The index is aimed at ranking and measuring food security in 105 countries by looking at such things as food affordability, availability, nutritional quality, and safety. DuPont, a developer of genetically altered crops, commissioned the Global Food Security Index as a means of identifying areas where reforms were most urgently needed.
Among the findings: While the average individual needs 2,300 calories per day to live a healthy and active life, in wealthy nations there is enough food for each person to eat 1,100 calories above that benchmark. In low-income countries, national food supplies fall, on average, 100 calories short. The index also indicated that China experienced the least volatility of agricultural production during the last 20 years.
In addition, the most food secure nations score less well for micronutrient availability. Of the top 10 countries in the index overall, only France ranks in the top 10 for micronutrient availability. For many advanced economies, it is among their weakest scores. Germany, for example, ranks 10th overall but 43rd for micronutrients. The low ranks are primarily owing to limited availability of vegetal iron in national food supplies, as measured in the FAO Food Balance Sheets.
