World Hunger Introduction
Sources:The State of Food Insecurity 2011 (FAO)
World Hunger Education Service 2011Growing 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 poorhttp://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
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.resurgence.org/2005/egziahber233.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.resurgence.org/selection/egziabher1005.htm&h=350&w=350&sz=11&hl=en&start=15&tbnid=svh3od2uZpp9bM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfeed%2Bthe%2Bworld%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8
Ethics
• Is hunger and poverty morally acceptable?
• Why or why not?• What should we do?
http://www.whilechildrenstarve.org/images/starving-child-4.jpg