We’ve all witnessed the spring and summer temperature highs and lows this year, with weather swings up and down in quick succession from below seasonal to above seasonal. News of global flooding occurs more frequently, dramatically touching us recently in Calgary and Toronto. Weather events give credence and prompt personal wondering and perhaps worrying about the impending impact of climate change.
Daily newscasts alert us to the on-going phenomenon of unusual weather patterns. “Global weather patterns seem to get stranger and stranger with each passing year. Almost every day now, the news is telling us about some bizarre weather event that hasn’t happened ‘in 100 years’ going on in some area of the globe.” Michael Snyder American Dream June 5, 2013
A thought provoking article, entitled Food shortage looms for entire world, by the world published independent journalist Gwynne Dwer appeared in the Saturday, June 20, 2013 issue of the London Free Press in its comment section. In his article, Gwynne Dwer’s asserts, in a reader friendly manner, how extreme weather threatens the world’s food supply.
One of the best definitions of food security is provided by The Food and Agricultural Organization. The FAO is a specialized UN organization whose mission is to defeat hunger defines food security.
“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical, [social] and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. (FAO, 1996). The term “Social” was added to the 1996 definition in 2002.