Kashmir: Food security and agriculture

Millions earn a better living, and ensure a better future, when investments are made in rural development and agriculture. Agriculture – a proven pathway out of poverty with unbelievable potential for future – more the growth of nutritious food more will be we food secure.
Success stories, like the development progress in Ghana’s economy was on verge of collapse thirty years ago but today this West African country is on its way to become the first to achieve Millennium Development Goal number one to halve its poverty and hunger and one word for it was AGRICULTURE. Agriculture is the single largest employer in the world, providing livelihood to 40% of today’s global population. It is the largest source of income and jobs for poor rural households. 500 million small farms worldwide, mostly still rain fed, provide up to 80 per cent of food consumed in a large part of developing countries thereby increasing food security and nutrition for the poorest as well as food production for local and global markets.
Egyptians in millions suffer from poor nutrition with birth defects and miscarriages. The global alliance for improved nutrition (GAIN) started a programme – fortify baladi bread, the staple food of Egypt’s poorest, with essential amino acids and vitamins which they were lacking. The results are impressive and families’ newest member are living the proof. 20 million Egyptians now have the benefit of iron and folic acid in their daily bread. So fortification is one of the world’s most cost effective public health tools. The availability of food and access to it, and not to live in hunger or fear of starvation, refers to food security. The number of people who are overweight has surpassed the numbers who are under nourished. The world has more than one billion people who are overweight and an estimate of 800 million who are under nourished. China, world’s most populous country is suffering from obesity epidemic and the second most populous country-India has 30 million people added to the ranks of hungry, with 46 per cent children under weight. Worldwide around 925 million people are chronically hungery due to extreme poverty, while up to 2 billion people lack food security intermittently due to varying degrees of poverty. Failed agriculture market regulations and the lack of anti dumping mechanism engenders much of the worlds food scarcity and malnutrition. In developing countries often 70 per cent or more of the population lives in rural areas making their living from agriculture. Therefore improvement in agriculture production aimed at small scale farmers will benefit the rural poor first. Food and feed crop demand is likely to double in next 50 years, as global population approaches nine billion. Increased agriculture productivity enables farmer to grow more food, which translates into better diet. With more money, farmers are more likely to diversify production and grow high value crops, benefiting not only themselves but the economy as a whole.
Degradation of soils, forests, water bodies and bio diversity is rapid. Resources we depend upon are being pressurized by changes in climate and increasing risks associated with disaster such as drought and floods. A profound change of the global food and agriculture system is needed if we are to nourish today’s hungry and the additional excepted by 2050. The zero hunger challenge works for a future where no one goes hungry with the main objectives on:
1. 100 per cent access to adequate food for all year round.
2. Zero stunted children under 2 years and no malnutrition in pregnancy and early childhood.
3. All food systems sustainable.
4. Zero loss or waste of food, including responsible consumption.
5. 100 per cent growth in small holder productivity and income.
Food and Agriculture sector offers key solution for development and is central for hunger and poverty eradication. Initiation of innovative research, education & societal engagement in food related challenges develop support and share exemplary sustainable food security. By creating a space both virtual and real where people working on sustainable food security can be inspired. The perspective is to consider food security broadly to include issues related to food production, availability, access, safety, nutrition, consumption, waste, equity, health and enjoyment. So it’s time to rethink how we grow, share and consume our food. Agriculture, if done rightly can provide nutritious food for all and generate income.

GreaterKashmir.com