FOOD SECURITY
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the UN defines food security as the ideal in which all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Improving food security thus requires improving the three interrelated elements of food availability, access and utilisation.
WHAT IS FOOD SECURITY?
Globally almost one billion people lack sufficient food, yet more than two billion suffer from obesity and food-related diseases such as diabetes and heart disease.
How much economic access households have to available food supplies depends heavily on their income.
How well they utilise the food that is accessible to them depends on their knowledge and willingness to ensure a healthy and nutritious diet for all household members.
- Despite Australia’s reputation as a wealthy country food insecurity is a reality for an increasing number of people:
- In 2019 more than one in five Australians (21%) have been in a situation where they have run out of food and been unable to buy more.
- More than one in four women in Australia (27%) have experienced food insecurity in the last 12 months. This compares to 18% of men.
- At least once a week, around half of food insecure people skip a meal (55%) or cut down on the size of their meals to make their food go further (50%).
- At least once a week, three in ten food insecure Australians (30%) go a whole day without eating.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Students at Hurlstone Agricultural High School put food security into perspective
Students at The Lakes College a Youth off the Streets school ask have you ever thought about what a farmer thinks
FOOD SECURITY RESOURCES
Food Security and Global Farming
The CSIRO are working on integrated solutions that will provide sustainable diets for all amid global challenges.
The Australian Government invests in agriculture and food security through a mix of global, regional and bilateral initiatives.
ACIAR is a world leader in agricultural research. Australian scientists are encouraged and supported to use their skills for the benefit of partner countries while at the same time contributing to solutions to meet Australia’s own agricultural challenges.
Food Security and the Community
Foodbank is Australia’s largest food relief organisation, operating on a scale that makes it crucial to the work of the front line charities who are feeding vulnerable Australians. Foodbank provides more than 70% of the food rescued for food relief organisations nation-wide.
- The Red Cross is working with communities to address the three pillars of food security:
- food availability
- food access
- food utilisation.
OzHarvest collects quality excess food from commercial outlets and delivering it directly to more than 1300 charities supporting people in need across the country.
The incredible story of OzHarvest Founder and CEO Ronni Kahn is the focus of ‘Food Fighter’ – an independent documentary available for screenings now.
The inspirational film follows Ronni for 2.5 years on her mission to tackle food waste and feed those in need, both in Australia and abroad.
Food Fighter is a powerful insight into what it takes to positively disrupt and be a change-maker for good, and provides a raw insight into Ronni’s ongoing commitment to people and planet and the forces that motivate her.
Food Fighter is now available for private licensed screenings! Support Ronni in her fight against food waste by hosting a viewing of Food Fighter, and help spread the word on how we can all be part of the solution to stop food waste.
For all enquiries email foodfighter@ozharvest.org
