By way of background for our profile of public health champion Dr Amy Carrad, here are some explanations for terms that she used.
A food system, as defined by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, refers to activities that work in together to generate food security for a society, including production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption and disposal of food products from agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
A sustainable food system is central to the UN Sustainable Development Goals and aims to redress the global problem of food inequality.
Food security is the physical availability of food and is defined by the UN according to four key elements:
- Availability – is there enough food?
- Access – can people afford food and is it easily transported to them?
- Utilisation – is there adequate sanitation, clean water and health care for a nutritional diet?
- Stability – is food available, accessible and able to be utilised?
Australia overall does not have a food security problem, producing more than it consumes, even in drought years and importing 11% of our food by value, mainly for taste and variety. However, due mainly to food inequality, the incidence of food insecurity in Australia is estimated to be about 5% of the population.
Certain groups in Australian society experience food insecurity at a higher rate. These include First Nations people, the unemployed, single-parent households, low-income earners, rental households and young people. Others that are susceptible include culturally and linguistically diverse including refugees, the socially isolated and the unwell.
