Food security and global security - IEEE

Santos Castro FernándezIntroductioneconomic exercise; as just another industry amongst the myriad of sectors in acomplex economy.Agriculture, as well as producing food, supplying animal feed, providingfibres, biofuels, medicinal and ornamental plants, also has other essentialfunctions of a social and environmental nature that guarantee stability. There iseven a cultural side to agriculture, as well as other aspects that cannot easily beincluded in standard accounting practices and which are usually deemed mere«externalities» to the system.The multifunctional nature of agriculture is one of the reasons why the «price»and «value» of agricultural products do not necessarily match up. This makesit difficult to assess the cost/benefit relationship of agricultural practices andthe relative efficiency of different types of agriculture.And we must make one final recommendation. It is an appeal for balance, forcommon sense and for a broad and comprehensive approach to the problem;there is no single solution or universal fix. On the contrary, intelligent solutionsare required to different problems, each unique to their time and place in theworld.18The circumstances and history of each country, with their own evolution,cultural singularities, social and community systems, soil and climaticconditions, demographics or modes of economic development, are all uniqueand different, and thus responses to their food and agricultural problems mustalso be distinct. Sometimes different kinds of agricultural systems are at workin the same country, each requiring a distinct approach.The diversity of situations seen in so many countries, with vastly differingconditions, renders any attempt to impose a single mode of agriculture bothunrealistic and irresponsible. Too often inflexible thinking has led to situationsof ecological unsustainability and social degradation. The diversity ofagricultural systems must be protected and increased as a means of generatingpositive value and to provide an important buffer at times of change.A multitude of issues are raised when discussing the options and approaches tocombating hunger and achieving food security as a means of supporting globalsecurity. Therefore, this first Strategy Notes report on the subject, covers justa few of the issues raised in the wider debate. Many other highly importantfactors will have to be left for discussion at another opportunity.By way of a final conclusion, we would like to recap.Eliminating hunger from the face of the Earth is a difficult task, but one that iswithin the reach of this generation if firm political will is in place.