Land Tenure and Food Security

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. The term “food security” is used to describe food availability, access, and use at many levels, including the global, national, local, household, and intra household levels.
Food “availability” means that an adequate amount of adequate quality food is available on a consistent basis from food produced, purchased, or received from others (including food aid). Food “access” refers to the ability of individuals, communities, or countries to use economic, legal, political, or social entitlement resources to obtain the food necessary for a nutritious diet. Finally, food “use” requires knowledge of basic nutrition and access to complementary resources, such as clean water, sanitation, and health care, to ensure that food consumed meets dietary needs.
Creating an environment conducive to agricultural growth and food security hinges upon prioritization of securing land and property rights of smallholders, investors, and other resource users. Today, a large proportion of the poor lack adequate and secure access to land and natural resources; global trends suggest that without adequate measures to respond to the growing demand for these assets, tenure insecurity is likely to become worse.
Release Date: Saturday, June 1, 2013File:  Land Tenure and Food Security