ABSTRACT
While the adequacy of food availability in relation to food needs will always remain a basic measure of food security, access to affordable food, the second dimension of food security is now recognised as a major factor governing the ability of individuals to feed themselves and their dependents. According to Sen (1981b), individuals have sufficient food to eat when their market exchange entitlements allow them to obtain enough food to satisfy their food requirements. This means that the focus is on individuals ‘having sufficient food to eat’ rather than there ‘being sufficient food available’ in a region or country. This marked the start of a shift away from the so-called ‘food first’ approach that, to a significant extent, continues to dominate policy debates on food security in many situations.
