14 Solutions to World Hunger Explained

Ending World Hunger is one of the major objectives of Sustainable Development. This article discusses 14 solutions to world hunger ;

 

 

1). Sustainable Agriculture as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Also referred to as ‘Climate-Smart Agriculture,’ and ‘Urban Farming,’ sustainable agriculture reduces the severity of World Hunger by providing farming methods and practices that are resilient under sudden and unfavorable conditions.

Sustainable Agriculture does not cause unnecessary depletion of natural resources, therefore it does not compromise the possibility of food production in the future. The three main objectives of this form of agriculture are;

Environmental Conservation

Economic Profitability

Social Compatibility

To conduct sustainable agriculture, modern infrastructure, tools and approaches such as mechanized farming, crop diversification, pest and disease control, compost application, and conservative irrigation, are applied.

The approach is usually adapted to suit the conditions of any region, in order to produce significant returns in terms of food materials [4].

Sustainable Agriculture is even more important today, given the huge challenges posed by climate change and its effects in different parts of the world.

It has been very beneficial in reducing food insecurity and alleviating poverty in countries like Malawi, Niger, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

sustainable agriculture
Sustainable Agriculture (Credit: Walmart Corporate .CC BY 2.0.)

 

Sustainable Agriculture has also made these regions to be more self-reliant, thereby reducing the burden on organizations and agencies, to providing relief packages to the hungry population.

2). Public Enlightenment as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Illiteracy and lack of relevant knowledge are potential causes of world hunger [3]. This said, one of the ways by which we can combat the problem of world hunger, is by making education available to the masses.

Education may be made available in ant of various forms. These include formal education programs; which helps to reduce unemployment and poverty.

Public enlightenment programs can also help to inform the public concerning the causes and possible solutions to world hunger and food insecurity. This will make the society more resilient to economic and agricultural decline, and will introduce methods to combat the causes of poverty, food shortages, and hunger.

For example; teaching rural people about the importance of conservative irrigation practices and large-scale, diversified crop production will reduce the impacts of drought and other environmental problems.

3). Access to Loans and Funding as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Especially in parts of the world that are affected by poverty and economic recession, one of the causes of hunger is the lack of financial resources to acquire the needed infrastructure for agricultural development.

Making loans and funding accessible to farmers at both small and large scales of agricultural practice, will be very helpful to facilitate the progress of food production projects [9]. Several organizations are making efforts to provide support in the form of financing, to agricultural projects around the world. This approach is capable of improving the economic and social status of the society.

4). Reducing Inequality as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Inequality has been identified as one of the causes of world hunger [13].

This is because inequality causes an imbalance in the distribution of resources within the human population. An example of this is the disproportion in the distribution of wealth, whereby a very small percentage of the human population is in possession of a large proportion of the wealth on Earth [10].

Another example of inequality can be seen in the fact that while food is wasted massively in some countries, others are in a state of food insecurity and hunger.

Gender inequality makes it difficult for women to access some requirements for agricultural practice, in parts of the world today. These include agricultural lands, capital, and other ownership and operational rights. Considering that women make up to 45 percent of the labor force in developing countries [5], the limitations which they face, take a toll on the agricultural productivity of the society in general.

By developing more funding, orientation, awareness and training programs to support women in agriculture, it will be possible to achieve a boost in food production around the world. This will be helpful in the fight to end world hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.

5). Government Intervention

When we consider the fact that bad governance directly affects the society, is not difficult to understand that the government has a role to play in bringing an end to world hunger.

By making more purposeful investments in the agricultural sector at all levels, governments all around the world can help to improve the yield and accessibility of food for the human population [1].

Food intervention programs can also be organized or facilitated by the government, where there is an existing food crisis. Examples of some existing government-driven food intervention programs in the United States include [12];

-Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)

-Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program

-Community Food Projects Competitive Grant Program (CFPCGP)

-The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)

 Other ways by which the government can help in the fight against world hunger include international alliances for food donation, as well as policy development to improve economic conditions in the agricultural sector.

6). Conflict Resolution

One of the common causes of food insecurity, world hunger and starvation in our society, is conflict. Under such chaotic conditions, agricultural infrastructure and resources are destroyed and people are displaced, increasing the exposure of the population to hunger [2].

By seeking to establish peace in conflict-affected regions, the associated social problems of conflict (which include hunger) can be mitigated. This is possible through treaties and agreements, economic development, and other measures that reduce the prevalence of social disarray.

7). Supporting Refugees as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Forced Migration occurs due to several causes that include economic recession, conflict, and natural disaster [6].

As a result of such forced migration, several people are made to become displaced refugees within and outside their home countries.

Food distribution is an effective way to prevent hunger outbreak among displaced refugees. In some cases, food production and other economic programs can be established for refugees and internally displaced people, to make them more productive member of the society, and reduce their dependence on relief measures.

8). Reducing Food Waste

The magnitude of food wastage in the world shows that  a reduction of this wastage will mean the availability of more than 1 billion tons more food, to the population.

By addressing food wastage in developed countries, more supplies will be available to distribute to the developing countries where food insecurity and hunger exist [7]. Reducing food wastage will also help to conserve the resources which are used up in the process of food production. This will result in positive socioeconomic and agricultural growth.

9). Improved Sanitation and Hygiene as Solutions to World Hunger

When they are prolonged and/or recurrent; waterborne diseases like diarrhea may lead to malnutrition [14].

To prevent such diseases, people should be given access to hygienic food and water. Good sanitation practices like hand washing should also be promoted in order to address these problems.

10). Pest and Disease Control

In addition to problems caused by Climate Change and extreme weather events, pests and diseases are known to affect crop yield [8].

Examples of this can be seen in the effects of locust infestation on crops in parts of the world like Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, and the effects of fungal crop infections.

By taking measures to combat pests and diseases, the production of crops can drastically be increased, while also improving the quality of the food products themselves, for consumption. The use of pesticides and fungicides is very beneficial to address pests and diseases of crops.

pests and disease
Cassava crops in Thailand, which have been affected by pests and diseases (Credit: CIAT/NeilPalmer 2009 .CC BY-SA 2.0.)

 

11). Efficient Food Storage as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

Poor methods and systems of food storage is one of the reasons behind food wastage and low quality.

Even with increased food production, if there are no efficient and effective ways to store the food produced, wastage and subsequent food shortages will be inevitable. This means that food storage is one of the most important measures that can help to address world hunger.

12). Disaster Risk Reduction

By preparing adequately for natural disaster, the negative effects of such hazardous events- which include world hunger- can be mitigated.

Disaster risk reduction involves putting measures in place to detect and act against natural disaster, thereby saving lives and property [11]. Such measures could include crop protection and diversification, hazard-resistant infrastructure like retaining walls for landslides and floods; and effective evacuation strategies.

13). Resource Management as one of the Solutions to World Hunger

By managing natural resources, we make our environment to be more resilient to the effects of factors which can cause hunger and food shortage.

Resource management will help to ensure that water, land and other resources needed for food production, are bot depleted. It will also prevent food wastage, and will reduce the likelihood of conflict.

14). Social Protection

Social protection includes measures that help to cater for the needs of the most vulnerable members of the human population [15]. The lack of such measures of social security in many countries is one of the causes of world hunger, and therefore must be addressed.

food distribution and world hunger
Food Distribution to Less-Privileged Children (Credit: FMSC 2011 .CC BY 2.0.)

 

Social security is most needed in countries which are affected by humanitarian problems like climate change, natural disaster, and conflict. It can be provided through support programs that aim at supplying relief to the vulnerable population.

 

Conclusion

The possible solutions to world hunger, which have been discussed in this article include;

1). Sustainable Agriculture

2). Public Enlightenment

3). Access to Loans

4). Reducing Inequality

5). Government Intervention

6). Conflict Resolution

7). Supporting Refugees

8). Reducing Food Waste

9). Improved Sanitation

10). Pest and Disease Control

11). Efficient Food Storage

12). Disaster Risk Reduction

13). Resource Management

14). Social Protection

Through the implementation of these suggested measures, among others, the problem of food insecurity and hunger can be addressed effectively in our society.

 

References

1). Andrade, R.; Lopera, D.; Rivera, T.; Urioste, S.; Tohme, J.; González, C. (2021) Investing wisely to end hunger and strengthen agriculture, with no region left behind: Latin America. Policy Brief No. 52. Cali (Colombia): International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) 14 p. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/113707. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

2). Breisinger, C.; Ecker, O.; and  Trinh Tan, J. F. (2015). “Chapter 7: Conflict and Food Insecurity. How Do We Break the Links?” 2014-2015 Global Food Policy Report. Available at: https://www.ifpri.org/sites/default/files/gfpr/2015/feature_3086.html. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

3). Canadianfeedthechildren (2021). “Literacy-food security links.” Available at: https://canadianfeedthechildren.ca/the-feed/writing-a-way-out-of-hunger/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

4). Carlisle, L.; Montenegro de Wit, M.; DeLonge, M. S.; Iles, A.; Calo, A.; Getz, C.; Ory, J.; Munden-Dixon, K.; Galt, R.; Melone, B.; Knox, R.; and Press, D. (2019). Transitioning to Sustainable Agriculture Requires Growing and Sustaining an Ecologically Skilled Workforce. Front. Sustain. Food Syst., Available at: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2019.00096. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

5). FAO (2021). “Women hold the key to building a world free from hunger and poverty.” Available at: https://www.fao.org/news/story/en/item/460267/icode/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

6). Giovetti, O. (2019). “FORCED MIGRATION: 6 CAUSES AND EXAMPLES.” Available at: https://www.concernusa.org/story/forced-migration-causes/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

7). IPS (2018). “Food Waste Enough to Feed World’s Hungry Four Times Over.” Available at: https://reliefweb.int/report/world/food-waste-enough-feed-world-s-hungry-four-times-over. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

8). Kan-rice, P. (2021). “Pests and Pathogens Place Global Burden on Major Food Crops.” Available at: https://californiaagtoday.com/pests-diseases-cause-worldwide-damage-crops/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

9). McCarthy, J. (2021). “How Funding for Farmers Can Help End Hunger and Poverty.” Available at: https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/why-smallholder-farmers-need-funding/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

10). Neate, R. (2017). “Richest 1% own half the world’s wealth, study finds.” Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/inequality/2017/nov/14/worlds-richest-wealth-credit-suisse. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

11). UNDRR (2015). “Disaster risk reduction & disaster risk management.” Available at: https://www.preventionweb.net/understanding-disaster-risk/key-concepts/disaster-risk-reduction-disaster-risk-management. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

12). USDA (2021). “Hunger and Food Security Programs.” Available at: https://nifa.usda.gov/program/hunger-food-security-programs. (Accessed 31 December).

13). Webster, A. (2019). “THE TOP 10 CAUSES OF GLOBAL HUNGER.” Available at: https://www.concernusa.org/story/causes-of-global-hunger/. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

14). WHO (2017). “Diarrhoeal disease.” Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/diarrhoeal-disease. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

15). World Bank (2020). “The World Bank In Social Protection.” Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/socialprotection/overview#1. (Accessed 31 December 2021).

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