This brief paper will cover four points:The present food insecure situationA common understanding of food securityQuestions about the food security frameworkImmediate steps to shore up food securityHunger and food insecurityPeople are hungry. Food security requires working on poverty reduction for all sectors, not only those directly involved in food production and distribution. Achieving competitiveness in food items is more contentious and has been at the root of the food security and food sufficiency debate. Food access by individuals and families is determined by food prices and food purchasing power (individual and family incomes), while food availability depends on the capacity of food producers to provide staples and common food items, including vegetables, fruits, fish, eggs, meat, etc. The debate between food security and food sufficiency has unnecessarily narrowed the understanding and strategy toward availability of and access to food.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer May 14, 2021 11:52 UTC