Africa-Press – Eswatini. “Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world,” once said former United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Food security is recognised as a human right, yet millions of people around the world are denied this basic right due to climate change, conflicts and poverty, among many other contributing factors. This increases the factors that keep people in poverty. Notable is that Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1 is directly connected to food security, as poverty is one of the leading causes of food insecurity. By working to end poverty, Eswatini can help to ensure that everyone has access to the food they need in order to survive and thrive.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) reported that about 28 per cent of the population in Eswatini is food insecure.
This emphasises that a significant portion of the population does not have regular access to enough food to meet their basic nutritional needs. This has dire consequences to people’s health and well-being, especially the elderly, who are normally on medication that requires food. All the factors that lead to food insecurity need to be urgently evaluated to ensure the implementation of new solutions, which will drive food security in Eswatini. This will also determine the best ways to deal with food insecurity, thus resulting in a win-win situation for all and contributing towards the achievement of the SDGs; SDG 2 to be more precise, which focuses on achieving zero hunger by 2030.
Food security
Access to food, as defined by FAO, is when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. Food security consists of four key elements, which are availability, accessibility, utilisation and stability. Availability simply refers to the sufficient quantity of food being available to meet the needs of the population. In the context of Eswatini, availability would mean having enough food for all people in all four administrative regions, leaving no one behind. Accessibility is the ability of individuals to acquire food through financial or physical means. Moreover, by ‘utilisation’ in this context, we mean the ability of individuals to make use of the food that is available to them, including factors like health and sanitation. The last element is stability; and it refers to the need for consistent access to food over time. Together, all the above drivers ensure that people have access to safe and nutritious food at all times.
Challenges
Food insecurity is a serious issue as it has dire health consequences, including malnutrition and an increased risk of diseases. It can also cause environmental damage, as people may overuse natural resources in an effort to meet their needs. There are many causes of food insecurity in the country. Firstly, one major factor is poverty. About two-thirds of the Eswatini population lives below the poverty line and many struggle to get basic necessities of life like food, hence the issue of food insecurity. Moreover, another cause of food insecurity in the country is the lack of infrastructure. Many places, especially in rural areas, lack access to roads, electricity and clean water, making it quite difficult for people to grow and store food to sustain life. Climate change also has a huge impact on food security. For instance, extreme weather events, such as droughts and floods, can destroy crops and livestock, leading to a loss of food and income for farmers. All the factors mentioned above can lead to reduced food production and higher food prices, which makes it difficult for people to afford food.
Solutions
Addressing the challenges associated with food insecurity can help government reach the desired levels of food security in Eswatini. One important strategy is to increase agricultural productivity. This can be done through improved access to inputs like seeds, fertilisers and irrigation. This can surely make a difference and can contribute to increased food security.
Additionally, it would be wise to invest in improving the country’s infrastructure. Building more roads, storage facilities and other infrastructure will help farmers get their products to the markets and improve their livelihoods. Another important strategy is investing in programmes that address poverty, such as cash transfer programmes. These poverty alleviation programmes can help increase income and purchasing power, which can allow people to buy more food and meet their nutritional needs.
Lastly, a significant strategy is to improve access to social services, including healthcare and education. Improved healthcare can help reduce malnutrition and prevent disease, which can improve overall health and make it easier for people to work and earn an income. Improved education can lead to higher incomes and better job opportunities, which can also improve food security. In retrospect, it’s clear that food insecurity is a major issue that needs to be addressed urgently. Only by taking a multi-pronged approach can we hope to make a lasting impact on food insecurity in Eswatini, hence ensuring a food secure future for all.
Source: times
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