Natural disasters force us to rethink development strategies for food security.
The aftermath of the earthquake in Mexico, the passage of hurricanes Irma and Katia, and the imminent arrival of José compel us to reflect on the conditions of inequality that, undoubtedly, are experienced during disasters.
Food security is a recurring theme in the consequences left by these natural disasters. However, not everyone experiences it in the same way. It is evident that those who are vulnerable in their daily lives remain the most vulnerable during disasters. People who, even without hurricanes or earthquakes, do not have guaranteed access to food every day. The passage of a hurricane compromises not only the supply of immediate food but also the long-term production of food due to flooding of crops and livestock. In the most affected areas by the earthquake in Mexico, access routes are complicated even under normal conditions; during disasters, delivering aid and food supplies becomes even more difficult. Many families lost their entire life’s patrimony. As happens worldwide, those in the most vulnerable situations lost the most.
Today, many families do not know how to rebuild all they have lost, much less if they will have something to eat today. Some may say earthquakes cannot be prevented. What can be prevented, however, is that social development policies truly address the conditions that make people more vulnerable. Social development is not about distributing food packages in normal times. In times of crisis, these packages become indispensable. But in areas prone to natural disasters (in our country, practically the entire national territory), measures for disaster resilience should be an integral part of food security policies. Greater attention should be paid to risk information and analysis, land use planning, infrastructure improvement, and the use of risk transfer mechanisms. Distributing food packages as a basic strategy when there is no natural disaster does not help, folks.
What is truly deplorable is using the tragedy of natural disasters as a platform for political propaganda, exploiting the vulnerability of those affected. Taking photos while distributing aid to families who suffered because of a lack of proper social development strategies to mitigate risks is not an act to be applauded, but one of shame. As responsible citizens, and as beings who still possess some humanity, let us show that altruism and aid can exist with, despite, and without the cheap political propaganda of our leaders. If a can of tuna does not make a big difference in your daily diet, there is someone in Oaxaca and Chiapas for whom that can of tuna is their meal for the day. So, why not donate it?
#foodsecurity #security #catastrophe #disaster #humanitarianaid #publicpolicy
— This article was originally published in Spanish by Liliana Martínez Lomelí. Translation generated with AI from the original text.