Hello World!

What's in a name?  In this case, it's a dream.  It's one that millions of people have every day and every night of their lives: food security.

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What is food security?

For many it means access and availability of sufficient quality nutritious, safe food to sustain themselves, their families, and their communities.  The World Health Organization defines food security more comprehensively on their website:

"Food security is built on three pillars:

• Food availability: sufficient quantities of food available on a consistent basis.
• Food access: having sufficient resources to obtain appropriate foods for a nutritious diet.
• Food use: appropriate use based on knowledge of basic nutrition and care, as well as adequate water and sanitation.

"Food security is a complex sustainable development issue, linked to health through malnutrition, but also to sustainable economic development, environment, and trade. There is a great deal of debate around food security with some arguing that:

• There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately; the problem is distribution.
• Future food needs can - or cannot - be met by current levels of production.
• National food security is paramount - or no longer necessary because of global trade.
• Globalization may - or may not - lead to the persistence of food insecurity and poverty in rural communities.

"Issues such as whether households get enough food, how it is distributed within the household and whether that food fulfils the nutrition needs of all members of the household show that food security is clearly linked to health."

These are tremendously important issues facing a planet with a growing population and numerous issues, including food distribution and infrastructure, local, national, and global conflict, and an abundance of misinformation.

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For others food security means protection of agricultural infrastructure (e.g., farms, ranches, markets, roads, and anything else involved in growing food and delivering it to consumers) against potential threats from terrorism, natural disasters, and the intentional or unintentional introduction of diseases. The fields of epidemiology, veterinary medicine, crop and soil science, and cooperative extension all play major roles in this form of food security.  And, in the United States, numerous governmental agencies are involved, including the US Department of Agriculture, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

What does this blog have to do with any of that? I will discuss issues related to food security.  I have a background in science, with a PhD in microbiology, and my job as an alt-academic involves teaching science to audiences that aren't particularly comfortable with jargon, acronyms, and imposing technical terms.  Science education and literacy are passions of mine  - everyone can benefit from science and the Scientific Method.

I will be happy to answer questions, but will have to moderate all comments due to a history of having been trolled on other blogs. This blog will not be monetized by me and I won't see any compensation from it. It is a .com because that was the easiest way to create a free blog for this information.

Hello World!  Let's talk about food and science!