Abstract
Achieving food security worldwide raises a number of issues with regard to the distribution of global resources. On the one hand, access to resources and ecospace is essential for individuals in order to survive; on the other hand, the allocation of the earth’s resources as well as risks and responsibilities are relevant for the global community. Yet, elements of access and allocation are various and complex, encompassing social, environmental, and economic dimensions in an increasingly fragmented global governance structure. Drawing on the multidisciplinary governance framework on access and allocation by Gupta and Lebel, this paper provides a synoptical review of the literature on food security of the past decade from the perspective of the earth system governance scholarship. This article addresses the question: what have we learnt about access and allocation issues in the area of food governance and its implications for food security? In addressing this question, this review examines how institutions, norms and power affect access to and allocation of resources. The paper draws out key trends and lessons from the literature to conclude that research needs to be sensitive to the complexity and intersectionality of food, the systemic challenges that it poses, and the broader political economy around it.
Highlights
Hunger is on the rise.1 In 2017, nearly 821 million people faced chronic food deprivation (FAO 2018)
In the context of this special issue on access and allocation, this paper provides a synoptical review of the social science literature on food security of the past decade, identifying key trends and lessons learnt
This article has focused on the issues of access and allocation in the field of food security identified by literature of the Earth System Governance scholarship of the past decade
Summary
Hunger is on the rise. In 2017, nearly 821 million people (about 10.9% of the world population) faced chronic food deprivation (FAO 2018). The access and allocation framework helps one to examine if and in how far the literature of the past decade meets more systemic approaches to food security as elaborated by scholars critical about simplistic perspectives on hunger and poverty. In this context, Amartya Sen led by developing systemic ideas on food and hunger four decades ago (Sen 1981). Amartya Sen led by developing systemic ideas on food and hunger four decades ago (Sen 1981) He suggested a comprehensive way to analyze famine, poverty, and resource distribution. The final section draws substantive conclusions from the studied literature
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