The Achievement of Global Food Security Free-Samples for Students

Question: Write a Persuasive Values-Driven argument to make a real Contribution to the achievement of Global Food Security. Answer: Introduction The global population is today increasingly rising at an alarming rate. This trend is attributable to many factors. The growth in population is, however, not accompanied by an equivalent rise in global food supply. Subsequently, while population grows increasingly, many countries of the world do not have enough buffer food stocks to cater for the population. Both international and local news media platforms have become common platforms of highlighting the plight of starving people in different parts of the world. While global humanitarians Agencies sometimes have respondent positively to this fate, their support may not sufficiently cater for the plight of the large population that suffers from food insecurity. The issue of food insecurity should be combated from all angles, and, therefore, demands a concerted effort from all concerned quarters of the world. Many of the food Relief agencies operate under the umbrella of the United Nations. Still, some operate under the auspices of re ligious organizations. The operations of this latter category are limited by the scope and geographical areas. Subsequently, the plight of the majority of the food-deficient population remains unattended. Whether these agencies will adequately feed the rising number of the starving population remains elusive. The only solution available in tackling this menace is through bringing to the table all other global enterprises. In line with ethical business practices, notably the Corporate Social Responsibility, all businesses should give back to the society. It is equally observable that although all businesses have a responsibility of making a real contribution to the achievement of global food security, they are unable to do so effectively because of the dynamics of capitalism. Notable is the fact that the interrelationship between food safety and social responsibility is broken as companies must fulfill social and legal duties while producing both safe foods and sustaining their busin esses(Poetz, 2013). This paper, therefore, attempts to bring to the fore why businesses have this responsibility, but which is tied by capitalism dynamics. An Overview According to FAO, global food security refers to a situation that 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 (Henneberry, 2014). It, therefore, implies that the world is secure of food when every individual has a continuous and sustainable access to enough and nutritious food. It is, however, evident that the global level of food security, as measured by the Global Food Security Index, GFSI, may only seem theoretical to many because of the complexity of the parameters applied in its computation. Therefore, owing to differing living standards across the globe, deficiency of certain nutrients in the diets of the poor may not count as food insecurity. This means that the quality of diet is nothing to mind about among the poor, as long as the food quantity is sufficient enough to offer the physical satisfaction. In the computation of the GFSI, the Economist Intelligence Unit considers the core issues of affordability, food quality, and availability across one hundred and seven developed and developing countries. As aforementioned, food security as a holistic concept encompasses all matters regarding food availability, access, utilization, and stability. A state that is food secure has its total food supply equaling its actual food demand. These two parameters, food supply, and food demand are apparently perceived in both quantitative and qualitative dimensions. While food supply, in this case, includes variables like production, exports, imports, and changes in public stock, food demand considers food for feeding, seeding, manufacturing, and the amount wasted to post-harvest loss. The question to address, therefore, is whether countries of the world have institutionalized the framework that would assure food security. As this paper looks into the countries, attention should be borne by the reader to the fact that a country is perceived as a comprehensive system of the entire government and all businesses registered by its citizens. This would exclude companies registered by noncitizens becau se they are not entirely and legally answerable to the government of the country they operate. It would be prudent to examine current global commercial practices and how they impact on the issue of food security. Today, all blame on causes of health problems lies squarely on companies and corporate activities(Tempels, 2017). Capitalism has rendered almost the entire activities of these companies to run for profits, even at the expense of human health. This trend in the amplification of capitalism has more so been pronounced with the demise of state socialism(Lawson, 2017). Multinational food and beverage companies play a significant role in determining the diet of the global population. Companies should practice capitalism within limits of health and sustainability. In this regard, all governments, civil societies, individuals, and businesses should adopt forward-looking responsibilities on all food matters. Such initiatives would check the consumption, and, therefore, the health status and food security level on a global platform. In this way, they should help alleviate socia l problems they have created themselves(Saiia, 2012). To what extent have countries of the world pursued food security? Under the global standards of classification, there are three categories of countries: the developed, the second-world, and the emerging economies. Global Population Momentum In his 1968 book, Paul R. Ehrlich, an entomologist at Stanford University lamented that by the year 2050, the rapid population growth would surpass the production of food and other resources, with subsequent deaths of millions due to famine(Hvistendahl, 2016). Some years after Ehrlichs lamentations, the green revolution somewhat brought down the issue of food insecurity. On the other hand, the rising birth rates were combated by a mixture of economic development and access to both family planning and education. However, as of today, although the global growth rate is declining, billions are still adding to the human population. While the United Nation projects the world population to have reached 9.7 billion by 2050, the important nuances about this are arguably in the realization that half of this current population growth will occur in nine countries of which five are in Africa. The available UN statistics estimate that the global human population of those aged from sixty years and over will more than double in thirty-four years, primarily due to the increasing lifespan among the industrial world. Further projections allude that those aged from eighty years, a majority of whom will be in Europe, will triple. Demographic figures put that those aged sixty years and above will account for one-third of the entire global human population. Going by these demographic projections, we can infer a lot of implications on global food security. To support the thesis statement, this paper will begin by giving a bottom-line synopsis of the issue of food safety. In his proposal, Essay on the Principle of Population, Thomas Robert Malthus argued that whereas human populations grow exponentially, food production increases arithmetically(Cgge, 2011). Accordingly, these unmatched growth rates in the two parameters would subsequently lead to a situation of food insecurity. Under the Malthusian disposition, he assumed that the supply of land remained fixed while productivity is subject to improvements in technology. With this n mind, coupled with the current trend in global population growth, then it automatically becomes apparent that all world bodies designated with accounting food matters must address this subject. Besides the designated global bodies and countries of the world, all businesses should come on board. A justification of the inclusion of all firms on the board of addressing food insecurity problem can well be understood when the ethical role of businesses is brought to the fore. The global economy has a variety of businesses that operate in different forms. While some pursue their goals as state corporations, the majority are under private proprietorship. Still, there are those that function as Non-Governmental Organizations, Humanitarian Agencies, and affiliates of renowned global bodies such as the United Nations. Every organization exists to pursue defined missions and goals. The scope of this paper limits the definition of the term businesses to include only privately-owned enterprises. This limitation of scope considers that all the other forms above have defined objectives that are legally defined. For that reason, it would not be prudent to discuss whether they should join hands in pursuing food security goal, because, for some, deviation from their primary activities may qu alify as ultra vires operations. The question is, are businesses across the globe ethically bound to alleviate the global food insecurity problem? This paper amicably states yes. All around the world, companies are today compelled to highlight their mission and vision statements in their profiles. It is common to find businesses profiling their involvement in Corporate Social Responsibilities over a period. For this reason, Corporate Social Responsibility imposes a social obligation on all businesses to mind the welfare of the society around which they operate. The reasons that this paper advances below justify why firms must contribute towards global food security. Justification from the Corporate Social Responsibility Perspective Apart from carrying out business operations, business entities also have other multiple responsibilities that they must pursue. That means that all businesses, whether public or private, have duties that go beyond the production of merchandise merely for profit (Saiia, 2012). These corporate social responsibilities consider the fact that a business entity operates within a social set-up, where community members are the immediate neighbors. In this regard, a business entity has a social responsibility to initiate projects that are aimed at improving the well-being of the immediate community. In broader terms, corporate social responsibilities may range from economic, legal, and ethical to philanthropic duties. Subsequently, various theories have been coined in an attempt to explore the concept of corporate social responsibility. These four approaches take the dimensions of politics, economics, ethics and social integration(Crane, 2007) The first is known as the instrumental theory. The theory looks at a business entity as a profit-making body. In this regard, it perceives profit-making as the primary social responsibility of any business entity. The theory, therefore, puts its main focus on the interaction between the business entity and the community in economic terms. Any project that is initiated by the business must be in line with the idea of wealth creation. In this aspect, the business may come up or finance diverse community-based projects, only if they help the community members to generate some income (Farmer, 2015). Although critics have argued that this theory is obsessed with profit-making, proponents sincerely hold the fact that any project initiated at the community level should be aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being of the community as a whole. When members of the community are starving, the businesses would arguably lose its clientele. An enterprise operating within a community cannot carry out development projects for the community when it is running at losses. It would, therefore, be prudent for the enterprise first to generate profits, so that it can, later on, be plowed back part of the profits it generates to the community. In this regard, such a business can undertake to develop irrigation projects that would facilitate the production of more food for the community. After all, the community could serve as the only pool of casual labor, if not permanent, for the business. Such contribution to the community welfare would equally result in improved productivity of its staff, thus profits for the company, as a result of motivation among them. A hungry and de-motivated staff only serves as passive workers. In short, theres a cyclic nature between the enterprise and the community; the business generates profits from a healthy pool of clientele and who are members of the community, through which profits it supports community projects. The second theory is known as the political theory. This theory puts much emphasis on the corporation's social power about the larger community. In this context, the business entity focuses on making a difference in the political arena. Consequently, the corporation finds itself taking social duties that are aimed at enhancing social cooperation. The main emphasis of this theory is the fact that political systems and structures are essential in shaping the social and economic well-being of the larger community(Farmer, 2015). The corporation, in this respect, works closely with the existing political and social structures in an attempt to initiate life-changing projects within the community. Any government is duty-bound to provide security to its subjects. Besides the security from physical harm, humankind is entitled to food security. For this reason, every government must maintain adequate food buffer stocks to meet emergencies. In support of these political systems and structures, businesses must render a hand to the government. Some businesses are known to support the green economy through initiating projects aimed at environmental conservation. Social cooperation is elusive in a starving community. A starving community is not at peace, and therefore, cannot purchase goods produced or sold by the enterprises. The third category consists of integrative theories. These theories note that a successful business entity requires the contribution of the larger community. The main emphasis of these theories is the relationship between the corporation and the community. In this context, the theories note that growth and expansion of any corporation depend hugely on the contribution of the community members. The community is the immediate buyer of the corporation's goods and services. The business entity, therefore, must initiate development projects that reflect its recognition of the community's role in supporting its continuity(Crane, 2007). In line with this argument, all businesses must strive to contribute to community welfare by initiating projects that would empower the community in all aspects. Whether companies empower the community economically, socially, or in whatever way such that people do not starve, it would be a good cause. The fourth group of theories is referred to as ethical theories. These theories look at the relationship between the corporation and the community in ethical terms. In this context, business entities look at corporate social responsibility as an ethical requirement(Crane, 2007). They, therefore, initiate development projects since it is the right thing to do. Helping to improve the well-being of the community members is considered to be the most ethical thing for any business entity. Helping the community, consequently, becomes an ethical obligation for any corporation. These theories require the business entities to initiate projects out of their free will. Stemming from the Corporate Social Responsibilities are many other subsidiary reasoning. On the one hand is ethics, which refers to a system of moral principles(BBC, n.d.) From a moral point of view, there are many theories that support the view that all businesses should support the goal of food sufficiency. It is here worth noting that ethical arguments are derivatives of religion, philosophy, and culture. Under these perspectives, business enterprises have a wider clientele than stockholders alone. They must delve beyond the profit-related transactions by embracing even the human aspects of human dignity(Saiia, 2012). The following ethical perspectives justify why businesses should come in handy in support of food security. Supernaturalism Under this ethical reasoning, the source of moral rules is God. Subsequently, anything that God says is good remains as so(BBC, n.d.). When we look into starvation, people suffer to death. In divinity, death is analogical of punishment. It is morally wrong to watch ones neighbor suffering; God calls upon each one of us to offer help. In the same way, businesses are called upon to offer help to the needy. For this reason, any business venture should offer assistance to guarantee food security. Under the universal norms of conduct, it is believed that all entities should regulate self -interest for the mutual advantage of all(Aristotle 1, n.d.). This calls for companies to sacrifice any activities that pursue self-interest, for the good of the entire community. Business enterprises must, therefore, come to help and salvage community members who are experiencing food insecurity. Categorical Imperative Emmanuel Kant, a philosopher, advanced an argument on the principle of morality as being enshrined on what he called Categorical Imperative, CI(R. Johnson, 2016). He argued that Categorical Imperative is a standard of rationality or the supreme principle of rationality which is objective, rationally necessary and unconditional that humankind race must embrace and follow regardless of any contrary natural desires or inclinations. According to Kant, therefore, all immoral actions are irrational because they are in transgression with the principle of Categorical Imperative. The question to answer then emerges to be, what are the criteria for categorizing an act as either moral or immoral? That is, how do we objectively determine whether an act is moral or immoral? Ethics revolve around the fundamental principles that consolidate the society as a whole(N.Tuan, 2015). In this regard, an act that would disintegrate the society is perceptively immoral, while the converse is true. Scenes of people who ever died through starvation are horrible; actually, they are an eyesore. Such scenes trigger emotions of pity. When companies amass wealth in total disregard of those suffering, it would be tantamount to perpetrating activities that do not add anything to the consolidation of the society. According to Tuan and Kant, therefore, this is immoral and irrational respectively. Failure by companies to come to the assistance of the starving would amount to the decimation of the human population in the society. Any act that leads to the deaths of people is immoral. Therefore, from a philosophical viewpoint, failure by business enterprises to assist towards guaranteeing global food security is nothing short of killing en masse. It is against Kants doctrine of Categorical Imperative. To wind up, these are the various grounds that justify reasons for commercial enterprises to offer assistance to the needy members of the society, and more so, those on the verge of death because of starvation. Such commercial ventures should initiate projects that would relief hunger and famine. Otherwise, a starving nation does not contribute to the thriving of business activities. References Aristotle 1 (n.d.). Philosophy 361. [online] Www-personal.umich.edu. Available at: https://www personal.umich.edu/~sdarwall/361a196.txt [Accessed 27 Apr. 2017]. BBC (n.d.). BBC - Ethics - Introduction to ethics: Ethics: a general introduction. [online] Bbc.co.uk. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml [Accessed 27 Apr. 2017]. BUZAN, B. and LAWSON, G. (2014). Capitalism and the emergent world order. 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