Deteriorating food security status is primarily a local phenomenon resulting from failures in food systems and inadequate incomes. Technological advances in agriculture have led to declining long-term trends in food prices, which have assisted in improving diets. It is projected that in the first half of the twenty-first century, food production increases will have a difficult time keeping pace with the increase in population, leading to increased incidents where local price spikes for food lead to deteriorations in the food security status of many locally resident individuals. International trade in food products will be key to mitigating the effects of local food systems failures.