Food Security in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region

The present paper analyses the factors driving the present crisis from ICIMOD’s mountain perspective, examining the consequences of our policy on food security, and assessing the need for adjustment.
Studies undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) show that at global and aggregate levels, globalisation, increased demand for food grain (stemming from an ever-increasing demand for food, feed, and feedstock [raw materials for biofuels]), high energy prices, economic growth and a poor supply response (due to a relatively low investment in agriculture4), and adverse weather and climate conditions in certain areas of the world are the primary factors responsible for worsening food security globally (von Braun 2007; FAO 2008b).