Global food insecurity – impacts and consequences

3) Outline three causes of food insecurity

An example of a cause of food insecurity is climate change, as problems including drought

and soil erosion increase. These harsh provide multiple challenges for farmers to grow crops
and maintain the health of their livestock. This causes global food insecurity as these
farmers are unable to provide from themselves as well as people in local communities.
Areas that are more prone to these conditions include countries located near the equator
where temperatures are much higher, and the risk of drought and soil erosion is much
higher. These countries include Somalia and Ethiopia. Furthermore, a number of these
countries are also less developed which can also be seen as further cause of global food
insecurity as these areas do not have the finances or infrastructure to import food from
abroad to feed the people within the respective countries. This leads to food insecurity as
people are not able to physical, social and economic access to sufficient and safe nutritious
food. In addition, farmers in these less developed countries will often export their produce
to higher income countries as they can gain a higher profit. This shows how food insecurity
can be amplified as the little produce that these people have available to them is being
exported to higher income available. Another example of a cause is conflict. This is because
it will affect the stability of food as food supplies may be cut off resulting in higher food
prices, thus pricing further people out of the market. An example g this is Yemen, which has
been politically unstable fer many years. Approximately 17 million people within Yemen are
seen as being food insecure.

4)

Social Economic Political Environmental

- Lack of education - Unemployment - Corruption - Natural Disasters
on sufficient diets. - Damaged - Wars/ conflicts - Lack of fertilisers/increase
- Homelessness infrastructure - Poor government pests
- Gender Inequality - Rising population structures - Soil erosion
- Remote rural - Climate change
population - Lack of rainfall

5) Why can food insecurity vary within a country?

Variations in incomes within a country can greatly impact food insecurity. People/ areas that
are wealthier are able to access more food and a greater quality of food. These areas are
also more likely to access better education on the needs of a healthy died. Less developed
areas are likely to be priced out of a number of goods as well as the limited supply of food in
certain countries being prioritised for higher income groups as farmers can gain a higher
profit from the earners. Furthermore, the climate in certain areas of a country can vary
significantly. For example, if part of a country experiences drought and another part
experiences significant rainfall, this second location is more likely to have a greater food
security as the ability to grow and harvest crops will increase. In addition, soil erosion in
areas experiencing drought will be much higher resulting in the produce and harvest of
these crops being much harder, thus increasing the likelihood of food insecurity within
certain parts of a country. Finally, certain areas of the country e.g., borders with other
countries may be at risk of conflict with neighbouring countries. This may result in this part
of the country having their supplies cut off resulting in higher prices of this produce for
people within this area.

6) How does food insecurity affect the quality of life of people

Restricted access to food and sufficient nutrients cam negatively affects physical health and
cause illness, which can decrease the quality of life. Food insecurity is often associated with
an increased risk of various health problems such as malnutrition, anaemia, diabetes, and
cardiovascular diseases. The lack of access to nutritious foods can contribute to a higher
prevalence of diet-related illnesses. Additionally, quality of life can be reduced due to
anxiety caused by the uncertainty of food source. The stress and anxiety associated with not
knowing where the next meal will come from can have significant mental health
implications. Food insecurity has been linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and
other mental health issues. Food insecurity can also mean that people have to prioritised
spending on food to be able to have an enough good to survive. This means that less money
can be spent elsewhere, such as education or for leisure, reducing the quality of life. Finally,
children experiencing food insecurity may struggle with concentration and perform poorly in
school. Hunger can negatively affect cognitive development, making it challenging for
children to focus and learn effectively.