Food security is a basic human right. Every person must be assured access to safe, high quality food. To ensure the right of people to feed themselves, food security must be based, to the extent possible, on local self reliance. Food security is best assured where the production, transporting and consumption of local food is a priority and where dependence on food imports is reduced as much as possible, acknowledging that food imports can be necessary to supplement local supplies 9. The attainment of food security is vital to sustainable development.
People have the right to the dignity of sustainable self-reliance.
National and international trade policy must not be allowed to undermine this right 10. The right to food encompasses not only material aspects such as quantity, quality and access but also the cultural aspects of food. Food production and consumption patterns reflect the environmental, cultural, political and social diversity of communities and societies, and should be respected and promoted. However, non-healthful food consumption patterns should be discouraged. The community should decide for itself what is healthy or unhealthy 11.