Exposure to environmental factors such as land degradation and volatile climate patterns diminishing food security on a global scale
SINGAPORE, December 9, 2019 — Today marks the release of the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2019, which examines the state of food systems across 113 countries. Developed by The Economist Intelligence Unit, and supported by Corteva Agriscience, this year’s report of the data highlights the potential threat of the environmental crisis on food security and how proper investment and advances in food innovation can help to mitigate this risk.
For the second consecutive year, Singapore, Ireland and the United States have retained their respective top three positions as leaders of food security, despite the addition of critical metrics to this year’s framework including the cost of food, agriculture infrastructure and nutritional standards.
Top five countries ranked |
Food security score (out of 100) |
1. Singapore |
87.4 |
2. Ireland |
84.0 |
3. United States |
83.7 |
4. Switzerland |
83.1 |
5. Finland |
82.9 |
5. Norway |
82.9 |
Global climate crisis - the impact of natural resources and resilience
Recognizing the growing impact of the global climate crisis and depletion of natural resources, the GFSI also includes “Natural Resources and Resilience” as a separate category of data sets to the other three established dimensions of food security. When this factor was accounted for in the analysis, all countries suffered a drop in their overall scores, highlighting the vulnerability of global food systems against threats such as drought, flood and rising sea levels.
When the fourth pillar was considered, countries who are heavily dependent on food imports for their food supplies such as Singapore, the United Emirates and the Philippines saw their ranking drop significantly, by eleven, nine and eight places respectively. Singapore’s decline in the table was also attributed to water-related risk factors including its vulnerability to storm severity, ocean eutrophication and rising sea levels.
Limited availability of nutrition
The GFSI 2019 also revealed that for a significant number of countries, essential vitamins and minerals are simply not available. More than 30% of countries reported to have insufficient amounts of Vitamin A, which is key in ensuring normal vision, a healthy immune system and organ function. Similarly, around a quarter of countries measured have insufficient amounts of zinc, an essential nutrient for maintaining a healthy immune system and functioning metabolism.
Undernourishment is a challenge worldwide, despite an abundance of food availability.
The GFSI 2019 reveals that nearly all countries within the index (88%) have a sufficient food supply for their population. However, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) report on State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World[1], more than 820 million people in the world are hungry. This is a problem not just in a select few countries, but in many countries worldwide: over a third of countries in the GFSI indicate that more than 10% of their population is undernourished.
The GFSI 2019 also showed a rise in food prices worldwide, with the sharpest increases seen in Venezuela and Syria, highlighting the need for greater efforts to make nutritious, quality food more accessible to lower income populations.
Mr. Dana Bolden, Senior Vice President of External Affairs and Sustainability, Corteva Agriscience, said, “The insights revealed by the GFSI 2019 allow all stakeholders in the food ecosystem to clearly understand the current challenges that are hindering our progress towards a more food-secure world. We all play a role in the food value chain – from farmers, governments and industry leaders to retailers and consumers – and as such, it is our shared responsibility to use these findings as a catalyst for action, and drive progress towards a more sustainable food system. In doing so, we can produce more nutritious food, improve food accessibility and ultimately, achieve global food security.”
As part of the global launch of the GFSI 2019, a panel of experts including a celebrity chef and representatives from the Singapore Food Agency, Economist Intelligence Unit and Corteva Agriscience will be gathering to discuss the findings. The launch will be broadcast live on the Corteva Agriscience YouTube Channel at 6pm SGT, Monday 9 December.
For more information about the GFSI 2019, check out this video and infographic. Download the GFSI 2019 Report here.
About the Global Food Security Index
The GFSI is a comprehensive assessment of the state of global food security developed by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), supported by Corteva Agriscience. The Index, released annually, provides a common framework for understanding the root causes of food insecurity – the state of being without access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life – using a dynamic quantitative and qualitative benchmarking model. It examines changes in the global environment and food systems of 113 countries, measuring them against three core pillars – affordability, accessibility, quality and a fourth adjustment factor, natural resources and resilience. Now in its 8th edition, GFSI has become a policy benchmark for governments, a research tool for academia and a country diagnostic tool for the private sector in investment.
To explore the GFSI, visit https://foodsecurityindex.eiu.com/
About Corteva Agriscience
Corteva Agriscience is a publicly traded, global pure-play agriculture company that provides farmers around the world with the most complete portfolio in the industry - including a balanced and diverse mix of seed, crop protection and digital solutions focused on maximizing productivity to enhance yield and profitability. With some of the most recognized brands in agriculture and an industry-leading product and technology pipeline well positioned to drive growth, the company is committed to working with stakeholders throughout the food system as it fulfills its promise to enrich the lives of those who produce and those who consume, ensuring progress for generations to come. Corteva Agriscience became an independent public company on June 1, 2019, and was previously the Agriculture Division of DowDuPont. More information can be found at www.corteva.com.
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Contact
May Meere
Corteva Agriscience
+65 9366 2351
may.meere@corteva.com
Helen Sullivan / Maryanne Lee
Spurwing Communications
+65 6340 7287
gfsi@spurwingcomms.com