Towards a true right to food

A person’s socio-economic situation is an important factor for access to healthy and sustainable food. Does this mean that only the poorest people eat ‘bad’ food? Of course not. However, many people in precarious situations, adapt their budget for food to make ends meet at the end of the month. It is the so-called ‘adjustable’ variable to cover various costs. As a result, the use of food aid increases.

However, food aid actions do not often address fundamental underlying issues. Such as the fact that the industrial system creates poverty (low wages, exploitation of migrants and students, non-compliance with standards…). Or the fact that the producers themselves often work in terrible working and selling conditions.

Therefore, food aid remains the ‘band-aid solution’ of choice to ensure access to food. Often without financial or structural support. Often ineffective. Often without sufficient supply. Often without quality products. So little or nothing is done to guarantee a true right to food. The government does not respect its international and moral obligations regarding the right to food.

Food insecurity as an SSF topic: by each according to ability to each according to need.

By following the principle of ‘each contributes according to his ability, each receives according to his needs’, the Social Security for Food (SSF) aims to increase the income of the poorest households and allocate a budget for food to everyone.

To truly reduce inequality, the SSF must think from the point of view of the most vulnerable in our society and discuss with them. All variables must be considered to develop a system that guarantees a true right to food. E.g. geographical, financial, cultural access to quality food supply, food preferences, cooking utensils, the digital divide, etc. It is important to be very vigilant not to reinforce inequality in any way. In such a system, food aid again becomes a residual service, a safety net that guarantees only the most urgent needs in terms of access to food.