Widespread hunger and malnutrition persist today despite considerable growth in per capita food availability. This has prompted an evolving conceptualization of food security and of mechanisms to attain and maintain food security. This chapter discusses both food security and food assistance...

Studies of the relationship of nutrition and economic development have hitherto largely focused on the question how the state of nutrition has changed in consequence of economic developments. The analysis concentrated on the "passive role of nutrition". In the following article the question is...