Food Security and Sustainability: Comparative Analysis Report

This report analyzes the concept of food security and sustainability, examining factors influencing food availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. It summarizes an article discussing the importance of food security, emphasizing the difference between food (what we want) and nutrition (what we need). The report compares this article with another, highlighting their contrasting approaches to achieving food security: increasing food production versus modifying consumption habits. It delves into the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, considering the impact on the agriculture sector, the economy, and human evolution. The analysis expands knowledge by offering different perspectives on food systems, encouraging critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions related to food security and sustainability.

Running Head: FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY
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FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

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Table of Contents
Summary of the published article..............................................................................................3
How is the analysis of the article relevant for comparison with Task 1 part A?.......................4
Comparison between the two articles........................................................................................4
Strengths and weakness of Article 1......................................................................................4
Strengths and weakness of Article 2......................................................................................5
How both the articles helped in expanding my knowledge?......................................................6

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Summary of the published article
The article talks about the idea of “food security and sustainability”, and suggests the ways of
how it can be achieved. As per the article, food security is a state whereby, all the people at
all the times have complete access to sufficient and primarily nutritious food. There are 4
major factors that influence the food security which have been determined below’.
 Availability
 Accessibility
 Utilization and
 Stability
Food availability is directly linked with food production, that is, in turn, dependent on the
agriculture system. However, food security is not dependent on agriculture alone, but also on
various environmental factors like institutions, technologies, consumer preferences, changing
lifestyles, climate & cultures, and especially the practices that govern the processing and
distribution of food1.
This is so because there is a strong co-relation between “food” security and “nutrition”
security. Here, it is important to know the difference between the two terms. Food is anything
we want to eat, whereas nutrition is something that we need. Simply speaking, food is the
“want” of an individual, whereas nutrition is the “need” of the individual. Therefore, the
solution lies in meeting the “nutritional needs” of the people. For this to achieve, changes in
both, food production and food consumption, have to be brought in. Between production and
consumption, there lie several other activities such as, processing of food, food packaging,
and food distribution/retailing2.
1 "Food Security And Sustainability", Edx (Webpage, 2019) https://www.edx.org/xseries/food-security-
sustainability
2 Sanjay raina, "Editorial Note: Soil Health – A Boon To Sustainability And Food Security" (2018)
1(2) Pesticides and Bio Fertilizers.

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While production is directly dependent on the agriculture, consumption depends on all the
other environmental factors , like accessibility to food, eating patterns, food choice etc. which
are again influenced by factors like the geography, demography, disposable income, socio –
economic status etc. However, these factors also keep changing with time owing to increase
in human population, which is expected to reach to 9 billion by the year 2050. As a result of
increase in population and changing consumption patterns, food demand also tends to
increase. In order to take care of the food demand, we can either 1. Increase the area under
agriculture, 2. Increase the productivity of the land using modern techniques, 3. Improve the
food distribution system, or 4. “Modify the consumption habits”. The best solution to food
security, however, lies in shifting our focus from achieving the “maximum” consumption to
achieving the “optimum” level of consumption.
How is the analysis of the article relevant for comparison with Task 1 part A?
Talking about relevancy, it is important to note that both the tasks revolve around the same
subject that is “Food security and Sustainability”. However, as both the articles follow
entirely different approaches towards the same problem, it makes sense to make a comparison
between the two.
Comparison between the two articles
After having studied both the articles, one can make a fair comparison between them through
listing down the strengths and weaknesses of each.
Strengths and weakness of Article 1
According to the first article, the solution to food security is - to increase food production,
rather than reforming policies, as different policies offer conflicting analysis. For eg: During
the year 2007-2008 crisis, a policy was made - to increase the prices of the food, which

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resulted in - the “under- consumption” of food, and not the “optimum” consumption of the
same, which was aimed at. Therefore, the best solution according to their analysis is to shift
the focus onto the agriculture sector. By strengthening the agriculture sector, there will be
more production and more employment. Also, modern techniques can be employed to
improve the productivity of the land. This will raise the standard of living of the farmers,
which ultimately adds to the GDP and the prosperity of nation, as agriculture sector is
fundamental to the growth of the economy, whereas the Article 2 has the different approach
altogether3.
However, at the same time, by focusing more on the agriculture sector, the other Industries
may suffer from a sharp decline. This may again have a negative impact on the economy, as
with the changing times, it is imperative to maintain a balance amongst all of the aspects
responsible for the modernisation.
Strengths and weakness of Article 2
As per the second article, the solution to food security is – to change our production as well
as consumption patterns. In very simple words, article 2 talks about focusing on the
“nutritious needs” of the humans instead of the “wants”. This is good in a way that it will
help preserve the natural resources, the flora & the fauna. Through cutting down on meat
consumption, spending less on junk, and by realising what we need rather than what we want,
we shall be able to lead a better and a healthier lifestyle4.
However, the drawback of this approach is pretty much the same. Evolution is another
important concept which has been studied widely. If we only focus on our “needs”, human
race will not be able to move ahead or evolve, which is again imperative for the nature of the
earth. If humans only focused on the need, various inventions and discoveries wouldn’t have
3 Joachim von Braun, "Bioeconomy – The Global Trend And Its Implications For Sustainability And
Food Security" (2018) 19 Global Food Security.
4 "Goal 2: Zero Hunger - United Nations Sustainable Development", United Nations Sustainable
Development (Webpage, 2019) <https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/>.

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taken place5. Today, man can land on moon, communicate to anyone around the globe, reach
anywhere at any given point of time, watch live situations sitting far from that environment.
This has all been possible because of the concept of “want” or the “desire” of an Individual.
Therefore, wants cannot be overlooked, to compensate for the needs and this has been
described beautifully in the Article 2 in comparison to Article 1.
How both the articles helped in expanding my knowledge?
Each of these articles offers two contrasting views, of equal relevance and an in-depth
understanding of the food industry, it security as well as sustainability. The approach is
different in terms of the quality exposed by the consumer as well as needs and preferences.
By studying them both, in my opinion and understanding it enhanced my knowledge and the
ability to question. Earlier there were several facts which were unknown as seemed irrelevant
until the articles were studied thoroughly. The evolution of the important concepts has also
led to open my mind in different ways and intake the information like a curious reader6.
5 Tiziano Gomiero, "Soil Degradation, Land Scarcity And Food Security: Reviewing A Complex
Challenge" (2016) 8(3) Sustainability.
6 Carolin Callenieus, "Food And Nutrition Security And Sustainability Transitions In Food
Systems", Wiley Online Library (Webpage, 2019)
<https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fes3.154>.

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References
"Food Security And Sustainability", Edx (Webpage, 2019)
<https://www.edx.org/xseries/food-security-sustainability>
raina, Sanjay, "Editorial Note: Soil Health – A Boon To Sustainability And Food Security"
(2018) 1(2) Pesticides and Bio Fertilizers
von Braun, Joachim, "Bioeconomy – The Global Trend And Its Implications For
Sustainability And Food Security" (2018) 19 Global Food Security
Gomiero, Tiziano, "Soil Degradation, Land Scarcity And Food Security: Reviewing A
Complex Challenge" (2016) 8(3) Sustainability
"Goal 2: Zero Hunger - United Nations Sustainable Development", United Nations
Sustainable Development (Webpage, 2019)
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/hunger/
Callenieus, Carolin, "Food And Nutrition Security And Sustainability Transitions In Food
Systems", Wiley Online Library (Webpage, 2019)
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/fes3.154