Despite all the progress in food and technology, hunger remains a plague to mankind. Millions suffer from chronic undernourishment today. This hurts their health, development, and future. How many people are really undernourished in the world? Why should this be so in this blessed time of plenty? This Foodex Blog shall look into the current dimensions of global hunger, its causes, and what is called for in terms of a solution to check it.
How Many People Are Chronically Undernourished?
In 2021, 828 million people were chronically undernourished, says the FAO. That number accounts for almost 10% of the world’s population. Improvements in the reduction of hunger have been slowing down. Economic inequalities, conflict, climate change, and COVID-19 are the causative agents. The situation is critical, with the largest group of those affected found in parts of Africa and Asia.
Defining Chronic Undernourishment
According to the FAO, chronic undernourishment is a state of a long-term lack of food. Due to this, people cannot meet their minimum daily energy needs. It affects adults and children alike. In children, it stunts growth, weakens the structures of their immune systems, and harms development. This kind of malnutrition is quite invisible. Its victims may not show signs of hunger but can lack basic nutrition.
Causes of Chronic Undernourishment
Poverty
Poverty is said to be the leading cause of hunger worldwide. Poor families in abject poverty cannot afford nutrient-rich foods. They become malnourished because of this. The rise in the price of food in poor-income countries has increased the number of those who can’t access enough amounts of food.
To this end, war and conflict seriously affect access to food in many countries. Conflicts disrupt farming, destroy infrastructure, and force people to flee, making it hard to access food. The World Food Programm has noted that more than 60 percent of the world’s hungry people are living in conflict-affected countries.
Climate Change
There is a change in climate characterized by increased incidents of drought floods, and erratic weather. These affect agricultural production adversely. The impacts render smallholder farmers vulnerable owing to dependence on seasons. Crop failures have caused food shortages in some regions. This has worsened undernourishment.
Food Inequality
We have food inequality because of inequality in wealth and resources. While there is surplus food in some countries, others suffer from acute shortages. Economic crises in a country, like inflation or recession, reduce access to affordable food even more.
Pandemics and Health Crises
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought into sharp focus the fragility of global food systems. Lockdowns, disrupted supply chains, and job losses have increased food insecurity. It has pushed millions into hunger, reversing years of progress against global undernourishment.
Regions Most Affected by Chronic Undernourishment
Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest share of the population that is undernourished. In 2021, about 278 million people of the total faced hunger in the region. Food crises are caused by unstable politics, bad roads that raise transport costs, and climate disasters.
In Asia, there are more than half of the world’s undernourished: 265 million in India, 43 million in Pakistan, and 41 million in Bangladesh. Hunger in Asia has declined through the years. However, economic inequality and environmental issues remain.
Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced a rise in hunger. Economic decline and political turbulences are the causative agents. A very good example is Venezuela. In 2021, about 56 million people suffered from chronic undernourishment in this region.
Effects of Chronic Under-nourishment
Health Effects Chronic undernutrition brings a multitude of health effects. It results in weakened immune systems. In children, besides reducing growth, it increases the risk of infection. In pregnant women, it results in low birth weight and developmental delays among newborn babies.
Economic Effects
Hunger affects the productivity of a nation. Workers who do not get enough nutrition are less productive and prone to sickness. It pulls down the average production of an economy. Poverty cycles can happen in countries with widespread hunger. In those cases, it may be hard to break the cycle.
Social Consequences
Hunger is among the significant facilitators of chaos and terrorism. Lack of food in a community makes men competitors in survival, where lives are terminated and community development is interfered with. Chronic hunger minimizes education and development altogether, increasing the social gap.
Solutions against Chronic Undernourishment
Improvement in farm output is very crucial in zero hunger, especially in developing nations. Achieving it may be through investing in sustainable farming methods. They include crop diversification, water management, and organic farming. We need to support the small-scale farmers. They are very susceptible to food shortages.
Better food distribution systems
hunger is not only related to food shortage but also to the proper distribution of food. Improving the chain of food supply will better reach the needy. Reduction in food wastage- estimated to be roughly one-third of all food produced also makes a big difference.
Social Safety Nets
These include food aid, school meals, and cash programs. These stave off hunger in families. These are just relief measures. People can go about their business, relaxing and seeking long-term solutions to food security.
We shall need to address the change in climate for there to be enough food in the following years. We have to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The investment in climate-resilient crops is core. We must support policies that protect communities, especially the vulnerable ones, from a changing climate.
Ending Conflict
Political stability is a significant piece in the puzzle of ending hunger. Conflicts disrupt food production and distribution. So, peace efforts are key to conflict areas where starvation is going on.
Conclusion
Millions of people all over the world suffer from chronic undernutrition. It damages their health and development and impairs economic development. There are far too many hungry people in the world. But there are solutions. To wipe out hunger, we all have to take action. The way out involves investment in sustainable agriculture in addition to tackling its root causes, such as poverty and conflict. We have to make sure all people have what they need: food to fulfill their potential.
Sources
World Food Programme, WFP: Information on hunger in conflict zones and solutions to food insecurity.
UN Sustainable Development Goals, UNSDG: Global efforts to reduce hunger and attain food security.
World Bank: Economic data on poverty and inequality and its linkage with hunger.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC: It reports on the impacts of climate change on food and agriculture.
Ehsan Allahverdi
CEO, Foodex Iran
Marketing Consultant Leading Food & Beverage Brands
website | linkedin
