Overcoming World Hunger

Hunger continues to be a worldwide problem that we face today. One in nine people still suffer from hunger and malnutrition (Hunger Free World, 2019).

Achieving the Right to Food

The right to food is not an easy right that can be achieved, simply if a person is temporarily full or if they have the minimum amount of calories to survive. The right to food can be defined as the right to have access to the amount of food necessary for a healthy body, both physically and mentally. It could be said that the right to food can only be achieved by meeting these four conditions. 

Availability

Producing food by cultivating fields, raising livestock, fishing, and selling food to markets and shops.

Accessibility

Having stable food prices and enough money to buy these foods, as well as having no gender or social restrictions. Living in an environment where food can be obtained even for children and elderlies, and people living in remote areas.

Adequacy

Being able to eat in quantity and quality that suits age, gender and living environment. Having a well-balanced diet with necessary nutrition, being able to eat ingredients safely, and being accepted by the food culture and customs of one’s living environment.

Sustainability

Having enough proper food for future generations. Having the skills and knowledge to eat without external support, and the skills being passed to the next generation.

Developed Countries May Be the Cause

Unfortunately, the right of food as explained above requires many challenging factors, which might not be recognized in developed countries than developing countries. However, it does not mean that developed countries should be unaware of such problems. In fact, developed countries are responsible for underestimating this serious issue.

One reason for this ongoing problem is that “seventy percent of people facing hunger are farmers that live in the rural area and rely on the climate to grow their crops (Hunger Free World, 2019).” Due to global warming mainly caused by human activities such as industrialization and burning of fossils, the conditions of their crops can change drastically depending on the climate, making it harder for these farmers to have a stable harvest.

Additionally, the rise of the food price index in the international market can easily force people in poverty to cut down on their food expenses and buy expensive food from other countries.

Another factor is the increase in food loss in developed countries, which amounts to 1.3 billion tons, almost the same amount of food it takes to feed everyone in Sub-Saharan Africa (FAO,2011). 

Start With Small Changes

Given this information, the rights to food for everyone around the world can be approached starting with people who already have enough wealth and resources to obtain food. It is the action of each individual such as buying only what they can eat or choosing local ingredients, that determine the future of the ongoing problem of world hunger.