind and will guide them to concentrate on
quality rather on quantity alone.
Another important point is that we should consider using the proper terminology in the other
languages(Arabic for example) which should reflect the same principles and ideas agreed upon
in this terminology in the English language.
Kind regards
Mahmud Duwayri, Professor
University of Jordan
10. Stephen Adejoro, Zartech Limited , Nigeria
My name is Dr Stephen Adejoro of Zartech Limited Nigeria, and I wish to contribute to the
choice of appropriate terminology on the definition of FOOD SECURITY.
I believe that any acceptable definition must emphasize the word SECURITY as the major
objective for hunger alleviation and healthy food supply for the World population
The term SECURITY must be subconsciously understood by consumers , Government and NGO
policies makers as a state of real confidence without fear and anxiety, on an assurance for a
steady and basic supply of food, that is regularly available ,affordable , safe and of good quality
to guarantee minimum nutritional requirement for consumers
Whereas the word FOOD must recognize availability, affordability and food safety. The
SECURIY term of the terminology, must recognize that nutritional standard for healthy body
system must be part and parcel of an acceptable terminology
So my choice of an appropriate terminology is FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION
Thanks
Dr Stephen Adejoro
Head of Research &Marketing
Zartech Limited
Nigeria
11. Vincenzo Lo Scalzo, Agorà Ambrosiana, Italy (second contribution)
Dear Moderator,
Thanks for the update
11
Due to its universal importance, I would like to call for the addition of WATER to the
definitions contained in the document. This inclusion should be made as straightforward as
possible as the role of water in ensuring food and nutrition security should be easy to
understand.
Thanks,
V Lo Scalzo - AA
12. Subhash Mehta, Devarao Shivaram Trus, India (first contribution)
Dear colleagues,
I have read with interest the contributions on the 'terminology' and feel strongly that it is
important to ensure in the definition, the fact that the source of the nutrition has to be mostly
from agriculture, if we are to mitigate malnutrition among the rural and urban poor. Thus, the
CFS paper needs to move towards more inclusive terminology, eg.,'nutritious food security’, in
order to better reflect the conceptual linkages between agriculture, nutrition and food, to
address the rampant malnutrition among the smallholder family producers, being the majority
population of developing countries.
You will agree that the concerns of food insecurity and malnutrition cannot be addressed just
by a definition, “Food and Nutrition Security”, without ensuring that conceptual and
programmatic bridges are retained between agriculture and nutrition, say, ‘Nutritious Food
Security.
Subhash
13. Lennox Lampkin, SVG Chamber of Agriculture and Nutrition Inc., Saint
Vincent and the Grenadines
It is my view that "Food Security" as is generally presented (lack of food or access to food)is
probably one of the most misguided myths of our time... The real Food Security issues should
be dealing with food contamination both accidental and deliberate and not with the belly full of
unwholesome meals that lack the nutritional balance to keep us healthy!
Hence, the term food security as is presented should really be redefined as Nutrition Security
and Food Sovereignty as that more aptly fits the challenges of peoples around the globe. If
Nutrition is secure then we need not deal with food being secure as that will be adequately
addressed. On the other hand dealing with secure food as we know it can lead to massive malnutrition, dependence and ultimately a global epidemic of food and lifestyle related diseases.
Bearing in mind that contaminated food cannot be considered nutritious we will be forced to
review our definition of food and the manner in which same is consumed if we move the
discussion from Food to Nutrition Security. There should also be an emphasis on FRESH
unadulterated nutrition and a departure from increased production by any means necessary.
This will also help to reduce our collective carbon footprint as local production will then be a
priority.
Indeed, such a review would also help to address the issue of climate change while boosting
rural development as less food will be unnecessarily processed, stored and transported across
the globe!
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14. Subhash Mehta, Devarao Shivaram Trus, India (second contribution)
Dear Colleagues,
I agree with Lenox’s emphasis on ‘fresh’, as is nutritious food from safe, quality, fresh
agricultural produce as applicable to the local soil and agro climatic conditions of each area, as
the active ingredients of agriculture produce are balanced by the 100’s of secondary
metabolites.
Instead we have today a flourishing nutraceuticals industry where the active ingredients
isolated from agricultural produce is converted into molecules and produced in chemical
plants and marketed as food supplements, making up for the unsafe, poor quality conventional
agriculture produce of today.
15. Nguyen Van Kien, Pant Ressources Center, Viet Nam
Dear Sirs/Madams,
In my opinion,
In long long time ago food was seen like a general term because food
contained/provided everything for mankind's development. At the time, our ancients
discovered and withdrew lessons/various ways to get adequate and balance of energy and
nutrient values from food in their ecosystem through every meals, every week, every season,
every year and every age. For examples, in Europe, wheat is staple food, in Asia is rice one and
in Africa is root and tuber. Perhaps, this is also fitted to distinguished genetic
traits of various ethnics in the world.
Then as world developed in term of science and technology and change. Food is divided in to
two terms that are food (with meaning as energy) and nutrition (with meaning as protector of
health and against to disorders).
1. Science and technology development to create new fields such as health care, agriculture and
food, food processor, health treatments, ect. Then food from general meaning brings narrow
meaning "food" in now and a other meaning "nutrition";
2. Change of living style. So food is considered as a foodstuff without medicine value. And
everyone expect to more values from agricultural products for mankind. Finally, nutrition is
added.
16. Christian Häberli, World Trade Institute, Switzerland
Sorry for being rude. But as we all know food security is not achievable without trade and (in
many cases foreign) direct investment, and appropriate rules thereon. The fact alone that
today we have a big gap in this field is enough reason for concern, and work. But the fact that
the whole Draft circulated here does not even once mention trade and FDI should ring an alarm
bell to the whole food security community.
Please keep working - or grow enough cucumbers in your own backyards for ensuring food
sovereignty!
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17. GRET, France
Réponse au document « S’entendre sur la terminologie » du CSA
Le Gret tient en premier lieu à remercier le CSA pour cet important travail de clarification de la
terminologie, travail qui apparait aujourd’hui absolument nécessaire au vue de la multiplicité
des termes, des évolutions de leur sens et usages, et des fréquentes confusions ou utilisation
inadaptées.
Nous souhaitons partager plusieurs réactions sur ce document :
1. Nous considérons que les termes « sécurité alimentaire » et « sécurité nutritionnelle »
ont des sens différents. Il convient évidemment de garder les deux termes et de les
utiliser de façon adaptée selon le contexte. Nous convenons que ces 2 termes se
chevauchent et qu’il est possible, dans certains cas précis, d’avoir une situation ou des
individus seraient à la fois en état de sécurité alimentaire et de sécurité nutritionnelle.
Nous sommes donc favorables à un troisième terme regroupant les deux notions.
Cependant, ce sont 3 termes faisant références à 3 situations différentes et qu’il
faut donc utiliser de façon adaptée à chaque situation. Il est donc absolument
nécessaire d’avoir des définitions bien précises de ces 3 termes afin d’éviter les
confusions.
2. Nous sommes donc favorables à l’utilisation du terme « sécurité alimentaire et
nutritionnelle » dans certains cas, mais pas tel qu’actuellement défini par le CSA. En
effet, sur la définition proposée :
« La sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle existe lorsque tous les êtres humains ont, à tout
moment, un accès physique, social et économique à une nourriture saine dont la quantité
consommée et la qualité sont suffisantes pour satisfaire les besoins énergétiques et les préférences
alimentaires des personnes, et dont les bienfaits sont renforcés par un environnement dans lequel
l'assainissement, les services de santé et les pratiques de soins sont adéquats, le tout permettant
une vie saine et active. » ;
nous formulons deux principales remarques.
- Un régime alimentaire équilibré est un régime qui fournit à l’individu tous les nutriments
indispensables à la croissance et à une vie saine et active, à savoir les macronutriments et
les micronutriments. De ce fait, une nourriture satisfaisant uniquement les besoins
énergétiques et les préférences alimentaires peut être totalement déséquilibrée et induire
un état de malnutrition (carence en vitamines, minéraux…). Il nous apparait indispensable
de remplacer le terme « besoins énergétiques » par « besoins nutritionnels » qui fait
référence à l’ensemble des nutriments (et pas seulement ceux apportant de l’énergie). Cette
remarque est également valable pour la définition de la sécurité nutritionnelle de la FAO.
- La deuxième partie de la phrase débutant par « et dont les bienfaits sont renforcés par… »
donne à penser que ces éléments ne sont pas indispensables pour assurer la sécurité
alimentaire et nutritionnelle. Or, la sécurité nutritionnelle nous semble être directement liée
à des pratiques d’alimentation adéquates d’une part, mais également - et à un niveau
tout aussi important – à des pratiques de soins et de santé appropriées. Une définition
correcte du terme « sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle » ne peut donc pas reléguer au 2nd
plan un des deux piliers de la sécurité nutritionnelle. Il y a ici un fort risque que la définition
du terme « sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle » se résume à la seule définition de la
« sécurité alimentaire » alors que de notre point de vue, ce sont deux concepts différents et
complémentaires.
La définition de la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle proposée par le CSA, accentue le risque
de confusion entre sécurité alimentaire et sécurité nutritionnelle, et tend à occulter la sécurité
nutritionnelle. De nombreuses personnes tendent à croire que la sécurité nutritionnelle, (et la
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nutrition de manière générale) est seulement une question alimentaire, et cette définition va
dans ce sens. Or, il nous semble que la sécurité alimentaire n’est qu’une (parmi d’autres)
conditions. Il est nécessaire de bien clarifier cela afin d’éviter le risque de voir occulter
complètement la nutrition de tous les programmes de « sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle ».
Dans le même sens, la définition du terme « sécurité alimentaire et nutrition » nous semble
également donner une place trop prédominante aux pratiques d’alimentation. En effet, en fin
d’article 24, il est mentionné que les actions axées sur la nutrition ont pour but ultime la
consommation d’aliments ayant les bienfaits nutritionnels qu’il faut (en créant des conditions
facilitant cette consommation). Ici encore, l’importance des pratiques de soins et de santé
n’apparait pas suffisamment. Même si un individu ou un ménage consomme ces aliments, si les
pratiques de soins ne sont pas adéquates alors la sécurité nutritionnelle n’est pas assurée.
3. Il nous semble important de bien tenir compte de la cible concernée : la définition faitelle référence à un individu seul, à l’ensemble du ménage, à une catégorie spécifique
d’individus ? Par exemple, les conditions de sécurité alimentaire d’un enfant de moins
de 6 mois sont totalement différentes de celle d’un adulte. Cet enfant pourra être en
situation de sécurité nutritionnelle tout en vivant dans un ménage en état d’insécurité
alimentaire (s’il est correctement allaiter exclusivement et a des pratiques de soins
adéquates). L’inverse est possible et probablement beaucoup plus fréquent : l’enfant
peut-être en état d’insécurité nutritionnelle même si le reste de son ménage vit en état
de sécurité alimentaire. Il est de ce fait absolument nécessaire de spécifier chaque fois
de quel groupe de population cible il est question, afin d’éviter toute imprécision et
confusion.
4. Enfin il nous semble également important de bien définir le terme de nutrition ou
sécurité nutritionnelle au vue des différentes formes de malnutrition existantes, et
au vue du ou des types de malnutrition que le CSA considère. Le CSA semble ici faire
référence à la sous-nutrition plus qu’à la sur-nutrition.
En conclusion, pour un individu, la sécurité alimentaire est une des conditions préalable
à la sécurité nutritionnelle mais elle n’est pas suffisante. Les activités axées sur la
nutrition/ la sécurité nutritionnelle doivent veiller à inclure à la fois des activités
d’améliorations des pratiques d’alimentation, mais également de soins et de santé. Il est
important de spécifier chaque fois la cible de ces activités.
Voilà pourquoi nous proposons la proposition de définition suivante (pour une ciblé
spécifiée) :
« La sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle existe lorsque tous les êtres humains d’un groupe
spécifié ont, à tout moment, un accès physique, social et économique à la fois à une nourriture
saine dont la quantité consommée et la qualité sont suffisantes pour satisfaire les besoins
nutritionnels et les préférences alimentaires des personnes, et à des services d’eau potable et
d’assainissement, de santé et de soins adéquats».
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