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Ending Hunger:“Glocal” Solutions. Chris Barrett Ithaca Hunger Banquet April 17, 2008. Hunger remains widespread and growing or stagnant in most of the developing world. Source: FAO 2007. And micronutrient undernutrition remains even more widespread ( 2 billion).
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Ending Hunger:“Glocal” Solutions Chris Barrett Ithaca Hunger Banquet April 17, 2008
Hunger remains widespread and growing or stagnant in most of the developing world Source: FAO 2007 And micronutrient undernutrition remains even more widespread (2 billion)
Mild chronic hunger is widespread in the US and other high-income countries, too 10.4% of adults and 17.2% of children in the US are regularly hungry. Worse among black (21.8%) and Hispanic (19.5%) households. In New York state, 10.4% of households are food insecure, 3.1% of them severely. But less than half the eligible working poor participate in the food stamp program and WIC funding remains scarce Sources: data from USDA, 2006, photo from Bread for the World
Even in well-to-do Tompkins County, mild chronic hunger is widespread … More than 30% of school children in this county receive free or reduced-price meals. Nearly 9% of residents are officially food insecure. And the figures are worse now as food and gas prices rise and good jobs grow are ever-harder to find. Source: Ithaca Journal, 2007
Poverty and hunger: Tragically reinforcing feedback Poverty causes hunger: Low incomes and high and/or volatile food prices lead to hunger. But hunger also causes poverty: Hunger leads to low birth weight, delayed child cognitive and physical development, adult energy and attention deficits, increased likelihood of illness or injury, etc. … all causally associated with low productivity and income.
The window for addressing hunger and undernutrition is relatively narrow: Pre-pregnancy to ~24 months Source: World Bank 2007 and Shrimpton et al. 2001 After 24-36 months, most cognitive, immune system and stature effects are permanent
Better technologies: animal and plant production and processing, food safety, energy, etc., especially for poor farmers around the world. So what do we do?Global + local (“Glocal”) Solutions - Create new businesses offering good jobs at living wages for those without the education, skills and capital to compete in a skill-based, global economy.
Community-based cooperative management of resources, marketing, etc. … take control of and solve own problems locally. Global + local (“Glocal”) Solutions • Timely and appropriate global and local support in times of emergencies: global food aid but also local food pantries and soup kitchens.
But progress has been remarkable. Hope is warranted. Action is necessary. Get involved where/as seems right for you: - work at a soup kitchen donate to a food pantry help with agricultural research write your elected representatives. … Just use your imagination and your skills! Hunger remains a major challenge, locally and globally.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” -Margaret Mead