Food insecurity is very prevalent in the U.S but not talked about enough. This term, I enrolled in Global Studies 101 and Writing 122 which focuses heavily on food insecurity and food justice. From these classes, I learned that many families across the U.S face major food insecurity. With rising inflation and no increase in wages, purchasing natural and unprocessed food is harder to do. Food that can be created in bulk and with products that don’t require a lot of funds are food that is cheaper, but not necessarily healthier or good for you. But this food is what a lot of people can only afford and hence the major increase in food insecurity as well as global obesity. While this is very prevalent in the U.S, we are not the only country facing these issues.
Since our country of choice for our research project is Argentina, I decide to do some research into their possible food insecurities. Based off of our research topic, we can deduce that many lower-income families have issues with the purchase of food as well. Their inflation rates are the highest it’s ever been. Around 17 million people, or 43% of the country’s 46 million population, are living below the poverty line. With rising inflation, Argentina ended 2022 with prices climbing 95%, the highest in three decades even in a country inured to economic instability. “The food bank is helping 5,000 more people now compared to 2019, but the resources haven’t kept up. Food donations have remained the same, but “not enough to meet the demand we have”, Troncoso said.
Argentina has been in a vicious cycle; one people will hope end but with no end in sight. With the rising costs of exports, things like fruit and meat and even vegetables are becoming something sort of like gold. Hard to find, hard to buy. Despite Argentina being one of the largest agricultural countries, they still struggle with acquiring their own food. This leads to food insecurity, malnutrition, and more. Some families have stated they have started to grow their own crop, having to self-sustain themselves now that the prices are too high.
Food insecurity is prevalent everywhere, but it should be talked about more, we should be educating people on it more. No one deserves to starve, to feel insecure about their diet and where they are going to get food next. Nutritious food should not cost a paycheck, we need to find ways to lessen the cost of foods that people need to survive. Whether this be international policies and intervention, more non-profit organizations, and government oversight. A non-profit in Argentina that is widely known there is Movilizarse, they work with young people to build equity and solidarity toward community rights and values, and collaborates with volunteers to combat food insecurity. “La Chocleada,” or the “corn event,” is an inclusive program that connects farmers with local volunteers to bolster the supply chain by moving food from farms to communities.
Food should be positive, not negative.
