Food Security (Global Perspective Final Project)
Food Security (Global Perspective Final Project)
Food Security (Global Perspective Final Project)
INTRODUCTION
This report is written to outline the issue of food insecurity in Myanmar and possible course
of actions towards it, in terms of national, local and personal efforts. The information and
statistics in this have been extracted from reliable sources, such as reports from the United
Nations, IFPRI and WFP organisations.
ISSUE
Food Insecurity is an uprising major concern
all over the world, affecting an increasing
number of people each year. For instance, an
astonishing incline of over 4 percent can be
seen between 2022 (11%) and 2014 (7.7%)
according to Statista. Today, the World Food
Security Outlook has reported that despite
having undergone a marginal improvement,
the risks of short-term food insecurity are yet
projected to reach 956 million by 2028.
Nonetheless, these have only had a marginal effect on the country’s overall food insecurity,
predominantly worsening in most parts of Myanmar. For instance, as of April 2022-23, more
than 3% of Burmese households have suffered from “moderate to severe” hunger. These
statistics have led to a conclusion that more actions need to be taken for sweeping changes.
A prominent method is to adopt the potato crop system. In many countries, today, potatoes
have been widely cultivated due to its versatility and adaptability, thereby enhancing food
accessibility, usage and quality. Its high productive rate and capacity to supply nutrition and
to grow in different cropping structures could also consequently diminish food insecurity.
[Devaux, A., Goffart, JP., Kromann, P. et al., 2021]
Another strategy is to reduce food wastes which can not only stabiles food availability, but
can also lower the strain placed upon land and water resources. This ideology is likely to
be indeed reliable, deducing from a study conducted in the World Resources Institute that
explained a massive food loss of over 1 billion tonnes,
equating to “24% of world’s food supply being wasted
uneaten.”
Nonetheless, more can be done to undertake the issue of food insecurity. For example, local
farmers could foster practices of crop rotations and organic farming. These were proven
beneficial during the Agricultural Revolution when this technique was first introduced and
became widely exploited due to its high agricultural productivity and ability to enhance soil
fertility [Fun Biology].
However, food security also regards the nutritious quality of people’s diets, to which can be
often attended by the foundation of schools that integrate nutrition education.
Personal Level
In a personal perspective, there are, likewise, insurmountable
measures one could take by themselves as in the report from
EIT Food. For instance, at their own homes, they can lower
unnecessary food waste, and rather share it with beggars and homeless on the streets or
keep them fresh for the next day. On the other hand, it is concurrently important not to
overuse the food resources as it could rapidly endanger the availability of the country’s
natural resources.
CITATIONS
Myanmar Agricultural Policy Support Activity (2023) The state of food security and nutrition
in Myanmar 2022-23: Findings from five rounds of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey
[Online] https://www.ifpri.org/publication/state-food-security-and-nutrition-myanmar-2022-23-
findings-five-rounds-myanmar#:~:text=Overall%2C%20the%20state%20of%20food,and
%20Kayin%20(5.9%20percent) (Accessed Date: 01/ 02/2024)
Andree, B., Lee, K., Ahmed, H., Dearborn, J. (29/ 01/ 2024) Food security trends in 2024
and beyond [Online] https://blogs.worldbank.org/agfood/food-security-trends-2024-and-
beyond (Accessed Date: 01/ 02/ 2024)
United Nations Myanmar (08/ 06/ 2024) Responding to Myanmar’s growing food security
crisis [Online] https://myanmar.un.org/en/185217-responding-myanmar%E2%80%99s-
growing-food-security-crisis (Accessed Date: 05/ 02/ 2024)
Goodwin, L. (20/ 04/ 2024) Food Loss and Waste, and How to Do It [Online]
https://www.wri.org/insights/reducing-food-loss-and-food-waste
(Accessed Date: 05/ 02/ 2024)
Sabhadiya, A. (n.d) What Role Did Crop Rotation Play In The Agricultural Revolution?
[Online] https://www.funbiology.com/what-role-did-crop-rotation-play-in-the-agricultural-
revolution/#google_vignette (Accessed Date: 09/ 02/ 2024)
EIT Food (03/ 07/ 2024) 4 ways to tackle food insecurity [Online]
https://www.eitfood.eu/blog/4-ways-to-tackle-food-insecurity#:~:text=Here%20are
%204%20ways%20to,activism%20and%20supporting%20vulnerable%20populations.
(Accessed Date: 09/ 02/ 2024)
Devaux, A., Goffart, JP., Kromann, P., Andrade-Piedra, J., Polar, V., Hareau, G.
(24/ 07/ 2021) The Potato of the Future: Opportunities and Challenges in Sustainable Agri-
food Systems [Online] https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11540-021-09501-4
(Accessed Date: 09/ 02/ 2024)