Entitlement Failure from a Food Quality Perspective: The Life and Death Role of Vitamins and Minerals in Humanitarian Crises

Abstract

The substantive role that vitamin and mineral deficiencies play in shaping crisis-related morbidity and mortality was not widely understood when Amartya Sen elaborated his arguments about moral rights of the hungry, entitlements, and public action. This chapter examines two main aspects of the 'entitlement agenda' as they relate emergencies: (1) the role of micronutrients in contributing to diseases and death in humanitarian crises, and (2) knowledge and awareness of micronutrient concerns and solutions among the income-poor households most affected in emergencies. We argue that solutions to entitlement failure must operate not only at the level of prices and markets, but equally in the domains of public health and public nutrition. Entitlementsolutions focused only on food quantity, and not also on diet quality, are likely to fall short of their intended goals, and of a deeper responsibility to enhance the life-chances of survivors.

The contribution of subsistence farming to food security in South Africa

“…Although food access is a main focus in modern food security debates and prominently influences food security, have noted with concern that there is no precise measurement of access. Webb and Thorne-Lyman (2006) specifically note that food access is 'embedded in markets, prices and legal systems'. Access to food is thus determined by how developed institutions are and how well institutions function (Dorward et al, 2005).…”

The status of household food security targets in South Africa

“…and found it to be a weak indicator of the nutrient content and quality of food consumed. Clearly, food insecurity defined in terms of food availability and access will give a different picture about the extent of food insecurity than will a definition based on nutrient intake or actual food consumption (Webb & Thorne-Lyman, 2006).…”

“…Food access is "embedded in markets, prices and legal systems" and there is thus no precise measurement of "access to food" . However, tracking agro-food price data is a widely used proxy and is not as complex as trying to find one measurement for the 'market' or 'laws' (Webb & Thorne-Lyman, 2006). Indicators for food expenditure, consumption and nutrient intake and some of their determinants (including proxies) are some of the other indicators (Maxwell & Slater, 2003;.…”

Child Malnutrition and Mortality in Developing Countries: Evidence from a Cross‐Country Analysis

“…Food poverty is due to insufficient economic development and/or to unequal income distribution, and its magnitude can be partly modified by food subsidies and other price‐distorting state interventions. Access to food, however, is also conditioned by people's knowledge and awareness of food quality (Webb & Thorne‐Lyman, 2006), as well as by other elements. As hunger and poverty are different, albeit closely related phenomena, there are factors (such as diverse consumption and intra‐household distribution patterns, dietary habits and climatic conditions, and cultural factors) that cause significant differences in malnutrition among members of households at similar levels of poverty (see Baulch, 2001; Baulch & Masset, 2003; Devereux & Maxwell, 2001; Gentilini & Webb 2006; Hulme, 2003; Hulme & Shepherd, 2003).…”