Hunger and Malnutrition: global patterns and causes

Hunger and Malnutrition: global patterns and causes

1. Hunger "Hunger" refers to the want or scarcity of food in a country. People who are chronically hungry don’t eat enough to provide the energy they need for an active life. In fact globally just fewer than 1 billion people on the planet go to bed hungry every night.

2. Malnutrition The term “Malnutrition and Undernutrition ” are used interchangeably. Malnutrition – all forms of inadequate nutritional status. Malnutrition includes undernutrition and overnutrition (obesity). The term Undernutrition refers to inadequate dietary intake , Malnutrition arises from deficiencies of specific nutrients. Disease and malnutrition are closely linked. Sometimes disease is the result of malnutrition, sometimes it is a contributing cause. Malnutrition is the largest single contributor to disease in the world, Malnutrition at an early age leads to reduced physical and mental development during childhood.

3. Global Patterns of Hunger Some 795 million people in the world do not have enough (one in nine people) on earth. world's hungry people live in developing countries, where 780 m (12.9 % population is undernourished.) 14.7 million people undernourished in developed countries. Asia is the continent with the hungriest people - two thirds of the total. Poor nutrition causes nearly half (45%) of deaths in children under five 3.1 million children each year. One in four of the world's children are underweight

4. Causes of Hunger Poverty: As of 2016, the World Bank has estimated that there were 896 million poor people in developing countries who live on $1.90 a day or less. This compared with 1.95 billion in 1990 , has reduced. Progress in poverty reduction has been concentrated in Asia, and especially, East Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa , the number of people in extreme poverty has increased . Rising food Prices: Food price volatility has increased in the last decade Price in agricultural commodities markets is strongly influenced by weather shocks.

5. Causes of Hunger Land rights and ownership: the issue of rights and ownership land is considered as the most valuable resource rich governments and corporations are buying vast agricultural land poor states will produce food for rich countries Diversion of land use to non-productive use: In many countries productive land is being diverted towards non-productive use like. For dam construction, industries, urban growth etc. Increasing emphasis on export-oriented agriculture: In the developing countries the farmers have started growing cash crops, has caused reduction in the production of food grains .

6. Causes of Hunger Inefficient agricultural practices: Intensive farming leads to exhaustion of fertility and decline of yields. 40 % of the agricultural land is seriously degraded . In Africa , the continent might be able to feed just 25% of its population by 2025. War – Conflict: 172 million people were affected by conflict worldwide. Internally displaced persons ( IDP ) 18 million refugees for five million. Pakistan with 28 million and Nigeria with nearly 19 million had the largest

7. Causes of Hunger Natural Disasters: Drought, floods, earthquakes, hurricane, and volcanic eruptions sudden- onset disasters especially floods have increased. As sudden onset emergencies leave less time for response than slow-onset ones. This has implication on mitigation measures and response to emergencies to save lives and protect livelihood systems. Disasters destroy critical agricultural assets and infrastructure Poor crop yield: decline in per capita food production many countries have lost the ability to feed their people Rising cost of Fuels: Rising energy and fertilizer prices

8. Causes of Hunger Trade Policies: The WTO treats food as just another product . a country cannot offer to trade food to a developing country on better terms than developed country. Climate change: Climate change is already responsible for 300,000 deaths a year It projects that increasingly severe heat waves, floods, storms and forest fires will be responsible for as many as 500,000 deaths a year by 2030

9. Food Security World Food Summit (1996)- " when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life". Dimensions of Food Security: Food availability Access to food Stability

10. Developments in food security FAO - global hunger reduction continues: 1010.6 million (1990-92) 795 million (2014-16). 63 countries have reached the hunger target of Millennium Development Goal -1 25 countries have achieved the more stringent World Food Summit target. food security and nutrition as top priorities Hunger reduction requires: raise agricultural productivity; access to inputs, land, services, technologies and markets; promote rural development; social protection for the most vulnerable specific nutrition programmes to address micronutrient deficiencies in mothers and children under five.

11. Thank You!