The state of food security: A comparative study between Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia

Since the COVID-19 struck the world, the pandemic impact became one bolster raising the alarm of countries worldwide to be more concerned about food security. This unprecedented challenge has exposed the vulnerabilities that affecting food security. Therefore, securing the nation’s food security on the top-ranking becomes a constant focus of government, researchers, and activists in every country. Many researchers have explored the food security challenges and evaluate the food security status. However, studies taking a comparison on different income levels of multi-country perspectives appear to be scarce. Therefore, this study aims to compare the food security level and the changing trends between upper-middle-income countries (Malaysia), high-income countries (Singapore), and lower-middle-income countries (Indonesia) and to identify the strengths and challenges of food security in each country. This study adopts a document analysis approach and applies a scoping review method on the Global Food Security Index (GFSI) to measure its food security level and analyze its differences during 2012–2020. The scope set for this study was four components: affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience. Finding transpired that the relationship between four significant components of food security towards the changing food security trends during 2012 – 2020 does not generate a straight-line trend. Instead, it shows an inconsistent trend subject to various confounding factors. The finding also reveals that food security in the higher-income countries tend to be more secure and robust than upper-middle-income countries and lower-middle-income countries. Thus, cooperation between Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia is necessary to address each country’s strengths, weaknesses, and trends that create new opportunities to close the gap and enhance food security status. Sustainable development is impossible without a high level of food security unless all the countries committedly progress to achieve SDG #2: achieving food security and improved nutrition by 2030.