Posted On: 2022-07-12 18:01:37
Food plays a significant role in all of our daily lives. We get the nutrition we need from food for our bodies to grow. It also offers livelihood to a large portion of people on earth. Currently, there are around 7.8 billion people on the earth, and each one requires, without accounting for water, about 1.4 kg of food daily. In order to feed everyone, we would need to produce around 3.7 billion metric tonnes of food annually.
According to United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports, the world currently produces 4 billion metric tons of food per year. With these statistics on paper, one-third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted.
Hunger In India
Another FAO report says that 20 crore people in India go to sleep empty-stomach every day. India produces enough food for its huge population of 138 crores, yet a large portion is wasted, hence, those 20 crores are left with no choice but to go to bed empty stomach.
You will find these people on the streets, a few students, and many households as well. In 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic loomed, more people around the world were suffering from hunger.
Although wastage of food is the prominent reason for lack of food, there are other factors that cause loss of food and eventually increase hunger percentage around the world:
1. Population- There are more mouths to feed and smaller farms to produce food due to the high population increase in the developing world. Deforestation and the deterioration of natural resources are also on the rise as a result of high population pressure.
2. Drought- Drought is a frequent occurrence in developing nations, which lowers the amount of food available. Global warming and climate change are making things worse.
3. Low Productivity- Sometimes the land can produce more food with better practices but farmers struggle to grow more food and market their produce due to a lack of skills and education. Governments spend very little money on the productivity of their nation's agriculture.
Taking Bold Actions To End Hunger
Looking at the scenario, the United Nations (UN) launched the challenge 'Zero Hunger' in 2012. Zero Hunger is sustainable development (SDG) goal 2. Its vision reflects elements from within the sustainable goals (SDGs), which taken together, can end hunger, eliminate all forms of malnutrition, and build inclusive and sustainable food systems.
This challenge has targeted the year 2030 to achieve the goal of 'Zero Hunger' quite literally.
To achieve this global goal, the UN has defined 8 targets:
The UN has been working hard to reach these goals, but the 2030 goal of ending hunger is not on its track. International, national and other non-profit organizations have pledged to achieve the global target of zero hunger. A few of the initiatives are:
1. United Nations World Food Programme
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the foremost international agency dedicated to eradicating hunger and managing logistics in times of humanitarian crisis. In times of hunger emergencies, the World Food Programme is actively involved with other groups. They provide food aid and collaborate with locals to enhance nutrition.
2. Action Against Hunger
Global humanitarian group Action Against Hunger focuses on both the causes and consequences of hunger. Their three main focus areas are food security and livelihoods, water and sanitation, and nutrition and health. They also have an emergency response division that assesses disasters to determine how to effectively assist the affected areas.
3. Filaantro and Child Help Foundation- Zero Hunger
Looking at this heartbreaking scenario of lakhs and crores of people sleeping on an empty stomach, Filaantro along with its NGO partner Child Help Foundation has started a project under the name Zero Hunger. This ongoing project aims to provide nutritious food to underprivileged children. Today, along with our implementing partner Khushiyaan, volunteers and partner NGOs we provide warm meals to 2000 underprivileged children in different locations across India which includes Delhi, Thane, Mumbai, North Eastern states, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bangalore.
4. The Akshaya Patra Foundation
An organisation with a charitable mission, The Akshaya Patra Foundation is based in Bengaluru, India. The Foundation's Mid-Day Meal Programme is an effort to end hunger in classrooms. Children attending public and government-aided schools are given nourishing meals under their food relief project. Additionally, Akshaya Patra seeks to combat malnutrition and support children's right to education who come from socioeconomically disadvantaged households.
Along with these, there are numerous other organizations, NGOs and international associations are operating day and night to achieve the global goal of ending hunger by the year 2030.
The Bottom line...
Hunger is a global crisis and it is our duty to make this world equally a home for all living organisms. At individual levels, we all can take simple steps like not wasting food, buying and ordering food only as per our genuine needs, not hoarding food, and simply, providing food to the needy. These small steps are stepping stones for a bigger and better tomorrow. Be kind and act now so we all live a better future.
Hunger is one of the issues that we are facing on the global level. But, there are other challenges, especially financial issues which we have to go through individually. It can be anything, paying medical bills, initiating a business start-up and launching your album which might need funds.
Filaantro is an online crowdfunding platform that raises funds for all and every cause that one believes in and is legal in nature. With the user-friendly interface, easy withdrawals, social media promotions and tax benefits, Filaantro makes the fundraising experience an easy and transparent journey.
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Author: Anjali Patel
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