Food Security Situation Research Articles

Food insecurity, associated climate factors and intervention mechanisms: a theoretical and empirical analysis of Ethiopia’s case

Purpose In our world, nearly nine million people die every year from hunger, losing one person to hunger every few seconds. Ethiopia is among the leading countries in the total number of people facing hunger. Several actions have been taken to achieve food security globally and at the household level. However, the problem of food insecurity is still high in many parts of the world. Why are we failing to achieve food security? And where should we start? This study aims to answer these main questions. Design/methodology/approach Relevant quantitative and qualitative data were duly used to describe food insecurity and associated climate factors globally and nationally. For this, PRISMA review methodology was used to help the systematic review. More than 90 relevant empirical and theoretical literature in the field were reviewed in an integrated way with practical evidence from Ethiopia. Governmental technical reports, NGOs reviews and other relevant empirical data referring to Ethiopia are thematically analyzed. Findings The subjectivity, dynamism and complexity of the concept of food security are found to be some of the issues challenging the practice of achieving food security. The unresolved issues in the combination and interaction of the four pillars of food security (food availability, access to food, food utilization and stability) are affecting its measurement. In this study, it is emphasized that food insecurity in rural and urban areas should be treated differently, as food insecurity in rural areas is directly related to food production which depends on rainfall patterns. In rural Ethiopia, rainfall variability was among the main causes of food insecurity. More importantly, it is indicated that rainfall variability does not affect all pillars of food security equally; its effect is more pronounced on food availability and stability aspects. Deconstructing the concept of food security to make it more pragmatic, and understanding the factors behind the rainfall variability should be the starting tasks in achieving food security. Further, even though food aid is preferred to react to transitory food insecurity, focusing on long-lasting preventive measures that address the root causes of the recurring food insecurity in rural areas of Ethiopia would be an effective way of addressing the problem. Practical implications Policy makers and other governmental and humanitarian agencies working on food security can make an evidence-based decision, shape policies and programs if they have clear information about the features of food insecurity, the nature of rainfall variability and critiques of the reacting mechanisms to food insecurity. Shortages of food in some place and food price crises in the other places have been both referring to food insecurity. This makes the understanding of food security situations more difficult to explain and communicate. Originality/value This study primarily clarifies the conceptual complexity surrounding food security as it currently exists. Further, it provides a comprehensive and quantitative description of the state of global to national food security, along with the associated variability of rainfall patterns that are related to it. It also provides a brief overview of the intervention mechanisms for addressing food security, with a specific focus on Ethiopia. This study has set a clear demarcation to assess food security in rural and urban areas.

Current status of the Food Security system in Mongolia new policies, and expected outcomes

The national food security system in our country is not established well and continues to remain weak. Failures within the system have caused malfunctions and distortions in government policy implementation, leading to unexpected policy shifts. These faults are the main causes of time loss, inter-agency misunderstandings, lack of coordination, information flow deficiencies, and a shortage of skilled human resources. These issues can have a negative impact on food security in Mongolia, resulting in the shortfall of government policy implementation. Coordination of food security activities among government organizations in Mongolia has been unsatisfactory due to the weak system. Government services have not adequately reached organizations at the middle and primary levels in the Mongolian rural provinces. This research paper aims to evaluate the national food security situation based on policies in Mongolia's food sector over the past decade, their implementation, encountered problems, and involved stakeholders. The research findings show that our country's food security system is not well-established, leading to compromised food security, highlighting the urgent need for developing necessary legal and policy documents to effectively implement state food security policy.

Unravelling the European food security puzzle: exploring determinants and constructing a comprehensive measure

The main objective of the presented paper is to show the current level of food security conditions in Europe and identify its determinants. The paper presents the development of the food security situation in Europe in the period 2001–2020. It shows in detail conditions in the year 2020 which were influenced by the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic across the continent. The analysis used the definition of food security and its pillars according to FAO. It used available data from FAOstat for 12 variables in 4 pillars of food security from 2001 to 2020 for 38 European countries to produce composite indicators using Data envelopment analysis. This was used as the dependent variable in panel models with five explanatory factors: added value in agriculture, fishing and forestry, trade openness, gross capital formation, urbanization, and temperature change obtained from the World Bank database. Relationship between variables was estimated using Fixed effects, Random effects, and Pooled mean group model. The analysis found that food security in Europe increased until 2014, then followed a decline which was not compensated until 2020. The weakest regions were identified in the South-eastern and Eastern parts of Europe. The most key factors in the long run were the gross capital formation, added value of agriculture and trade openness. The impact of urbanization and gross capital formation was more important in the short run than in the long run. The effect of temperature change was positive in the short run in most of the analyzed countries, despite its negative long-run influence. The added value of the presented paper in the theoretical field is its methodology, from a practical point of view the paper offers information which could be used in further addressing food security problem solutions.

Determinants of rural households’ food security status in South Africa: lessons from covid-19 social relief grant recipients in NIDS-CRAM wave 5

The world experienced an unprecedented health shock (COVID-19) which caught everyone by surprise, and destabilized many sectors, especially the agri-food sector. This unpleasant situation caused upset in the food production and distribution chain, and continues to threaten the attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 2 which underscores zero hunger in society. Many people in South Africa were disproportionately affected with severe consequences on their livelihood activities, food security status, health status, and general welfare conditions; and as a result, social relief intervention was put in place or expanded. This study examined the factors influencing rural households’ food security status among the recipients of social relief grants in rural areas of South Africa. The study used a secondary dataset from Wave 5 of National Income Dynamics Study - Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM). The research applied descriptive statistics to describe the respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, and pattern of income flow. Food Insecurity Access Scale was employed to investigate the respondents’ food security status, while multinomial logistic regression was used to explore the determinants of food security. The results showed that the majority of the respondents were black (99%), female-headed (54.15%), dwelling in flats (74.01%), with secondary education (88.6%), and heavily dependent on government grants (58.61%). Also, most households were food secure (71.69%) during the pandemic. Moreover, households headed by men were more food secure (62.84%) compared to the ones headed by the female counterparts (37.08). Multinomial regression estimates revealed that formal education (p<0.1), employment status (p<0.05), dwelling type (p<0.01), as well as household size (p<0.01) significantly determined rural households’ food security status. The study concluded that social relief grants significantly reduced the food insecurity situation among the rural households in South Africa, and recommended that the government should ensure the continuation of the social relief of distress grant to the vulnerable people who are mostly domiciled in the rural areas, especially women who are disproportionately affected by these health shocks. Key words: Covid-19, social grant, rural households, food security, South Africa

Food Insecurity and Nutritional Inadequacy in Children and Adolescents of Basic Education Schools of Cantagalo District in São Tomé and Príncipe, Central Africa.

Food insecurity (FI) is a critical socioeconomic and public health problem globally, particularly affecting children's nutritional status and development. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the prevalence of nutritional inadequacy among children and adolescents in the Cantagalo district of São Tomé and Príncipe (STP), in Central Africa. It also assessed their households' FI situation and examined sociodemographic, anthropometric, and nutritional characteristics associated with severe FI. Data included 546 children/adolescents (51.8% males, aged 9-15 years) from the eight public basic education schools. A structured questionnaire provided sociodemographic data, while anthropometric measurements assessed nutritional status. Dietary intake data were gathered using a single 24 h dietary recall, and the adjusted prevalences of nutritional inadequacy were obtained using version 2.0 of the PC-Software for Intake Distribution Estimation (PC-SIDE®). The Household Food Insecurity Access Scale was used to assess FI, and households were classified as severely or non-severely food insecure. Multivariable binary logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders identified factors related to FI. Children's/adolescents' thinness was exhibited in 34.1% of participants, and over 95% had inadequate intake of essential micronutrients, including iron. Notably, 73.7% were severely food insecure. A higher severity of FI was positively associated with a lower intake of iron and certain household head characteristics, such as being female or older, and negatively associated with having a home garden.

Association between food insecurity and long COVID in adults from southern Brazil: findings of the PAMPA cohort.

Social and economic factors, such as food insecurity, contribute to long coronavirus disease (COVID). During the pandemic, a significant rise in food insecurity was observed, both in Brazil and worldwide. We aimed to investigate the association between food insecurity and long COVID in Brazilian adults. Cross-sectional study nested within the Prospective study About Mental and Physical Health in Adults (PAMPA) Cohort. Participants completed an online questionnaire in June 2022. We assessed food insecurity using the Brazilian Scale of Food Insecurity. Long COVID was defined as any post-coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms that persisted for at least 3months after infection. A total of 956 participants were included (74.0% female, median age 36 (Interquartile Range [IQR] (29-45.7). The prevalence of food insecurity was 29.4%, and 77.8% had long COVID. Food insecurity was associated with an increased probability of long COVID (prevalence ratio [PR]: 1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08-1.22). Participants in food insecurity situations had a higher likelihood of experiencing neurological (PR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10-1.28), pulmonary (PR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.17-1.52) and gastrointestinal (PR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.31-1.88) symptoms after infection. Food insecurity was associated with long COVID. Governments must plan public policies to mitigate the effects of long COVID and food insecurity.

The food security risks in the Yangtze River Delta of China associated with water scarcity, grain production, and grain trade

Grain production consumes a large amount of water and is affected by the degree of water scarcity and participation in the grain trade in various regions. The grain trade has changed the food security risks in regions where grain exports and imports. Therefore, it is crucial to consider regional water scarcity to understand food security risks from the grain trade network. Here, we construct a new framework for measuring regional food security risks associated with water scarcity, grain production, and grain trade based on a cross-city grain trade network combined with virtual water flows to evaluate the regional food security risks in the Yangtze River Delta region (YRD) of China in 2017. The results show that under the current domestic grain trade pattern in China, the YRD and its four provincial-level administrative regions are in a net grain import state. The grain trade within the YRD is concentrated in exports from the two major grain-producing areas of Anhui and Jiangsu to Zhejiang and Shanghai, especially from northern Jiangsu to southeastern Zhejiang. The net import results of virtual blue water in most cities indicate that the YRD has shifted its water resource pressure to other grain exporting regions in China, with Shanghai and Zhejiang being the greatest beneficiaries. Extreme risk only exists in Shanghai, and severe and moderate risks are concentrated in Jiangsu. The current grain trade has reduced the overall food security risk in the YRD by 1.3 % but increased the risks in Shanghai and Zhejiang by 2.1 % and 0.8 % respectively. This study highlights the potential risks that excessive production of food in water-scarce areas in the grain trade system may bring to a stable food supply, providing useful information for a comprehensive understanding of the food and water security situation and for future trade-offs.

Exploring the Evolutionary Characteristics of Food Security in China and the United States from a Multidimensional Perspective.

Against the backdrop of global warming, intensifying regional conflicts, deglobalization, and the spread of diseases, global food security is facing severe challenges. Studying the food security situation in China and the United States in depth can provide practical experience for formulating food security policies for countries around the world and promoting global food security governance. On the basis of a meticulous review of the evolving connotations of food security, this study adopts six dimensions-quantity security, quality security, circulation security, economic security, ecological resource security, and policy security-as breakthrough points to construct a framework consisting of food security evaluation indicator system comprising 29 specific indicators. The CRITIC-MEREC-MARCOS model is applied to evaluate the status of food security in China and the United States from 2000 to 2022, while the obstacle degree model (ODM) model is utilized to identify factors impeding food security between the two countries. The results indicate that the level of food security in China has shown slight fluctuations initially, followed by a steady upward trend. The gap with the United States is continuously narrowing. However, significant differences between China and the United States still exist in terms of economic security, ecological resource security, and policy security. Furthermore, due to the limited productivity of agricultural labor, scarcity of water and soil resources, and low efficiency in the use of fertilizers and pesticides, China's food security is subject to economic and environmental constraints. The restrictions imposed by economic security and ecological resource security on China's food security are showing an increasing trend year by year. For the United States, with the obstruction of grain exports and the increasing frequency of drought disasters, the impact of circulation security and ecological resource security on food security is becoming increasingly prominent. In the future, China and the United States should join hands to address challenges, actively promote international cooperation in food security, and drive sustainable development for humanity.

Evaluation of Food Security in North China Based on Food Production Level.

This paper focuses on county-level grain production and food security in North China; selects 17 indicators from both climatic conditions and human activities; applies yield fluctuation coefficients, spatial econometric modelling, the random forest method, and factor analysis to study the characteristics of grain production in North China and the influencing factors; and evaluates the situation of food security in North China based on grain production capacity. The following results were obtained: (1) The spatial and temporal changes in grain production located in North China from 2000 to 2020 are obvious. The grain output in North China from 2000 to 2020 maintains fluctuating growth at a rate of 0.38 × 1011 kg/10a. The east and south are the key areas for grain production in North China. Grain output was relatively stable except for 2003. with the cold spots of grain production being mainly in the northwestern area and the hot spots in the central and southern areas. (2) The changes in grain production in North China from 2000 to 2020 were less affected by climate and mainly influenced by human activity indicators. (3) As time progresses, the area of food shortage zones decreases in size, becoming evenly distributed and dispersed from the initial concentration in northern Hebei and most of Shanxi; the change in the supply-demand equilibrium zones is not obvious; and the area of surplus grain zones increases markedly in size, with a tendency to expand from the south and centre of the study area to the west and north. The grain production capacity of counties in the northwest and north is generally low, and even counties located in surplus grain areas have potential food security risks. However, in the east and south, due to their high grain production capacity, the per capita grain supply situation may be alleviated even in counties located in grain shortage areas. This study can deepen the understanding of the characteristics of food production in North China and enrich the research on food security. Analyses of factors influencing food production will improve a deeper understanding of food security. Food security evaluation based on food production capacity will contribute to a more precise and comprehensive understanding of the food security pattern in North China.

The effect of output level and inflation on food security in Ethiopia: an empirical analysis using the ARDL framework

Ethiopia has experienced years of robust economic growth, with an average annual growth rate of 6%. However, the country continues to grapple with food insecurity, which is exacerbated by high food prices. The objective of this paper is to examine the effects of output level and inflation on Ethiopia's food security situation. The researchers utilized quarterly interpolated time-series data from the first quarter of 2005 to the fourth quarter of 2019. The data was analyzed using an autoregressive distributive lag framework for cointegration. The study's significant findings unequivocally demonstrate that a high output level has a positive effect on Ethiopia's food security situation in both the short and long terms, while showing a weak coefficient in the long run. However, unpredictable political contexts, rising food prices, and fluctuations in global pricing negatively affect this impact. The paper suggests that, alongside the level of output, sustaining improvements in Ethiopia's food security status necessitates enhancing production capacity, restoring stability, mitigating food price inflation, and strengthening disaster management.

The Influence of Household Characteristics, Income, and Technology Access on Household Food Security Post-COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract The research was undertaken after synthesizing select findings from prior studies about the effects of COVID-19 on food security. However, it is noteworthy that certain limitations in the research have neglected to address the state of household food security post-COVID-19 pandemic. This scholarly aims to assess the food security situation of households after the COVID-19 outbreak by analyzing the influencing factors, such as age, education level of the household’s chief, number of dependents, income, and access to technology. The employed methodology is a quantitative research strategy that utilizes logistic regression analysis. The study included a sample of 30 households in Pangkajene Kepulauan Regency. The findings indicate that the -2 log-likelihood score was 68.742, less than the Chi-square table value of 70.52. Therefore, it can be concluded that the model met the test criteria for the inclusion of variable X. The Nagelkerke R square coefficient of determination is 88%, indicating that the independent variables exert a statistically significant impact on the dependent variable, namely food security. Partially, education, income, and access to technology notably impact food security. This study has optimistic possibilities for making policy recommendations that governments can use in addressing the global food crisis post-pandemic COVID-19.

FOOD SECURITY OF CHERNIHIV REGION: ESSENCE, STRUCTURE, ASSESSMENT

The essence of the concept of «food security» is studied. Theoretical and practical approaches to ensuring food security are studied. The general situation of food security of Ukraine is considered, the structure and features of its provision are determined. The general state and main aspects of the problems of food security of the Chernihiv region are disclosed and the main directions of its formation are determined. The main orientation of the regional organization of production and improvement of the living standard of the population is proposed, taking into account economic, socio-demographic and natural-climatic factors. It is determined that the theoretical features and regional structure of the agricultural sector of both Ukraine as a whole and Chernihiv region continue to be formed under the influence of the economic situation in the country. A diagnostic assessment of food security in the Chernihiv region was carried out. An analysis of the indicators of sufficiency of consumption of products of different groups in 2023 in the Chernihiv region is carried out. In particular, attention is paid to the main indicators that indicate the level of food security in the region. Scientific approaches to the development of a mechanism for ensuring food security by supporting domestic production have been expanded, namely, the introduction and support of organic production. According to statistics, in 2022, the area of land certified as organic or in transition in our region amounted to 3045.8 hectares, which is 12% less than in 2021 (0.22% of all arable land in the region). Producers of organic products grew 2502.7 tons of grain crops, including rye, oats, tritical, mustard, barley, buckwheat, etc. It is proved that organic production is one of the main directions of development of food security in the Chernihiv region. In particular, the priority strategy for sustainable development of the Chernihiv region for the period up to 2027 is the development of organic farming and the production of environmentally friendly food, one of the directions is the start of specialization of the Chernihiv region.

Кризис на рынке удобрений и его влияние на продовольственную безопасность в странах Африки южнее Сахары

The stability of the fertilizer market plays a critical role in ensuring food security, particularly in regions heavily reliant on agriculture such as Sub-Saharan Africa. However, the recent fertilizer market crisis has underscored the vulnerability of African countries to external shocks, exacerbating existing challenges related to food production and access. The article examines the assessment of the role of the fertilizer market crisis of 2022–2023 in exacerbating the food security situation in Sub-Saharan African countries. The findings suggest that the increase in the number of people experiencing malnutrition, reaching 262 million individuals (23 % of the population) in 2022 in Sub-Saharan Africa, is largely attributed to the inability to enhance domestic agricultural production. In turn, events in the fertilizer market, leading to a reduction in available supply and price hikes in the global market, hindered African farmers from increasing fertilizer application to boost crop yields. The article also conducts an analysis of factors that prevented African countries from adapting to the fertilizer market crisis, drawing comparisons with developed nations. Addressing the fertilizer market crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa requires a multi-faceted approach that involves improving domestic fertilizer production capacity, enhancing agricultural extension services, and promoting sustainable farming practices. Furthermore, there is a need for increased collaboration between governments, international organizations, and the private sector to develop long-term solutions that strengthen food security and resilience in the face of future challenges.

PROVIDING FOOD SECURITY IN ROMANIA. CHALLENGES AND FINANCING

In the current geopolitical context, food security has become once again a very important target. The paper presents Romania’s current situation, analysed on the basis of GFSI (Global Food Security Index) developed by Economist Intelligence Unit/ Economist Impact (EIU). The guarantee of an objective analysis is to examine the Romanian food security situation based on the interpretation of indicators that are recognised at international level. Food security in Romania is challenged by the current socio-economic context like in many other EU member states. The major challenge is the European strategies aiming at a greener agriculture according to the European Green Deal. This is reflected in the way the agricultural sector is financed, meaning a greener CAP budget

A comprehensive analysis of food insecurity in the drought-prone rural areas of Tigray.

The number of globally food-insecure people is increasing since 2017. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest proportion of severely food-insecure people in the world. Tigray region of Ethiopia is one of the food-insecure regions, which, over the past many decades has been affected by recurrent food insecurities. In the drought-prone rural areas of Tigray, many people are living under the condition of chronic hunger. Proper food security studies are vital for proper intervention mechanisms. Yet, previous food security studies have rarely addressed the four pillars of food security: availability, access, utilization, and stability. In this study, all components are duly considered to assess the food insecurity status in the drought-prone rural areas of Tigray, Ethiopia. Of the 34 rural districts in Tigray, 363 households from three drought-prone rural districts were studied. Household Food Insecurity Access Scale and Food Insecurity Experience Scale were adapted to measure the food availability, access to food, and stability components of food security; and, Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), Food Consumption Score (FCS), mid-upper arm circumference, and Bitot's spot were used to analyze the food utilization aspect. Findings show that 68% of the studied community frequently ate less food than they felt they needed and 82.1% of the households have experienced hunger because of lack of food. The study rural districts were unconnected to road networks; hence, 87.9% of the elderly and 20.4% of the women and girls had no access to food markets. Regarding the food utilization, 81.5% of the studied households had poor FCS; and the average HDDS and FCS for the study areas were 2.47 and 18.9, respectively. The prevalence of Global acute malnutrition, severe acute malnutrition (SAM), and moderate acute malnutrition (MAM) for 6-59months of age children in the study areas were 50.3, 4.2, and 46.1%, respectively. More notably, the prevalence of SAM for children from the food-insecure households was 21.2%. The prevalence of MAM for pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the study areas was 59.5. Further, the prevalence of Bitot's spot among 6-59months of age children was 1.9%. On the other hand, all the rural households had anxiety about their future food demands. The rural households living in the studied areas were critically food-insecure. All the measurements implied that the food insecurity situation in the study areas was unacceptably worrisome and life-threatening. This calls for an instant action to avert the occurrence of famine and starvation in the drought-prone rural areas of Tigray region. Thus, interventions should primarily target the vulnerable rural people and need to be planned based on attaining food availability first rather than concurrently addressing all components of food security. Further, due emphasis should be given to diversifying livelihood strategies of the vulnerable villagers.

Empowering Economic Development: A Case Study Analysis of Agricultural Commodity Production in Nepal's Local Markets with a Focus on Farmers and Traders (2021/ 22)

For economic development, Agriculture is the ultimate source of production to survive and manage economy and market system both. Nepal is divers with full of opportunities from the agriculture productions with three distinct geography such as hill, mountains and terai. This study aims to find out the role of consumable agriculture production in the economic development of Nepal. A mixed method approach is planned to conduct this research following the secondary data from the Government of Nepal that cross verified with the traders, farmers and various Key Informant persons using primary data collection tools. Study was conducted during 2022-23 and farmers and traders' data from all seven provinces were contracted and interviewed. The results shows that the role of agriculture production plays a vital role managing food security and economic situation of the Country. The local production is not enough to meet the requirement of Nepal. Import from India, China and Other countries supporting and meeting the requirement so the peoples. The study concluded as the GDP value of the local Production significantly plays a role in the positive development of Nations for the growth and sustainability. However, the local production is the ultimate way out to manage long-term sustainability in the study. Researcher suggesting instead of imports from neighbor country. A local production and traders' management is recommending managing local food production availability as well as growth in economic development.

Post-harvest monitoring and crop production assessment in Nertiti locality of Central Darfur State-Sudan

Crop productivity has declined all over the world due to weak investments in agricultural research, which negatively impact food production as well as food security situation. The purpose of this study is to explore the connection between post-harvest monitoring and food production security in Nertiti locality of Central Darfur state during 2012/2103 cropping rainy season. Descriptive statistical analysis by using Statistical Package for the Several Sciences (SPSS) was run. Three villages (Eraideeba, Salakoya and Rijlaldelaiba) were randomly selected. A total of 1600 (men & women) of beneficiary household head were targeted in the entire study area. Clustered random sampling technique applied. Crop harvest chick list and Focus Group Discussion were administered at the beneficiary and community level for planted areas, agricultural production and the effect on food and seed security. Due to, 20 households head randomly selected from each village. A total of 60 household head (40 men and 20 women) selected for chick list in addition to 15 household head for Focus Group discussion (10 men and 5 women) to represent the whole study area. Results of Statistical analysis related to crop yields indicated that the average yields of sorghum, millet and groundnut among improved seeds beneficiary managed farms exceed other traditional farms by 22%, 47% and 55%. Production at community level revealed that, Rijalldelaiba village gave highest millet production (1740 metric tons), Salakoyaproduced1409.4 metric tons of sorghum and Eriadeeba village gave 456 metric tons ofgroundnuts. Households also assessed that, their cultivated area increased by 33%, 50% same, while 17% said decreased. Group discussion and individual interview results related to food security and crop utilization showed that, food and seed security for 12 month is good, production covers consumption food for 8-12 month, the adopted coping strategies for the remaining 4 month were livestock sale, daily labor, migration, firewood collection, charcoal and bricks making. Regarding the crop utilization, the majority of respondents reported that, 50% left their by-products on the field, 27% used as animal fodder and 23% stored. A focus group discussion result addresses constraints of, problems of security, storage facilities, packing materials, marketing problems, extension services and inadequate improved seeds. Monitoring reached recommendation of, provision of improved seeds, training, marketing facilities and packing inputs.

Optimism in dire times: The buffering role of optimism in the relationship between food insecurity and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Considering the need to gain a deeper understanding of the protective factors associated with coping with food insecurity, specifically in times of severe prolonged stress, the current longitudinal study seeks to examine the role of optimism in the relationship between food insecurity and adverse mental health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. A three-wave longitudinal study involving 1921 Israeli adults was performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants completed questionnaires assessing food insecurity, anxiety, depression, optimism, and socio-demographic characteristics. To explore the relationship between food insecurity and symptoms of anxiety and depression, as well as the moderating role of optimism in this relationship, we employed a set of panel regression models with individual fixed effects. Our results indicate that the degree and change in food insecurity over time were positively associated with both anxiety and depression symptoms, whereas the degree and change in optimism were negatively correlated. Optimism was found to moderate the association between food insecurity and anxiety symptoms over time, but not the association between food insecurity and depression symptoms. A subgroup analysis revealed that optimism moderated the relationship between food insecurity and anxiety and depression for women, but not for men; for married/coupled individuals but not for singles; for non-parents with regard to anxiety, and for parents with regard to depression. Our results highlight the need to practice and enhance optimism in times of great despair, uncertainty, and hardship, especially in situations of food insecurity where tangible change may take time.

A Multidimensional Analysis of Food Security, Health and Ecological Situation

Demand for food is progressively becoming challenging for ever increasing population worldwide. Majority of the discussion have focused on growing crop yield which has continuously sustained a vital approach to lessen food insecurity. Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that adequate food is presently produced per capita to nourish the population worldwide but yet a reasonable population suffers from food insecurity especially in under-developed republics. Fulfillment of upcoming food request will be more intricate by harmful variations in climate and other ecological influences, global climate change. This current paper presents true picture of a food systems method to investigate the multifaceted food security arena and highlights numerous substitutes to cop up this situation. These encompass (i) giving a outline for organizing discussions intended at increasing food security and recognizing the variety of interested parties who should be intricate; (ii) participating studies of the complete network of food system doings starting from crop harvesting to consumption of the produced food by those of the food security results i.e. continuous supply chain over yearly, consumption and accessibility rather tan merely focusing on crop production (iii) serving to both evaluate the effects of global ecological conservation on food systems and find responses to the earth system from food system activities; (iv) helping to identify intervention points for enhancing food security and examining interactions and trade-offs between bionetwork facilities and food security, and community welfare results of diverse adaptation paths; and motivation of health-care institution for augmentation of human health services (v) pinpointing where innovative study is desired.

Body mapping as a site to negotiate eating struggles and food insecurity for street-involved and homeless youth

Inspired by critical trauma and embodiment theories, this study aims to illustrate how an arts-based approach such as body mapping assists in exploring the lived experiences of youth, potentially serving as a trauma-informed approach. This qualitative study collaborated with street-involved and homeless youth (SIHY) who have eating struggles while living in situations of food insecurity and other forms of oppression. Eleven participants partook in three individual face-to-face interview sessions and one arts-based body map activity, respectively, at a local SIHY resource centre in a metropolitan city in Canada. Guided by Interpretative Phenomenological Approach (IPA), our findings illustrated how body mapping (1) enabled a deepened understanding of SIHY’s eating struggles as both a form of suffering and an embodied means of coping with food insecurity and other systemic and relational trauma(s); (2) provided a transformative experience leading to greater self-compassion and healing; and (3) served as a trauma-informed method that fostered choice and validation. We attest that, as a creative and supportive clinical and research tool, body mapping taps into the unspoken, expressive, embodied, and somatic aspects of eating struggles, food insecurity, poverty, and other forms of oppression deepening knowledge and informing social work research and practice.