Food Security and Safety using advanced Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)

Abstract

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are playing a vital role in today's world which is witnessing huge change in its urban landscape attributed to a continuous upwards increase in factors such as globalization, urbanization and industrialization. Smarter technologies are seen, by the global administrators (governments etc), as recourse to inclusive growth, resulting in an increase in development of 'e-villages', 'smart cities' with an increasingly aware and technologically savvy consumer population. One important aspect where the role of ICTs can be best seen is to ensure the availability of safe and quality food to cater to growing population. The incorporation of smarter, IT/Telecom driven technologies, in the prevailing Food Supply Chain (FSC), can contribute towards ensuring a feasible and sustainable, 'farm to fork' model of food delivery. The paper presents a conceptual framework for ensuring food security and safety through an effective and efficient distribution of food using advanced information and communication technologies.