Food insecurity as experienced by individuals and households is often argued to be the result of a lack of access and entitlement to available food resources. This essay examines this thesis by looking at the examples of Yemen and South Sudan.
Table of Contents
1. Food insecurity - a lack of access and entitlement to available food resources - Yemen and South Sudan case study.
Objectives & Topics
The primary objective of this study is to analyze the causes and consequences of food insecurity in Yemen and South Sudan, examining how conflict, economic instability, and the collapse of traditional livelihood strategies exacerbate the entitlement failure of vulnerable populations.
- The theoretical foundations of food security and entitlement concepts.
- The impact of civil conflict and war on food systems and infrastructure.
- The role of economic factors such as inflation, poverty, and loss of purchasing power.
- Humanitarian consequences, specifically concerning child malnutrition and public health crises.
- The cycle of poverty, conflict, and food insecurity in the Global South.
Excerpt from the Book
Food insecurity - a lack of access and entitlement to available food resources - Yemen and South Sudan case study.
In order to fully understand the concept of food insecurity one should start from reflecting on the opposite of it. The most comprehensive definition of food security is provided by the World Health Organization. According to it “food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (World Food Summit, 1996). The above definition encompasses the concept of food entitlement introduced by Amartya Sen. This concept argues that hunger and sufficient food supply may coexist independently (Sen, 1981 cited in Young, 2012). Sen argues that it is not about the food availability around, but about the ability of an individual or a household, i.e. a group of individuals residing in the same dwelling, to acquire a sufficient diet. This can be done in various ways.
In the context of the Global South, how much food an individual or a household can access depends on their ability to produce food for own consumption (physical access) or to earn income (economic access). While the physical access depends mainly on assets such as land, water, labour, equipment, know-how, and capital, the economic access is conditioned upon purchasing power and income generating activities. A combination of activities undertaken to secure the food access is called a livelihood strategy (Scoones, 1998). The context in which people live is crucial for shaping the latter. This context, however, is not stable but highly dynamic due to more or less predictable trends, seasonality and unexpected shocks that can undermine the livelihood sustainability when it comes to coping with and recovering from stresses and shocks as well as maintaining its capabilities and assets. All these factors may lead to food insecurity.
Summary of Chapters
Food insecurity - a lack of access and entitlement to available food resources - Yemen and South Sudan case study.: This chapter provides an introduction to the theoretical framework of food security and entitlement, highlighting the impact of conflict and economic shocks on food access in Yemen and South Sudan.
Keywords
Food insecurity, Entitlement failure, Yemen, South Sudan, Civil conflict, Humanitarian crisis, Malnutrition, Livelihood strategy, Economic instability, Poverty, Public health, Famine, Displacement, Agriculture, Humanitarian assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the drivers and systemic impacts of severe food insecurity in the context of ongoing conflicts in Yemen and South Sudan, utilizing the concept of food entitlement as a central analytical lens.
What are the primary thematic fields covered?
The work covers themes such as international food policy, the intersection of civil war and economic collapse, the failure of livelihood strategies, and the specific humanitarian challenges of malnutrition in conflict-affected regions.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to explain why food insecurity persists in these specific nations by analyzing how conflict acts as a catalyst for the collapse of physical and economic access to food resources.
What methodology does the author employ?
The author employs a comparative case study approach, analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from international organizations like the FAO, WFP, and the World Bank to assess the deteriorating conditions in Yemen and South Sudan.
What topics are discussed in the main body of the work?
The main body details the evolution of civil unrest into prolonged warfare, the depletion of societal coping mechanisms, the impact of rising food prices, and the subsequent health crises, including cholera and acute child malnutrition.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include food insecurity, entitlement failure, civil conflict, malnutrition, and humanitarian crisis.
How does the conflict in Yemen specifically impact food access?
The conflict in Yemen has caused a complete breakdown of essential services, the collapse of social welfare programs, and a blockade that prevents the flow of food and agricultural inputs, rendering economic access for the population nearly impossible.
What is the role of agriculture in South Sudan's food insecurity crisis?
As South Sudan is predominantly rural, the destruction of rural livelihoods, disruption of agricultural production cycles, and the displacement of farmers have directly decimated the primary sources of food for the vast majority of the population.
What is the connection between poverty and conflict mentioned in the text?
Citing Paul Collier, the text notes that poverty is a fundamental driver of conflict; low-income countries face a significantly higher risk of civil war, which then further exacerbates poverty and food insecurity in a vicious cycle.
How have international humanitarian agencies responded to the situation?
The text notes that while agencies like the FAO and WFP provide essential, life-saving ad hoc assistance, such measures only mitigate the immediate effects and do not address the root cause, which requires a cessation of hostilities and political negotiations.
- Quote paper
- Weronika Krawczyk (Author), 2017, Food insecurity. A lack of access and entitlement to available food resources, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/421548
