F O O D A N D W A T E R
S E C U R I T Y
Lucie Konečná
GLCb2026 Africas Contemporary Security
Challenges
10/4/2024
Food Security - Definition
"Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic
access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and
food preferences for an active and healthy life." 1996 World Food Summit.
"Food insecurity, on the other hand, is defined by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a situation of "limited or uncertain
availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability
to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways."
4 Dimensions + 2 new dimensions (Agency and Sustainability).
From this definition, four main dimensions of food security can be identified:
Physical AVAILABILITY
of food
Food availability addresses the "supply side" of food security and is determined by the level of
food production, stock levels and net trade.
Economic and physical
ACCESS to food
An adequate supply of food at the national or international level does not in itself guarantee
household level food security. Concerns about insufficient food access have resulted in a greater
policy focus on incomes, expenditure, markets and prices in achieving food security objectives.
Food UTILIZATION Utilization is commonly understood as tfie way the body makes the most of various nutrients
in the food. Sufficient energy and nutrient intake by individuals is the result of good care and
feeding practices, food preparation, diversity of the diet and infra-household distribution of food.
Combined with good biological utilization of food consumed, this determines the nutritional status
of individuals.
STABILITY of the other
three dimensions over
time
Even if your food intake is adequate today, you are still considered to be food insecure if you have
inadequate access to food on a periodic basis, risking a deterioration of your nutritional status.
Adverse weather conditions, political instability, or economic factors [unemployment, rising food
prices) may have an impact on your food security status.
For food security objectives to be realized, all four dimensions must be fulfilled simultaneously.
Food Insecurity - Definition
Food security analysts have defined two general types of food insecurity:
CHRONIC FOOD INSECURITY TRANSITORY FCCD INSECURTY
is... long-term or persistent. short-term and temporary.
occurs
when...
people are unable to meet their minimum food
requirements over a sustained period of time.
there is a sudden drop in the ability to produce or
access enough food to maintain a good nutritional
status.
results
from...
extended periods of poverty, lack of assets and
inadequate access to productive or financial
resources,
short-term shocks and fluctuations in food availability
and food access, including year-to-year variations in
domestic food production, food prices and household
incomes.
can be
overcome
with...
typical long term development measures also used
to address poverty, such as education or access to
productive resources, such as credit. They may also
need more direct access to food to enable them to
raise their productive capacity.
transitory food insecurity is relatively unpredictable
and can emerge suddenly. This makes planning and
programming more difficult and requires different
capacities and types of intervention, including early
warning capacity and safety net programmes ( see
Box 1).
IPC - Integrated Food Security
Phase Classification
IPC Phase
Number
Phase Description
1 Generally Food Secure More than 80% of households can meet basic food needs without atypical coping strategies
2 Borderline Food Insecure
For at least 20 percent of households, food consumption is reduced but minimally adequate without having to
engage in irreversible coping strategies. These househo Ids cannot fully meet livelihoods protection needs.
•
Acute Food and
Livelihood Crisis
At least 20 percent of households have significant food consumption gaps OR are marginally able to meet
minimum food needs only with irreversible coping strategies such as liquidating livelihood assets. Levels of
acute malnutrition are high and above normal.
4 Humanitarian Emergency
At least 20 percent of households face extreme food consumption gaps, resulting in very high levels of acute
malnutrition and excess mortality: OR households face an extreme loss of livelihood assets that will likely
lead to food consumption gaps.
5
Fa min e/H u man itarian
Catastrophe
At least 20 percent of households face a complete lack of food and/or other basic needs and starvation,
death: and destitution are evident: and acute malnutrition prevalence exceeds 30%: and mortality rates
exceed 2/10000/day
unger in the World
Food Security - General Info
282.6 million people in Africa face hunger (2023).
Food security situation is determined by several drivers including conflicts,
climate variability and extremes, economic slowdowns and downturns, and the
unaffordability of healthy diets - poverty.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, FAO (1945).
World Food Programme (WFP), the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the United
Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of Food Security and Nutrition in
the World - SOFI
The biggest deterioration occurred between 2019 and 2020.
125.1 million people live in Eastern Africa, followed by Western Africa (75.2
million), Centra ™BLE1
, H .h „ „ thern
Africa (6.8 millic
TABLE 1
Prevalence of undernourishment (percent)
• 2000 2010 2014 2015 2019 2020 1
World 13.0 9.2 8.3 8.3 8.4 9.9
Africa 24.8 18.0 16.7 16.9 18.0 21.0
Central Africa 41.4 28.9 27.9 28.7 30,3 31.8
Eastern Africa 28.4 24.7 24.8 25.6 28.1
Northern Africa 9.2 . 7.3 5.9 6.1 6.4 7.1
Southern Africa b.S 6.2 6.8 7.5 7.6 10.1
Western Africa 16.9 11.3 11.6 11.5 12.9 18./
Food Security - FAO
FIGURE2
Prevalence of undernourishment
in Africa by subregion
4-j
2C00 20O2 2004 2006 2OOS: 2010 2012 2014 2016 2 CIS
2020
Central Africa
Angola
Cameroon
Central African Republic
Chad
Congo
Democratic Republic ofthe Congo
Gabon
Sao Tome and Principe
Eastern Africa
Djibouti
Ethiopia
Kenya
Madagascar
Malawi
Mauritius
Mozambique
Rwanda
Somalia
United Republic of Tanzania
Africa
Central Africa
Eastern Africa
Northern Africa
Southern Africa
^ ™ Western Africa
Food Security
Shared vision of humanity and a social contract between the world's leaders.
GOALS
I POVERTY
f * t t * T
7 AFF0R0ASLEAN0
CLEANENERGY
/ 1 \
10 CLIMATE
10 ACTION
SUSTAINABLE
8 DEVELOPMENT
17 GOALS TO TRANSFORM OUR WORLD
GOOD HEALTH • J QUALITY
ANDWELl-BttlG I 4 EDUCATION
C GENDER
0 EQUALITY
] I CIN I WORK AND
ECONOMIC GROWTH
III
M IH
BFIOWWHTEI
LIFE I 1C HIT
BEI OW WATER • IJ ON LAND
\ REDUCED
J INEQUALITIES
©
» PEACE. JUSTICE
J AND STRONG
INSTITUTIONS
PARTNERSHIPS
FDR THE GOALS
CLEAN WATER
ANO SANITATION
| Q RESPONSIBLE
\C CONSUMPTION
ANDPR0DUC1I0N
GO
SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
G O A L S
Q O Q O
mDevelop a global
partnership for
development
Q O Q O
mDevelop a global
partnership for
development
Eradicate extreme
poverty and hunger
I QP
Ensure environmental
sustainobility
Combat mv/Aids,
malaria and other
diseases
ÓAchieve universal
primary education
9Promote gender
equality and
empower women
Food Security - FAO
• The Food Insecurity Experience Scale - (FIES):
a) Moderate food insecurity (uncertain ability to obtain food and have been
forced to reduce, at times over the year, the quality and/or quantity of food
they consume due to lack of money or other resources.
b) Severe food insecurity (run out of food, experienced hunger and, at the
most extreme, have gone for days without eating)
so
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Africa Central Africa Eastern Africa Northern Africa Southern Africa Western Africa
• Severe food Insecurity • Moderate food insecurity
Food Security - FAO
• Food security and nutrition indicators:
a) Undernourishment
b) Food Insecurity Experience Scale
c) Stunting, wasting and overweight in children under five years of age
d) Low birthweight
e) Adult obesity
f) Anaemia in women of reproductive age
g) Exclusive breastfeeding
Global Food Security Index
Overall food security environment: the top- and bottom-ranking countries in 2022
Best performers 2022 score Weakest performers 2022 score
Finland 83.7 Syria 36.3
Ireland 817 Haiti 38.5
Norway 80,5 Yemen 40.1
France 30,2 Sierra Leone 40.5
Netherlands 80.1 Madagascar 40.6
Japan 79.5 Burundi 40.6
Canada 79,1 Nigeria 41
Sweden 79,1 Venezuela 42.6
United Kingdom 73.8 Sudan 42,8
Portugal 78,7 Congo (Dem, Rep.) 43
Global Food Security Index
Overall GF512022 scores, by region
In 2022, besides Sub-Saharan Africa, ati regions performed above the global average,
with North America leading the index.
Global North America
j'-'cragc
Source: Global Fööd Security Index 2022.
EL rope Asia Pacific Latin America Middle Eastand Sub-Saharan
North Africa A f ' k j
GFSI average overall score, global 2012-22
After climbing year on year between 2012 to 2018, the overall food security score has not improved since 2019.
6-
62
60
53
56L
2012 2013 2014
Sou res: Globa I Fond Security Index 2022.
20' S
2016 20'7 2018
2019 2020
2021 2022
Global Hunger Index
GHI score and Indicators Year* Countries Severity scale
• Around 20% of people in Africa are facing chronic hunger, compared with only 10% globally.
• Russia's war on Ukraine has exacerbated food supply problems, while climate change and the
pandemic have also contributed.
Global Hunger Index
Undernourishment Child stunting Child wasting
©Child mortality
• Measures inadequate food access, an important
indicator of hunger
• Refers to the entire population, both children
and adults
• Is used as a lead indicator for international
hunger targets, including Sustainable
Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger)
• Go beyond calorie availability, consider aspects of
diet quality and utilization
• Reflect children's particular vulnerability to
nutritional deficiencies
• Are sensitive to uneven distribution of food within
the household
• Are used as nutrition indicators for SDG 2 (Zero
Hunger)
• Reflects that death is the most serious
consequence of hunger, and children are
the most vulnerable
• Improves the GHTs ability to reflect
deficiencies of essential vitamins and
minerals
• Stunting and wasting only partially capture
the mortality risk of undernutrition
Land Grabbing: A New Challenge to
Global Food Security
Table 5.1 Recently Signed "Land Grab" Deals
investor Type of investor Target antrittx Fht size (ha)
Bahrain govei nmeni Philippines 10 0 0 0
China ])rivaic entity ( Z T l i ; l)k C o n ^ o 2 »00 0 0 0
C h i n a private emit) iZTly: 700 0 0 0
China gnvernmeni Zimbabwe 101 171
government Sudan Unspecified
(land to grow
2 million tons
ot*wheat annually:
India private companies l.iln. i| :t.r
)9 KKI
Ji >\ d.iii government Sudan 25 (KKI
J jl n;i iyivei limetil M a l i 100 (KK)
|jl>\ ;i ijivernmeni Ukraine 250 000
Qatar g m r r n m c n i Kenya 40
Qatar government Philippines 1 CK) IHK)
Sancli Arabia private company Sudan 9 2 0 0 - 1 0 117
Sou ih K o r e a private compaii)' Sudan (,'.>
Su itzci lam 1 private company Sierra LeOTJC 26 0 0 0
I \ K private company Klkhl.lll 324 (im
I \ K pmrrnment Sudan 37» (KKI
I K private compan)' Ukraine 100 (KK)
Land Grabs in Africa
Hectares
r*~l 2500 - 36520
I 1 36520 - 153200
I I 153200 - 348829
• 348329 - 673400
• 678400 - 4884779
No Data
Droughts in Eastern Africa
Two main rainy seasons per year: the so-called long rains from March-April to
May-June, the so-called short rains from October to December.
Eastern Africa has experienced severe weather in recent decades,
including intense droughts in 1996, 1998, 2005, 2011-2012, 2016-2017 and
2020-2023.
2023 - A total of 70 million people are exposed to some level of drought risk in
East Africa.
Drought and Famine 2011 - approx. 2 5 0 thousand deaths.
Causes of food crises and famine in the East African region:
a) Natural causes (Droughts, Soil Quality)
b) Social and demographic causes (Low agricultural productivity,
Poverty, AIDS, Environmental degradation, Population growth)
c) Economic and political-security causes (International trade,
Government policy/Government disinterest, Armed conflicts)
d) Climate change
Droughts in Eastern Africa
Estimate of al-Shabab controlled territory as of 2013
200 AM 600 SOfJ Homeland Security
^ ^ — ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ B Kill Policy Institute, 2013
Droughts in Eastern Africa
Figure 1 Precipitation deficit % compared to the reference period (1981-2020) for the period July
2020-June 2022 according to the ECMWF ERAS reanalysis (left pane!) and CHIRPS dataset
(right panel). Desert areas (based on cfimatofogy) and water bodies are masked out in ECMWF
ERAS reanalysis.
Water Security
• Broad vs. Narrow definition:
"Water security is the reliable availability of an acceptable quantity and quality of
water for health, livelihoods and production, coupled with an acceptable level of
water-related risks.,, Wolrd Bank
"Water security is defined as the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable
access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods,
human well-being , and socio-economic development, for ensuring protection
against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving
ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability" UN-Water
"Water security refers to the availability of water, in adequate quantity and quality, to
sustain all these needs together (social and economic sectors, as well as the larger
needs of the planet's ecosystems) - without exceeding its ability to renew.,, WWC
• World Water Council (WWC) and the Global Water Partnership (GWP).
• The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and
International Lakes (Water Convention) was adopted in Helsinki in 1992 and
entered into force in 1996.
• UN Water.
Water Scarcity
Water scarcity - lack of fresh water resources to meet the standard water demand.
Physical vs. economic water scarcity.
Water Conflicts
Water conflict is a term describing a conflict between countries, states, or groups
over the rights to access water resources.
Intrastate or interstate levels.
Water-related conflicts can be categorized:
A) Trigger
B) Weapon
C) Causality
A comprehensive online database of water-related conflicts—the Water Conflict
Chronology—has been developed by the Pacific Institute.
Transboundary water conflicts:
a) Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
b) Mekong basin (China and other Asian countries)
c) Dispute over water in the Nile Basin
Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
1959 - Agreement between Sudan and Egypt on the Full Utilization of the Nile Waters.
Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) 1999, Cooperative FrameworkAgreement (CFA) 2010.
Agreement on Declaration of Principles between The Arab Republic of Egypt, The
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia And The Republic of the Sudan On The Grand
Ethiopian Renaissance Dam Project (2015).
Water Conficts in Africa
1063 conflicts in a period 1958-2022, 366 trigger conflicts, 152 - more than 40%, took place in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Pacific Institute - incident is listed as a conflict when there is violence (injuries or deaths) or
threats of violence (including verbal threats, military maneuvers, and shows of force).
Conflicts over rivers, lakes, groundwater and water infrustructure (dams).
Examples of conflicts:
- A) Ethiopian and Somali Nomads Clashed Over Desert Water (1963-1964)
- B) South Africa Seized Control of the Angola Dam - Ruacana (1975)
- C) Water Shortages due to Drought Contributed to the Start of the Arab-Fur War (1987-
1989)
- D) Military Clashes Between Cameroon and Nigeria Over the Retreat of Lake Chad
(1980s and 1990s, 2002 - ICJ)
- E) African Nations Disputed the Island of Zambezi - Sedudu (1999-2000)
- F) Violent Conflict Between Kenyan and Ugandan Herders (2012)
- G) Fight between Garre and Degodia clans over water and pasture lands in Banissa,
Kenya (2022)
- H) Water pump explosion in the village of Tin Rhassane - Burkina Faso (2023)
Water Conficts in Africa
River Basin area (103 km2
) Length (km) Average annual runoff Unit runoff (mm)
(109 m3
)
Congo 3,699.1 4,380 1,260 341
Nile 3,110 6,671 84 27
Niger 2,274 4,184 177 78
Zambezi 1,383.2 2,574 94 68
Dam Area (km2
) Maximum depth (m) Volume (km3
) Power (MW)
Akasonnbo Dam 6.5C2 70 150 1.020
Kariba Dam 5,400 100 180 1.626
Aswan 5,250 9 162 2.100
Cahora Bassa Dam 2,739 100 52 2.070
Renaissance Dam 1,874 140 74 6.450
Lake Area (km2
) Maximum depth (m) Volume (km3
)
Victoria 68.800 84 2.750
Tanganika 32.000 1.471 17.800
Malawi/Nyasa 30.900 706 7,725
Chad 18.000 11 72
Turkana 8.660 73 204
Albert 5.300 58 132
Thank you for your
attention