Ten Reasons for Global Increase in Hunger and Hunger Deaths

Today, the world is hungrier. Hunger deaths are on the rapid increase. It is the statistical picture given to us by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. The Director General of FAO, Dr. Jacques Diouf, says that the combination of global food crisis and economic recession has pushed the number of hungry people beyond the billion mark. Millions are dying of hunger and the number of these dying people is increasing by leaps and bounds every day.

What are the reasons for recent increase in hungry people and hunger deaths?

Ten Reasons for growing number of hungry people

1) Increase of hunger a shocking fact

Dr. Diouf has stated that the number of hungry people in the world is “unacceptably high”; it is higher than the number that existed when the heads of states and governments in 1996 and committed themselves to reducing hunger by half. It has increases even in developed countries. FAO has also stated that most of the world’s hungry people live on developing countries, where they account for about 16 % of the population in 2010. it has warned nations of the world that the fact that nearly a billion people remain hungry even after the recent food and financial crises have largely passed indicates a deeper structural problem.

2) Economic crisis

The unsteady economic condition in the world has caused increase in hungry people all over the world. The increase was caused by the economic crisis and high domestic food demand in developing countries.

3) Sharp spike in food commodity prices

Spike in prices has affected the poor people very much. Due to globalization and instability of food markets, prices of commodities have gone too high to be reached by poor people. Dr. Diouf has pointed out that the increased instability in commodity markets as reflected by ‘more volatile prices’ is required to be tackled urgently.

4) The presence of widespread hunger

As a result of globalized marketing, rich are becoming richer and poor are becoming poorer. World level statistics reiterate this fact of growing hunger. If the ‘global capitalism’ proceeds in this selfish way, it will bring more fearful consequences than doing any good to society.

5) Increase in malnutrition

Malnutrition tragedies of Somalia, in Africa, are still lingering in our memories. Global warming is set to bring back malnutrition and its tragic scenes into developing world with a great force. UN report says that twenty-five million more children will go hungry by the middle of this century due to food shortages and soaring prices for staples such as rice, wheat, maize and Soya beans. International Food Policy Research Institute for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank says that all regions of the world will be affected and South Asia and South Saharan Africa will be hit hardest by failing crop yields.