According to an FAO report,

more than 70,000 people die from hunger each year around the world. Each year about 840 million people

go hungry, of which 740 million

are from developing and least developed countries.

Poverty, social inequality and lack of education are the main causes of hunger and malnutrition. Poor and disadvantaged household are most affected by it. Their situation is worsened by further reducing already meager resources and earning capacities.

In many countries, especially in the developing and least developed ones, there is an imbalance between population growth and agricultural growth. The gap of latter one is so big that developing countries will have difficulty to reach the stage of developed ones.

According to a UNFPA report, there are two hundred and twenty thousand new births every day, eighty million every year. Demographers predict that there will be ten billion human beings a century from now.

Today, sixty-five out of every one hundred babies are born in poor countries. Hence, the food and nutritional status of the people will

be worse in these countries unless some effective measures are taken

in this direction.

While ever-increasing food supplies are needed to meet the demand created by a growing population, the problems of hunger and malnutrition will not be reduced without decreasing the impediments to adequate access to food for all individuals. For this, food security plays a significant role.

Food security is not prevalent in many countries. In some areas of these countries, people face food shortage almost throughout the year. It is found during the plantation

season in certain pockets and

groups of people, especially those

living below the poverty line. Women and children might be facing famine

despite adequate food, which is called hidden hunger.

The major factors in ensuring

world food security are understood.

A global consensus and commitment have been reached on key strategies for improving world food security

for all population.

However, it is not possible to implement these strategies unless

deliberate actions are taken to ensure an enabling political, social and economic environment.