What causes food insecurity?
Conflict, extreme weather, and economic shocks are among the primary factors contributing to food insecurity, and these factors are often interconnected and overlapping. People forced to flee their homes and lose their sources of income are among the most vulnerable groups.
Four main factors influence an individual's food security: utilization, access, availability, and stability.
Utilization includes individuals' ability to prepare food in hygienic conditions, which require access to fuel and clean water, and the body's ability to absorb nutrients. People living in remote areas or displaced by conflict or climate disasters may not be able to prepare food properly. Food utilization also includes the proper use of seeds to secure crops and animal feed, reducing post-harvest losses, and increasing surpluses for export.
Access to food can be hindered by crop losses due to extreme weather, high food prices due to inflation, or people's inability to access markets due to conflicts and disasters. Access can also be restricted by gender, ethnicity, or other factors.
Food availability can be affected by factors such as high import costs or inadequate transportation infrastructure. During conflict, essential materials like seeds and fertilizer become scarcer and more expensive, preventing farmers from planting crops even if they haven't been removed from their land. In many rural areas, this can directly impact large numbers of people, as locally grown produce is the main source of food. Conflict can also restrict the transportation of food to markets by road. Large-scale aid programs provided by governments, the World Food Programme, or civil society organizations can contribute to improving food availability and access through widespread distribution of food or vouchers that allow people to purchase food from approved stores.
Stability is a general element related to the consistency of the other three factors: utilization, access, and availability. For example, in Gaza, sudden disruptions in food access and availability have significantly exacerbated food insecurity.
