McVitty, James --- "A private sector view of food security and pricing volatility" [2016] ELECD 284; in Ewing-Chow, Michael; Vilarasau Slade, Melanie (eds), "International Trade and Food Security" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2016) 126

Book Title: International Trade and Food Security

Editor(s): Ewing-Chow, Michael; Vilarasau Slade, Melanie

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN (hard cover): 9781785361883

Section: Chapter 7

Section Title: A private sector view of food security and pricing volatility

Author(s): McVitty, James

Number of pages: 13

Abstract/Description:

Everyone must eat. A healthy active life has its foundation in a nutritionally balanced diet. Food is the fuel for life, an absolute non-negotiable, and as such food security is at the absolute apex of human concerns. Ensuring that basic food security needs are met, both now and in the future, is one of the world’s most pressing issues. Food security is a major, global challenge for the twenty-first century. The food security challenge is to provide improved nutrition to a global population with less impact on natural resources. Food security is not a single issue, but instead requires addressing a variety of factors. Food security is too large of a mandate for one global organization such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to address alone. Other organizations such as the WTO, WHO and APEC all have a critical role to play and without overarching political oversight and commitment, policy responses are likely to remain uncoordinated and piecemeal. Food is generally not very high on the global political agenda and often only emerges at times of crisis. This should not be the case; food policies need to be elevated to become part of the global sustainability debate.