The World Food Programme has posted a recent article in which it estimates that the risk of hunger and malnutrition could increase by up to 20% by 2050. The percentage is huge and shocking and will definitely be disastrous on rural areas who don’t have a stable access to food. Climate change, along with other contributors, are causing a sharp risk of food insecurity. Climate change for people in Africa, Asia and Latin America means more frequent floods, greater catastrophes that will most probably distract the food system in these areas and therefore a greater food and nutrition crises. In response to this, WFP has developed The Food Insecurity and Climate Change Vulnerability Map, which helps to identify which regions are susceptible to fluctuations in food security, this map aims to guide public policy and decision makers to develop programs that build profound assistance strategies against hunger.
Most of these solutions are necessary but they can be short-term and are only put there for emergency situations. If we produce sustainable, locally grown foods that can be easily grown and taken care of by the people of a community then we are on a better level in the journey of food security. When planting locally, rural areas and areas that can’t be frequently and easily accessed can form a sort of self-independency. Transportation of food will not be as crucial, and people will be less dependent on the availability of transportation for their daily food intake. The idea of local food can be applied to anywhere in the world, making our own vegetables and fruits will be a very pleasant way to sustain our own environments.
Applied Plant Ecology Winter 2020 