Food insecurity is in itself a form of individual and collective insecurity. Historically, it is probably the most ancient preoccupation of humankind, which has guided migratory movements since humans first appeared in East Africa. In other words it is not a new phenomenon. What is new is that, in a world with plenty of technical and financial resources at its disposal, the current distribution of wealth does not allow everyone to eat their fill. Not only is food insecurity a result of numerous conflicts and natural disasters, increasingly it is also a cause of tensions and confrontations within or between states. The second aspect is the principal subject of the following reflection.

Unfortunately, in 2010 we have arrived at a situation where 1 billion people are suffering from hunger—in other words, one person in six worldwide. This is 105 million more than in 2008. One child dies of hunger every six seconds. But looking beyond the figures, hunger is a source of daily suffering for each of these individuals.

By 2050 the world population will exceed 9 billion. The issue of food is therefore quite naturally back as an international priority for the coming decades. This demographic growth will be concentrated mainly in the developing countries where the hungry live. The expected doubling of the African population to 2 billion, overtaking India and China, will be a key factor in this food supply challenge at a time when the continent will face the consequences of global warming, which, in Africa more than elsewhere, will create new constraints on agricultural production capacity.