Global Food Problems: A quick overview and economic perspective

• In today’s world do we still have famines and starvation?

• What is chronic malnutrition and where does it occur?

• Is there an economic framework for assessing risk?

• Are there economic benefits of food security and nutritional wellbeing?

Starvation

• Where?• Why?• Why not?

Chronic malnutrition• Types• How many?• Where?

Food Security is an economic concept

• Food security is “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.” Reutlinger et al. 1986

• {HH food consumption needs – HH food production} x Price of food ≤ Income and liquid assets available to purchase food– Global food supply and demand determine price

There are economic -- in addition to humanitarian –benefits of food security

• Enhanced physiological capital is a major source of economic growth (Robert Fogel)– Due to improvements in nutrition and sanitation– Thermodynamic effect: more calories mean more

workers, and more intense effort– Physiological effect: more efficient conversion of energy into work output