Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The increasing proportion of the global population mainly dwells and resides within
urban slums and informal settlements. The process of achieving adequate and proper nutrition is
often a huge challenge for these people since most of them are often impoverished. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay. This means that food security is a mere mirage where obtaining a decent meal on a daily basis is considered an uphill task. The slum dwellers who mainly live in urban areas face unique problems and challenges when compared to their counterparts who reside in rural areas.
The urban setting is highly prone to increase in prices of food commodities, market shocks and even constant exposure to poor sanitation. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay. Additionally, the dense population in urban settings is a
predisposing factor that places slum dwellers at risk of contracting health related ailments. These
factors make it almost impossible for poor people to enjoy food provisions on a daily basis. This
paper is an essay that discusses the measures that can be used to improve food security among
the slum dwellers living in urban areas.
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a) Background research on the context of the project and the characteristics of the target
community. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The process of achieving nutritional and food security is very essential towards ensuring
economic development for y country or state. The role of nutrition and access to healthy foods is
often associated with a significant growth in both capital growth and development (Mkwambisi
2011, p. 181). The sad fact is that slum residents living in urban areas are the victims of food
insecurity. This population struggles to have three meals in a day, which is one of the basic
human needs. What’s more, most of these slum dwellers are not able to afford meals that are
healthy or beneficial to their bodies (Taylor 2013, p. 765). The reasons that are associated for this food deficiency include the chronic cycle of
poverty, lack of stable income, lack of education and even ignorance on alternative forms of
earning extra income. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay. Additionally, the food security issue for the slum residents is also
worsened by the fact that they often face a lot of situations that leave them vulnerable to shock
such a political and economic instabilities. International organizations such as the United Nations
and the World Food Program define food security as the ability of a person to have access to
clean and healthy meals on a daily basis (Wayne 2011, p. 528). This food should always be in
constant supply such that the individual is always guaranteed of feeding at any time their bodies
get the craving. In fact, food security is only said to exist when a given household is able to
obtain enough food such that they can live a positive, healthy and active life. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
Consequently, such people are never at risk of starvation or hunger because they are food
secure (Battersby 2012, p. 141). On the contrary, food insecurity arises when there is uncertain
and limited availability of foods that are safe and healthy. The major factors that lead to food
insecurity are closely related to the level of income of the households, the number of family
members, illnesses, dependence ratios, environmental factors and he specific slum of residence.
Research indicates that the residents of most slums only eat barely for their survival. This means
that they pay no particular attention to the quality and safety of the food that they eat. Therefore,
apart from food insecurities, this population is at risk of suffering food-borne diseases such as
cholera, typhoid and even food poisoning (Kwiringira et al 2014, p. 185). Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The political stability of a country is also a huge determinant of the status of food
security. Countries that have faced political wars and conflicts such as Rwanda, Sudan, Somalia,
Kenya, Zimbabwe and Lesotho have suffered immensely because food prices always go up on
such occasions. For instance, the recent post-election violence that was experienced in Kenya saw the price of food commodities increased by double the amount (Kwiringira et al 2014, p.
185). This means that the prices of very basic commodities such as maize flour, sugar, cooking
oil, rice and groceries increased significantly (Suri et al 2013, p. 189). What’s more, most staple
foods became out of reach of the slum dwellers because their purchasing power was eroded by
their lack of affordability. Moreover, the high rate of unemployment made it impossible for most
of the people living in slums to afford decent meals. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The majority of countries that face severe cases of food insecurity have always resulted in
coping strategies that are highly ineffective (Kwiringira et al 2014, p. 185). For instance, some
countries are known to improve food security by reducing the number of meals in a day for the
affected population, eating meals prepared on the streets, reducing the quality and variety of
meals, scavenging and even eating foods that are already spoilt. However, there are a number of
positive and safer alternatives that can be used to improve the situation of food security among
the slum residents living in urban settlements. Despite the deeply rooted state of chronic poverty
and unemployment, these strategies can still be used to ensure that the affected population has
access to food and meals that are clean, safe and healthy. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
b) The overarching development strategy, project planning and management tools that
can be applied to achieve food security, the approach to participation and the overall
outcomes and impacts.
There are many strategies that can be implemented towards ensuring countries are able to
feed their population and in the process achieve food security. One of the most successful ways
of improving food security is the concept of genetic modification. The latter is a scientific and
research technique that is used to generate crops that are modified through various sections of
their genes (Sahu et al 2015, p. 18). Commonly known as Genetic Modified Organisms or GMOs, these foods and crops have the potential of reducing food insecurity to a very significant
level. This is because these crops are designed such that they can withstand harsh environmental
conditions, of drought, famine, high temperature and strong winds (Crush and Frayne 2011, p.
527). Consequently, the farmer is assured of a constant harvest throughout the year. In turn, this
means that food will always be available in the market such that most people can have access to
it. The constant supply and provision of food means that the prices of food eventually drop and it
becomes more affordable (Kwiringira et al 2014, p. 187). As such, the slum residents can be able
to afford these meals since their cost is subsidized. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
Moreover, Genetic Modified Organisms or crops are generated such that they are
resistant to pests and diseases (Marx et al 2013, p. 189). This also means that the slum residents
will not be at risk of suffering from any health related conditions. A second approach that is
closely related to the use of genetic engineering technology to create better crops is the concept
of bio-fortification. The latter is a scientific innovation that uses biological facts to improve the
present qualities of a crop. For instance, this technology can be used to strengthen a crop such
that it can have better yields and increased rate of production (Frayne 2011, p. 786). Moreover,
bio-fortification has also been applied to most food crops such as maize, cassava, beans and
fruits where their nutritional content and value has been increased. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The result is that a crop that is bio-fortified is not only capable of giving high yields, but
also contains a high amount of nutrients (Frayne 2011, p. 786). The introduction of bio-fortified
crops within most developing nations in Africa and Asia could significantly improve the food
security situation. The population would be assured of better crops that are able to yield more,
produce more and even mature at a faster rate. For the slum dwellers, it would mean access to
food that is rich in nutrients while at the same time safer and healthier (Frayne 2011, p. 786).In addition, it would also assure them of a constant supply of food that would mean that they can
revert back to having the minimum requirement of three meals in a day. In fact, bio-fortified
crops are said to have a better taste which can increase the preference for slum dwellers that
would enjoy the change from their usual conventional foods and meals. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
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Another important strategy that can help in improving food security for slum residents is
the process of enhancing production through agriculture and preservation of the environment
(Taylor 2013, p. 765). This approach can be best achieved through conservation agriculture that
is closely related to sustainability. It mainly involves practices in agriculture and farming that
focuses on minimal disturbance of soil so that a better soil cover can be obtained. Moreover, the
rotation of crops is also encouraged so that the soil is able to restore its fertility. The combination
of all these practices enables the farmers to manage their farms better and utilize water, inputs
and technology in a better way (Suri et al 2013, p. 189). Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
The end result is that food availability is increased and this can help with feeding the
slum dwellers living in urban areas. Additionally, conventional agriculture is also used to
manage and improve most agro-systems so that productivity can be greatly improved. This
technique also enhances the resource base and ensures that crop diversification occurs at all
times. The principles of this method can be applied to all kinds and types of landscapes where
biodiversity is guaranteed to be an end result (Mkwambisi 2011, p. 184). This strategy can be
very beneficial towards enabling the slum dwellers get better access to food. At the same time,
the process of reclaiming land that is arid or wastewater is also another concept that can
strengthen and improve food security (Wayne 2011, p. 529).
This process would mean that more land would be available for farming such that
trenches, pipes and irrigation systems can be installed. In the process, food security is improved and also employment opportunities are created. The slum residents would be given the chance to
work on these farms and it would translate into extra income that they would use to improve
their food security situation (Battersby 2012, p. 143). The implementation of all these strategies
would contribute positively towards the improvement and increase of food security among
residents living in urban slums.
c) Conclusion: What can be learnt from this case study in terms of project planning,
management, poverty alleviation and effective participation? Evaluate its
effectiveness.
This case study illustrates that food security for urban slum residents can be considerably
improved if the right strategies are adopted and implemented. It has been shown that the majority
of people living in the slums is often impoverished due to a number of reasons. Some of them
include lack of employment, many family members, limited knowledge, lack of education and
also lack of awareness (Kwiringira et al 2014, p. 189). Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay. Political instability is also another reason
that contributes a lot to the level of food supply in a country. This essay provides valuable
strategies that can be used to guarantee the improvement of food security. Some of them include
the use of genetic engineering technology to create superior crops, bio-fortification, conventional
agriculture and the reclaiming of land. The common denominator with all of these techniques is
the fact that they strive to improve the yield of crops, production level as well as the nutritional
value of the foods (Kwiringira et al 2014, p. 187). Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
At the same time, these methods are designed such that the supply of these foods is made
constant throughout the year. Genetic engineering and bio-fortification are mainly research
techniques that are used to improve the quality of crops. This means making them richer in
nutrients, content value as well as improving their taste. On the other hand, conventional agriculture and modern farming practices are a suitable way of increasing crop production. This
in turn translates to more food being made available to the entire population. Additionally, it also
means that the prices of staple foods also decreased because the supply is available at all times.
The implementation of these strategies can go a long way in ensuring that urban slum dwellers
are assured of their three daily meals just like the rest of the population. Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.
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Improving Food Security Among Urban Slum Dwellers Essay.