while a sectoral approach to fsn policy and strategy is necessary it is not a sufficient condition to impact rural livelihoods and reduce inequalities between rural and urban areas across rural areas or across individuals in addition to the availability dimension there is a need to address the issues of access to food both economic and physical the nutritional quality of food utilisation and the stability of both the availability and access dimensions in the long run other causes of food insecurity are generally attributed to low incomes unemployment health education nutrition status natural resource degradation and weak political commitment which exacerbate vulnerability to risk as noted by the fao fighting rural poverty and food insecurity will require resilient and diversified rural economies that offer employment and income opportunities helping small farmers improve farm productivity can help but in most contexts it is not enough to lift all rural poor out of poverty fao