World Hunger Introduction

Sources:

The State of Food Insecurity 2011 (FAO)

World Hunger Education Service 2011

Growing a Better Future 2011 (Oxfam)

The World Food Problem (2009, Leathers and Foster)

World Hunger Facts

• Worldwide, about 1 billion people are undernourished

• Don’t get enough calories each day– Susceptible to illness– Unable to lead productive

lives

• Chronic undernourishment– Due to extreme poverty

http://www.ehponline.org/docs/2004/112-14/hungry.jpg

Undernourishment 1969-2011

World Hunger Spike: Since 2008

• Poorest cannot afford food– Food prices up

• Increased demand from emerging countries

– Economic development

• Population increase

• Biofuels production

• Reduced crop production– Climate change

– Recession

http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/faohome/home_photo/image_home_en.jpg

Rising Food Prices

World Hunger Facts

• Over 20,000 people die each day due to causes related to undernutrition

• ¾ of these are children under the age of 5 – About 6 million/year

http://www.smh.com.au/ffximage/2005/06/30/poverty_wideweb__430x387.jpg

Undernutrition and Child Death

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/a0200e/a0199e.pdfhttp://rehydrate.org/images/child-deaths-undernutrition.gif

Common Scenario

• Mother– Poorly educated

– Food is scarce

– Several children

• Youngest child– undernourished

– Disease resistance low

– Drinks unsanitary water

– Develops diarrhea

– Loses interest in eating

http://static.flickr.com/73/193642829_3da338122c.jpg

Common Scenario

• Mother removes solids from child’s diet– Not enough nourishment

to fight disease

– Diarrhea continues

• Mother removes liquids– Dehydration

– Death

http://www.aa2sbu.org/aaezine/images/Fall2002/Starving_child_carried.jpg

Malnutrition Cycle

http://notaids.com/images/cycle.gif

Importance of Maternal Health

http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/a0200e/a0200e00.htm

1 in 6 babies in developing countries have low birthweight

Causes of Hunger

• Poverty– 2.3 billion people

earn less than $2/day

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050513/d.jpg

Causes of Hunger

• Extreme Poverty– 1.3 Billion people earn

less than $1.25/day

– 75% of these live in rural areas

• many unable to own land

– Worst in Sub-Saharan Africa

http://www.thp.org/africa/1bapr1-360.jpg

Extreme PovertyPercentage who earn less than $1.25/day

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Percentage_population_living_on_less_than_$1.25_per_day_2009.svg

Causes of Hunger

• Harmful Economic Systems– Control over incomes

and resources by• Military

• Wealthy

• Politically powerful

• Conflicts

http://us-cdn.creamermedia.co.za/assets/articles/attachments/31567_i1683e.pdf

Where are the Undernourished?

World Hunger Map

www.feedingminds.org/ img/map_world.jpg

Sachs, J. 2005, The End of Poverty; Economic Possibilities for Our Time.

Worldwide life expectancy

http://www.theglobaleducationproject.org/earth/images/final-images/life-expectancy-map.gif

Side effects of Hunger and Poverty

ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/008/a0200e/a0199e.pdf

Population Pressure

• World Population has doubled in 40 years– Most of increase in

developing countries• 5 billion people

• Poverty and economic insecurity result in population growth– Children are a source of

wealth to the poor

http://www.sustainablescale.org/images/uploaded/Population/World%20Population%20Growth%20to%202050.JPG

Hope: Demographic Transition

• Example: U.S. History– When U.S. became

industrial, fewer kids/family needed

• Lowered infant mortality

• No need to rely on children’s labor

• More opportunities for women

• Happened without birth control

http://bss.sfsu.edu/tygiel/Hist427/1920sphotos/fordassemblylinehist102.jpg

Agricultural Revolution

Hunters & Gatherers

Agriculture

Population GrowthTechnology

Conquest for land

Food production

Culture

Expanding population & environmental destruction

Effect of the Agricultural Revolution

Elite

Conquered & Exploited: Peasants, Slaves, Workers

Wealth, Tribute

Food, Resources

Wealth:Own land, Well-fed Educated, Health care, Opportunities

Poverty:Landless, hungry, uneducated, unhealthy, no opportunities

Effect of the Industrial Revolution

Sachs, J. 2005, The End of Poverty; Economic Possibilities for Our Time.

Issues

• Nutrition• Food Security• Agriculture• Environment• Technology• Education• Culture• Development• Ethics

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Ethics

• Is hunger and poverty morally acceptable?

• Why or why not?

• What should we do?

http://www.whilechildrenstarve.org/images/starving-child-4.jpg