SECTION 2 FOOD SECURITY

This section introduces the concept of food security and its importance to the eradication of
hunger and alleviation of poverty.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this section, you are expected to:

1. explain food security as a way to eradicate poverty and hunger;

2. categorize the issues and challenges of food security and their solutions; and

3. synthesize the concept of food security as part of sustainable development

DIAGNOSTICS

Instructions: Explain the following topics:

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

2. Food Security

3. International Trade

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Module 6 > Towards a Sustainable World

A vital resource for humans, regardless of race, nationality, religious affiliation,

economic status, or educational attainment, is food. It is a basic necessity for survival.
Therefore, it is important for nations to secure a constant supply of food for the consumption
of people.

However, it is a fact that food security, defined as the "physical and economic access, at
all times, to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for people to meet their dietary needs and food
preferences for an active and healthy life" (Swaminathan, 2003), is a worldwide issue which
must be given considerable attention. Food security challenges countries with large populations
such as China and India. With the growing and persistent demand for food on both the local
and international scale, the agricultural sector and food corporations in a nation must be able
to meet demands by increasing production capacity and overall productivity. Rationing of food,
especially in developing or underdeveloped countries, is also a solution to address food security
issues, although this solution can lead to even more problems. may ultimately worsen food
security as in the experience of India with its targeted Public Distribution System (PDS) in the
1990s (Swaminathan, 2003).

FOOD SECURITY & CLIMATE BENEFITS

THROUGH NATIONALLY APPROPRIATE MITIGATION ACTIONS IN AGRICULTURE

Climate change threatens food security and rural communities

1 person in 9 suffers from hunger

The number of undernourished people will Increase under climate change

Smallholder farers, forest dwellers herders and fishers are the most affected by climate change

Agriculture, forestry and other land use sector contributes to climate change

International trade is viewed as a solution to potentially dampen the blows on food

security in nations. While relatively poor countries can benefit from international trade by
receiving subsidies from rich countries, the latter will be pressured to increase food production
capabilities. Rich countries may also struggle with handling food security issues at the domestic
and the foreign level (Kannan, Mahendra Dev, & Narain Sharma, 2000).

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Section 2 > Food Security

Economic and agricultural reforms have proven viable in addressing food security issues
like in the case of China, one of the most populated countries in the world. In 1978, China
began reforms in these sectors to ensure food security for the country and its people. Nutrition-
wise, China was able to reduce the number of undernourished people by seventy million from
1990 to 2000 (Jiang, 2008). Both grain production and household income increased, creating a
synchronized and self sufficient domestic environment. Couple these with relevant market and
pricing policies, domestic food security can be relatively achieved at a considerable degree.

One of the contributing factors that further cripples and weakens food security both on
a domestic and international level is armed conflict. In the recent decades, internal strife has
debilitated food production and supplies in countries such as Israel, Turkey, and Syria. Armed
groups against a legitimate government target to prevent, seize, and/or destroy food aid that is
intended for government armed forces. Farmers are also driven away from their lands because
of conflict, and production is then halted (Choen, Pinstrup-Andersen, 1999). The effects of
these circumstances also spill over to neighboring countries due to international trade.

Conversely, hunger also leads to conflict and, as mentioned, leads to an increased

shortage in food. Food shortage is not only limited to rural areas but is also an issue plaguing
urban sectors especially in countries with internal conflicts. Lack of food was one of the factors
that ignited the French Revolution of 1789 (Choen, Pinstrup-Andersen, 1999) and somehow is
resembled by the Venezuelan food crisis in the present era. As the economy of Venezuela
continues to plummet, prices of commodities skyrocket to unreasonable figures. Although the
Venezuelan government sells some food packets at a regulated price, only 12.6 million
Venezuelans have access to these packets which is only about one-third of the total population
of the country (Singer, 2018).

Indeed, food plays an integral role in maintaining a healthy, functioning, and even
peaceful domestic and international environment, Therefore, food security must be one of the
priorities of any government in the world. Ensuring that the economy of a country can weather
downturns will help cushion the adverse effects of food security issues. Establishing an
international network with countries that can respond to the food security challenges of other
countries is goal that all members of the international community must strive for.

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Section 2 Food Security

Exercise 1: Food Security

Name:_______________________ Date:_________________
Section:______________________ Score:________________

Instructions: Discuss the importance of food security in the following aspects:

1. Politics and governance

______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. Social stability and health

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. International/Foreign economic relations

______________________________________________________________________________
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______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

Additional Instructions: After discussing the importance of food security in these aspects,
explain how food security will help the Philippines develop as a country.

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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Module 6 > Towards a Sustainable World

Section 2 Food Security

Exercise 2: Food Security

Group No.:___________ Date:________________

Section:_____________ Score:________________

Group Members:
1._______________________________________

2._______________________________________

3._______________________________________

4._______________________________________

5._______________________________________

Instructions: In groups of five members each, choose a country from the list below. Conduct a
brief research regarding the country's economic, political, social, and diplomatic background.
Cite a hypothetical food security issue and discuss how this can affect the country in a short
essay:

Japan South Korea Russia

Cuba Canada North Korea
France Spain Germany
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Brazil South Africa
Egypt Greece Papua New Guinea

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 MODULE 7

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP

This module focuses on discussions about the concept of the global village and human
social responsibility. It deals with the overarching concept of global citizenship and the future
global village. This also tackles the development of individuals from national citizenship to
global social responsibility and its importance to human society at the international level.

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 Section 1 Global Citizenship
This section presents the concept of different citizens as members of a global village.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this section, you are expected to:

1. describe the characteristics of a global citizen;

2. illustrate the importance of global citizenship; and

3. articulate a personal definition of global citizenship.

DIAGNOSTICS

Instructions: Explain the following topics:

1. Citizenship and its role in international affairs

2. Citizenship and its significance in education

3. Citizenship and its significance in economy

4. Global citizenship as a tool for the development of social status

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Section 1 Global Citizenship

After the advent of globalization and a multitude of technological advancements, the

nations, as well as many citizens of the world, have gotten closer than they did before.
Communication has been made easier with relatively new and efficient ways of reaching even
the former inaccessible parts of the world, and of acquiring and transmitting information which
are quite literally at everyone's fingertips. This constant state of being interconnected brings
about the notion of a global village where citizens of the world are members, not only of their
respective home countries, but also of the global world.

Considering these premises, there must be an ever-developing awareness that decisions

and actions in a domestic level can and will have international repercussions. As global citizens,
individuals must be aware of the wider world; respect and value diversity; have an
understanding of how the world works economically, politically, socially, culturally,
technologically, and environmentally; outraged by social injustice; participate in and contribute
to the community at all levels from local to global; be willing to act to make the world a more
equitable and sustainable place; and take responsibility for their actions (Douglas, 2001).

PASSPORT

GLOBAL CITIZEN

These characteristics can all be acquired through education, particularly the one that
focuses on global and multicultural aspects. Education, in this regard, helps the learner to
understand the impact of one's own actions to other cultures and the effect of other people's
actions based on a different culture to one's own (Pae, 2003). In brief, global education opens
learners' minds to the multitude of customs, norms, and traditions lessening one's prejudices.
This is necessary because, as mentioned, the evident interconnectedness and constant
interaction of people from all over the world pit individuals from different nations and cultures
against one another. For such interaction to be successful, such set of conduct mentioned
above must be exhibited by a global citizen.

Moreover, the role of microsystems such as families and local communities is of great
importance in solidifying a global perspective. In essence, global education must be holistic and
requires the effort not only of the educators but of parents, peers, and even policy makers (Pae,
2003).

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Module 7 Global Citizenship

In a sense, this form of education focuses not only on giving learners life skills but also
on teaching them the importance of values which will help them gain a more inclusive
perspective of a global community and enable them to effectively interact with people from
other cultures.

Engaging with people of different nationalities with these attributes will be beneficial for
the rest of humanity in the long run since an individual is not only confined to the pursuit of
personal interest but also conscious about the lives, desires, and needs of other individuals
hailing from other cultures. It is a fact that some of the world's resources are running scarce
due to the persistent demands of human consumption. Being able to peacefully coexist with
one another with a shared global perspective in mind can enable individuals to efficiently
distribute and consume resources without the need for coercion. Global citizens have a great
understanding of the truth that for the global society to survive, one must do away with myopic
and self-centered ideas and must rather take into great consideration the needs of other
individuals.

Indeed, in this era of interconnectivity between and among human beings, a global
perspective is necessary. As the means of communications and the degree of technology
congruently take higher ground, so must the mindset of individuals living in the relatively same
ecosystem, accessing and sharing nearly the same resources, and facing relatively similar
threats and challenges to human existence, be it natural or artificial. Global citizens know that
humankind must acquire a symbiotic relationship with one another for the entire human
species and human culture to survive.

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Section 1 Global Citizenship

Exercise 1: Global Citizenship

Name:_____________________________ Date:____________________

Section:____________________________ Score:___________________

Instructions: In a short essay, discuss your personal definition of global citizenship and how
you, as a Filipino, can become an active member of the global village. What are the advantages
of global citizenship for a Filipino and for the entire country?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

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