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Hunger. More than 1 billion people are permanently
undernourished, 75% of them are food producers and their
families.
Obesity. 400 million people are suffering of obesity, and
1.2 billion more are overweight. This is a fast-growing
health problem not only in the industrialized countries, but
also in developing countries.
Malnutrition. In addition to undernourishment and
obesity, other forms of malnutrition cause the death and
serious health problems of millions of people.
Climate change. Food production and livelihoods are
threatened by changing climates, and at the same time,
agriculture is also a main contributor to climate change.
Environmental threats. Agricultural diversity, soil and
water are critical for future food production and food
security, but these resources are being drastically depleted
and polluted.
Poverty. Almost half the world’s population – 3 billion people
– live in poverty, and almost 1.4 billion people live in extreme
poverty. The majority of the poor live in rural areas and are
linked to agriculture and other kind of food production.
Hunger is one of the world’s most burning issues. Although the numbers exist that
quantify hunger, it is critical to recognize that understanding of hunger starts with individuals, not data. Hunger means women and men too weak to work, and children who will never develop full mental capacities because their mothers were malnourished and did not pass on proper nutrition. Hunger means parents see their children suffer and die.
Hunger: the silent killer.
Those individual stories multiply and data does illustrate the unbelievable dimension of hunger.
Every day, 16,000 children die of malnutrition and hunger-related diseases.4
According to the latest FAO figures, more than one billion people suffer from hunger,more than ever in human history.
Add to this the fact that each year, our planet’s population increases by about 74 million people. From 6.9 billion in 2010, population will reach 8.3 billion in 2030 and, by 2050, the number will be 9,1 billion, according to the UN Population Division5.
The Right to Food is a basic human right, but with the reality
of the looming population growth, can this right be fulfilled for all? Is it possible to produce enough to feed everyone?
more see the Newsletter (Development Innovation Update, October 2011)
