What does "food security" refer to?

"Food security" refers to the reliable access to sufficient nutritious food, ensuring that all individuals have the ability to obtain a consistent supply of food that meets their dietary needs for an active and healthy life. This concept encompasses not just the availability of food, but also affordability and access, meaning that even those in disadvantaged situations still have the means to secure adequate nutrition.

The focus on nutritious food highlights the importance of not just quantity, but quality, ensuring that foods available contribute to health and well-being. This is pivotal in addressing issues such as malnutrition, hunger, and poverty.

In contrast, the other options emphasize aspects of food production or availability which do not fully capture the holistic nature of food security. Local food production and the ability to grow one’s own food may contribute to food security but do not define it exclusively. Similarly, having organic food options is beneficial but does not guarantee that all individuals have sufficient and reliable access to foods overall. Thus, the definition of food security is broader and more comprehensive, making the characteristic of reliable access to sufficient nutritious food the correct answer.