Achieving household nutrition security in societies in transition: an overview

The achievement of nutrition security at the household level involves adequacy of food supply at the national level and equitable distribution of food among the population in accordance with their physiological needs. The emergence of globalization and market liberalization and the increasing power of some transnational corporations that are advocating pharmaceutical shortcuts have raised concerns in many developing countries. In order to achieve adequacy of food production, earlier mistakes (such as a reliance on unsustainable new technologies) need to be corrected and the resultant imbalances with respect to food production need to be reversed. Emerging new technologies, including genetic modifications, need to be effectively harnessed and adapted with due consideration to safety and sustainability. There is a need to collect convincing evidence of the efficacy and safety of genetically modified foods before they can gain general public acceptance. Information technology will play an important role in future programmes of food production and developing countries must strive to achieve access to this technology. There is considerable scope and need for the expansion of agro-based industries in villages and townships. This could create job opportunities and could also lead to better production and more effective utilization of local food resources by the community and reduce the present considerable loss of perishable food items. Household nutrition security means more than avoidance of chronic starvation. Policy makers of developing countries should set, as their target in the next century, the achievement of adequate nutrition rather than mere survival.