One of the world’s most pressing issues

Today, almost 870 million people go without sufficient food. As a company dedicated to nourishing people, Cargill is committed to increasing food security around the world. Food security exists when everyone has access to sufficient amounts of safe, nutritious and affordable food to provide the foundation for an active and healthy life. Food security is not a single issue, it is an interdependent and interconnected set of issues involving agriculture, energy, the environment, government policy and trade. Food security is a matter of universal importance – and a basic human right.

Increasing urgency 

Food security affects human health and welfare as well as economic and political stability around the world. Significant recent events have focused renewed attention on food and agriculture, including the Arab Spring, weather-related supply shocks in food commodities, grain export restrictions and dramatic price swings across a range of raw materials. Growing populations and per capita incomes will add to the demand for food. 

Working to feed the world

The Challenge. Undernourishment, population growth, agricultural production and changing consumption trends pose significant challenges to achieving global food security.      

The Issues. Major obstacles to food security include supply disruptions, government policies that inhibit trade and negatively affect farmers, growth of biofuels, environmental impact, declining R&D investment and price volatility.

Solutions & Responses. Cargill believes food security can be improved by honoring comparative advantage, enabling open markets, supporting smallholder farmers, fostering cooperation between public and private sectors, encouraging agricultural investment and reforming biofuels mandates.

Cargill’s Role. Cargill is committed to nourishing the world’s growing population while at the same time protecting the planet; advocating for policies that let markets work and enable farmers to thrive; increasing agricultural productivity and incomes while ensuring responsible land use; and expanding access to food, improving nutrition and pursuing partnerships to end hunger.

News. More information about food security, including speeches by Cargill leaders, news and media coverage, external perspectives, media materials and presentations.

Perspectives. Insight from food security thought leaders about the issues and solutions.

Partners. Cargill partnerships in the area of food security.

Resources. Additional sources of information about food security.