Ending Hunger:Glocal Solutions

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Ending HungerGlocal Solutions
Chris Barrett Ithaca Hunger Banquet April 17, 2008
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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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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
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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
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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.

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The window for addressing hunger and
undernutrition is relatively narrow
Pre-pregnancy to 24 months
After 24-36 months, most cognitive, immune system
and stature effects are permanent

• Source World Bank 2007 and Shrimpton et al. 2001

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So what do we do?Global local (Glocal)
Solutions

• Better technologies animal and plant production
  and processing, food safety, energy, etc.,
  especially for poor farmers around the world.

- 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.
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Global local (Glocal) Solutions

• Community-based cooperative management of
  resources, marketing, etc. take control of and
  solve own problems locally.

• Timely and appropriate global and local support
  in times of emergencies global food aid but also
  local food pantries and soup kitchens.

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Hunger remains a major challenge, locally and
globally.

• 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!

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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