That’s according to a new report by Miina Porkka, Matti Kummu, Stefan Siebert and Olli Varis, “From Food Insufficiency towards Trade Dependency: A Historical Analysis of Global Food Availability.”

The research team from Aalto University in Finland looked at the development of the food chain and the progress of food supply between 1965 and 2005.

While the global food supply could be increased by using novel technological solutions, reform of current agricultural practices and reduction of food waste, any substantial improvement in food security will require real efforts for a more equal distribution of global food supply.

The authors say that while a secure food supply has been outsourced in various parts of the globe, a large share of global population is still living with insufficient food supply.

The proportion of the food population that gets enough food – more than 2,500 calories a day – has nearly doubled to 61 percent over the 40-year period.

Those living on a critically low food supply of less than 2,000 calories a day have shrunk from 51 percent to 3 percent.

The researchers found that food availability has improved especially in the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America, China and Southeast Asia.

Although food availability has increased on the global level, food self-sufficiency has remained relatively low.

The countries in North Africa and the Middle East, for instance, have become increasingly dependent on imported food. In these countries, food availability has increased from low to a very high level, even though domestic food production has remained inadequate.

Brazil, on the other hand, has become one of the world’s most important producers of food for export.

In the 1960s, food supply in the country was still inadequate, but in the past decades Brazilian food production has grown exponentially and food consumption is now more than sufficient.

The study also examined dietary changes that have taken place in different countries. The proportion of people consuming large amounts (more than 15 percent of energy intake) of animal-based nutrition has increased from 33 percent to more than 50 percent.

Brazil
The USDA will consider for recognition areas free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) with vaccination in 14 Brazilian states.

The review will consider the FMD status of the states of: Bahia, Distrito Federal, Espirito Santo, Goias, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul, Rio de Janeiro, Rondônia, São Paulo, Sergipe and Tocantins.

Consultations will be held through February 2014, after which the USDA will consider the comments received in another step in the process to free up exports of fresh beef from these states to the U.S.

Brazil has also notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of its sanitary requirements for imports of fresh beef from countries that have had cases of BSE, such as the U.S.

The action being taken by both countries falls under the mutual understanding contained in the joint statement issued on Dec. 18, 2013.

Russia
According to Russian market analysts, the weakest part of the overall meat sector (poultry, beef, pork) by the end of 2013 was the poultry sector.

Oversupply and low prices forced poultry values down to the lowest level in recent memory.

Over the year, Russia’s self-sufficiency in meat rose from 72 percent to 76 percent. However, Russia is gradually reducing its dependence on meat imports. In 2007, Russia was among the leading meat commodity importers in the world. Last year, the country had fallen to fifth place.

The leading exporter of meat to Russia is Brazil, which last year shipped 400,000 metric tons (MT) of meat into the country.

However, neighboring former Soviet states such as Belarus are moving up the trading ladder, which last year exported 300,000 MT of meat products to Russia.

The beef sector has undergone considerable structural changes, with the main source of beef coming from dairy cattle. However, the livestock numbers are falling and the breeding herd and base for meat production is also shrinking.

While Russia is seeing a reduction in the breeding base, there are growing numbers of crossbred beef cattle.

Over the year, numbers of cross bred cattle rose from 1.56 million head to 1.9 million – a rise of 22 percent. The growth in these beef herds compared to the total cattle population will see a growth in beef production.

However, about a third of Russian beef imports come from South America and Belarus. In the next two to three years, there will be a growth in high-quality beef on the market, but total beef production is unlikely to grow, analysts say. 

Clint Peck is former director of Montana’s Beef Quality Assurance program.