Which type of crop is emphasized to address food security?

• A. Inedible cash crops
• B. Food crops
• C. Export crops
• D. Industrial crops

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is that addressing food security relies on growing crops that directly supply calories and nutrients to people. Food crops are the crops grown for human consumption—things like cereals (rice, wheat, maize), roots and tubers (potatoes, cassava), legumes, fruits, and vegetables. When a strategy emphasizes food crops, the aim is to boost the amount and variety of nutritious food available locally, making a population less vulnerable to hunger and price swings.

This focus makes sense because food security means people can access sufficient, affordable, and nutritious food over time. Producing more food crops increases domestic supply, supports stable prices, and helps ensure people can eat even when imports are disrupted or when incomes fall. In contrast, inedible cash crops are grown mainly for selling to earn foreign exchange and not for direct consumption; export crops also prioritize external markets and revenue rather than feeding the domestic population; industrial crops are grown for manufacturing and industry rather than feeding people. While those crops can contribute to a country's economy, they don’t directly address the goal of feeding the population, which is what food security is about.