Factors and assessment of food security
Ecology • Food production (biology only)
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Key concepts
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Definition and core idea
Food security describes a situation in which people have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet dietary needs. Food insecurity occurs when food quantity, quality or access is inadequate. Historical population growth and recent trends demonstrate that the balance between available food and population demand determines security at local, national and global scales .
Increasing birth rate and population growth
Rising population increases total food demand because more individuals require calories and nutrients. Higher demand intensifies pressure on arable land, freshwater supplies and energy used for farming, which can reduce per capita food availability when production or distribution does not increase at the same rate . Population rises also increase vulnerability to price shocks: a small reduction in supply or rise in production costs can affect far more people and trigger food shortages or social unrest .
Changing diets and their effects
Shifts from plant-based diets toward higher meat and dairy consumption increase pressure on food systems because livestock production requires more land, water and energy per unit of dietary energy. Demand for protein-rich foods drives intensified farming and expansion of feed-crop production, which reduces land available for direct human food crops and can increase global competition for staple grains, influencing prices and availability.
Environmental changes as biological factors
Climate change, altered rainfall patterns and extreme weather events reduce crop yields by causing droughts, floods and heat stress. New pests and pathogens can spread into weakened crops and livestock, causing crop failure or livestock disease outbreaks. Environmental degradation, such as soil nutrient loss or reduced pollinator numbers, limits productive capacity and therefore reduces food security .
Limiting factors for food production
Key limiting factors include availability of arable land, freshwater supply, energy for fertilisers and machinery, soil fertility, and biodiversity (including pollinators). Competition for land from urban expansion or biofuel crops reduces land for food. Water scarcity and pollution restrict irrigation and crop growth. Loss of biodiversity and pollinators reduces yields for many crops, lowering overall food production capacity .
Interpreting population and food production statistics
Quantitative data such as total production (tonnes), yield per hectare, and population size allow calculation of per capita food availability and trends over time. Graphical tools-time-series line graphs, per capita bar charts and scatter plots-reveal whether production growth matches or exceeds population growth. Categorical data, such as regions or diet types, require comparison of rates and proportions to identify areas at risk of insecurity .
Evaluating food security from data
Evaluation requires comparing production trends with population growth and assessing distribution and access. Rising total production with faster population growth indicates declining per capita availability. Stable production with rising population signals increasing vulnerability. Price data and socio-economic indicators, such as numbers below the poverty line, provide context for access and affordability; small production shocks can cause large changes in the number of people affected .
Key notes
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