So, you got your degree. Congratulations!! Welcome to the real world. You are probably asking yourself, “What now?” Turns out that earning your degree was just the first step, now all you have to do is decide what you want to do for the rest of your life. No pressure.
The world, as a whole, is under pressure for constant change. This change is evident in technology, resource availability, political policy, social and cultural dynamics and much more. As the saying goes, “If you are not changing, you are not growing.” With change, however, comes the inevitable uncertainty of how to manage it. In terms of food security, the rising global population, change in climate and resource availability, and the fragility of political and social constructs has left many pondering the question, “How will we manage change?”
Though the answer to this question is uncertain, this change will also produce new innovations and unexpected breakthroughs in several areas of influence on the production, marketing and consumption of food. This sheds new light on the burden of feeding the world’s ever-increasing population, an expected 9.56 billion by 2050 (United Nations, 2015). With the help of great minds and dynamic multidisciplinary teams, success is possible. So, “What now?” How about utilizing your expertise to solve a real world problem? Here are our top 10 ways to use your degree to address global food insecurity.
1. Agriculture
Agriculture has several direct influences on food production and marketing. Also, more than three-quarters of the world’s poor are heavily dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods (GAP 2016). Development of agriculture through improvements to productivity, higher incomes and reduced labor burden will create powerful change among the world’s poorest communities. More importantly, agriculture is a cornerstone to a nation’s growth and resiliency, and improvements to the agriculture sector can create lasting impacts in a country’s prosperity. Individuals with degrees in agriculture or veterinary science have a unique position to engage in food security efforts from several angles.
2. Policy Reform
Policy, both foreign and domestic, can greatly influence the outcomes and impacts of global food security research and development activities. Effective, adaptive and ethical public policy is essential to securing lasting transformations for countries worldwide. From development and implementation of evidence-based policy to the promotion of open policy dialogue and information dissemination, there are no shortages of opportunities to utilize your degree in government, political science, economics or communications to engage in the policy efforts linked to food security.
3. Water and Energy
Food security is intimately linked with water and energy resources. Food production accounts for a large portion of the global water and energy usage (UN, 2014). Food production aside, water and energy also play a key role in overall human well-being. As research and development initiatives seek to identify innovative approaches to feeding the world, it is critical to emphasize the importance of these valuable and limited, resources. In fact, the interaction between water, food and energy has sparked the creation of the United Nation’s Water, Food and Energy Nexus concept, to define and address the connection of these global resources and the demand for them across different sectors. Do you have a degree in geology, biology, ecology, conservation agriculture, energy or natural resource management, engineering, architecture, political science or something similar? You may consider addressing this global grand challenge.
4. Climate Change and Sustainability
Recently the Paris Agreement on Climate Change signified a movement by international leaders to collectively respond to growing concerns over climate change. This agreement aims to overcome the projected negative impacts of climate change on food production, the environment and resource availability. Addressing climate change issues poses a significant challenge, but meeting this challenge, while also considering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to eradicate hunger and poverty, will require significant enhancements to current agricultural systems. To achieve sustainable agriculture for much of the world, transformation is necessary. The partnering of professionals and researchers to create this change is essential. Great opportunity exists for individuals with backgrounds in sustainable agriculture, conservation agriculture, climatology, ecology, biology and other related majors to find solutions to the effects of climate change.
5. Human Health and Nutrition
Although increased productivity of food systems is an important part of improving a nation’s food security, productivity gains in food systems may not directly translate to improvements in human productivity. Globally, malnutrition and unsanitary living situations pose a large risk to the health and lives of children. Negative impacts on growth and development, both physical and cognitive, perpetuates the cycle of poverty. Professionals and researchers with expertise in human nutrition, public health, human medicine, food safety, microbiology, toxicology, etc. will be necessary to break the cycle.
6. Finance, Trade and Market Development
Farmers’ lack of access to loans, markets and trade, particularly women farmers, is a key obstacle to smallholder farm productivity and growth. In many countries, deficiencies in formal banking and market infrastructure can be a barrier to income stability and resiliency for smallholder farmers. Furthermore, foreign trade barriers or inability to meet export market requirements can stunt economic growth on a national level. The development of appropriate and effective finance, marketing and trade programs can help close some of the financial gaps that currently exist, and allow smallholder farmers to plan better for the inherent risk in agriculture production. Degrees in economics, finance, accounting, business, trade or marketing hold great opportunity in creating lasting impacts in this area.
7. Mechanization and Infrastructure Development
In many developing countries, there is often a lack of mechanization and infrastructure. This includes on-farm equipment, insufficient roads, transportation (trains or semi-trucks), storage, processing and manufacturing facilities, formalized market buildings, power supplies, etc. Professionals such as engineers, architects, geographers, urban planners and spatial scientists may find satisfaction in using their expertise to decrease on-farm labor, improve food distribution or even develop improved irrigation systems: all of which can greatly increase farm and human productivity.
8. Communication and Outreach
Are you a communications major, or perhaps you have a strong interest in extension? Well, food security programs may be the place for you. In the words of the great Norman Borlaug, scientists and developers are looking for innovative ways to, “Take it to the farmer.” Data and information generation is important, but unless that information is delivered to farmers in an applicable and understandable way, adoption and impact might not be fully realized. Professionals who can effectively develop communication and outreach programs are invaluable to the overall goals of food security efforts. Additional pertinent degrees include computer science, marketing, journalism, advertising, web design and broadcasting.
9. Education
At its core, national development is strongly linked to the education level of its citizens. In order to achieve success in the core areas of food security it is critical to create capacity in education, not only at the primary level, but extending into higher education programs within public universities. If you have a desire to use your background in education to conduct research, develop academic programs or improve systems of education, you may have interest in engaging in global development.
10. Social and Cultural Dynamics
Data, information, training programs and communication platforms may result in no impact if they do not take into account social and cultural dynamics of a given country. These dynamics include religion, gender, youth, class and perspective. Without expertise in areas of social science, realizing impacts will be difficult. Engaging professionals and researchers who are capable of looking at food security issues through a social and cultural lens can help to bridge the gaps between scientific understanding and human experience. If you have a degree in cultural anthropology, sociology, psychology, family studies, gender studies, etc., perhaps this is a career for you.
No discipline is capable of achieving global food security on its own. It will take the integration and collaboration of many fields of study to make significant progress. Maybe you can help!
Here are some suggested readings on food insecurity:
- Estimates of the global burden of foodborne diseases
- Food Law and Policy Career Guide
- Global Nutrition Report
- The Water-Energy-Food Nexus
- 2016 GAP Report
If a career in one of these areas seems to suit you and your career goals, consider a job with the following organizations or institutions:
- Action Against Hunger
- Africare
- American Refugee Committee
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Bread for the World
- CONCERN Worldwide US Inc.
- CARE
- Engineers Without Borders
- Feed the Future
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
- Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS)
- Heifer International
- International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
- Mercy Corps
- Office of Global Food Security (DOS)
- OXFAM
- Save the Children
- Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture
- USAID
- USDA
- World Food Prize
- World Food Programme
- WorldFish
- World Health Organization
