Food Security

agriculture

the practice of growing crops and livestock to provide food and other products

agrifood systems

the series of steps needed to get food from the farm to the table; includes food production, food distribution, and food consumption

arable

land that is suitable for growing crops

biodiversity

the variety of plant and animal life in an ecosystem or habitat

double burden of malnutrition (DBM)

the phenomenon where a region has both high rates of wasting/stunting and high rates of obesity

cereal

a grain used for food (e.g., rice, wheat, barley, and oats)

consumer

the person who buys and uses a product (e.g., a person shopping at a supermarket)

crop

a plant that is grown at a large scale, often cereals such as wheat

crop rotation

the practice of growing different types of crops in alternate years on the same soil, which helps prevent soil degradation

crop yield

the amount of a crop that is grown and harvested in an area

digital agriculture

the use of tools that digitally collect and analyze electronic data (e.g., GPS, yield mapping, and e-commerce tools) to help make decisions in all stages of the food supply chain from production to distribution

diversification

of agriculture; the practice of increasing species or varieties of plants or animals grown

ecosystem

a specific environment and the organisms that live in it

famine

the most extreme level of hunger crisis, when there is not enough food for a large number of people, causing widespread malnutrition and death

food-borne illness

a disease caused by contamination of food that people eat

food loss

when food is not eaten because of issues in food production and processing, such as when food spoils before it can be put up for sale

food security

when all people, at all times, have access to enough safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life

food waste

when food is not eaten after being sold, including in restaurants and private households

genetically modified organism (GMO)

a plant or animal with genes that have been changed, often to make them more disease-resistant, have a longer shelf life, or be easier to grow

greenhouse gas emissions

the release of harmful greenhouse gases like CO2 into the atmosphere

inflation

when currency becomes less valuable and, as a result, prices of goods rise

livestock

animals that are farmed for food or other products

malnutrition

when a person does not have the correct dietary balance needed for a healthy life

monoculture farming

when only one type of crop is grown year after year on the same land, often leading to soil degradation

sequential cropping

growing two or more crops on the same land at different times over a one-year period

nutrition

everything that a person eats, usually also referring to the balance of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals that people need to be healthy

obesity

having excess body fat that may cause other health problems, often caused by overnutrition and an unbalanced diet

overnutrition

malnutrition caused by having too much food

pesticide

a chemical meant to kill organisms, like fungi or insects, that harm crops

polyculture farming

growing multiple plant species on the same piece of land at the same time

precision agriculture

using tools, such as AI, to make farming decisions and automate some parts of food production

producer

the person or organization that makes a product to be sold (e.g., a farmer)

resilience

of agriculture; the ability to plan for and recover from stresses to crop production such as extreme weather

scarcity

when there is not enough of something

soil degradation

when soil becomes lower quality as it is stripped of nutrients for crops, making it more difficult to grow more crops in the future

stunting

when a person has a low height for their age, usually caused by undernutrition, making it difficult to grow

subsistence farming

a type of farming when most crops and livestock are used to feed the farmer and their close community

surplus

more than is needed

supply chain

the network of people and businesses that create and provide a product

undernutrition

also called undernourishment, a form of malnutrition; when a person cannot get enough food to meet daily energy requirements over a period of one year

wasting

when a person has low weight for their height, caused by undernutrition