Ensuring food production in developing markets

11 Jul 12

Food security is a deep, multifaceted issue and one which is high on the global agenda. The Risk Talk on food security in emerging markets addressed the underlying causes of food insecurity and some of the measures that could be undertaken to counteract these weaknesses.

The concept of food security

Food security is a situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Currently around one billion people have insufficient food to eat. The highest proportion of hunger sufferers, at around 35%, is in Sub Saharan Africa. Bad harvests and sharp spikes in prices, as occurred in 2007-8, can push many more people over the edge. Moreover, the global population is growing, expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. To feed these hungry mouths, global agricultural output will have to increase substantially.