The Global Food System Part II

Introduction to Global StudiesXIDS 2301

•There are around one billion hungry people in the world (one in seven people in the world is hungry).

•The number has increased during the past decade.

•There is enough produced in the world so that, if they could get it, all ~7 billion people in the world could consume >3000 calories per day.

•Why and how does hunger occur?

•What can/should be done about it?

Global Hunger

•Defining hunger

--This is important b/c problems often get defined in terms of available and/or economically/politically/socially convenient solutions

“When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist.”

(Brazilian archbishop Dom Helder Camara)

--Hunger can be defined as inadequate or insufficient :

o Consumption of calories (undernutrition)

o Consumption of nutrients/minerals (malnutrition)

o Ability to reliably enough food to live a healthy, active life (food insecurity)

o Capability to reliably access socially/culturally acceptable food in socially acceptable ways (food insecurity)

Global Hunger

Patterns and trends in global hunger

Patterns and trends in Global hunger

Patterns and trends in Global hunger

World Food Program• United Nations organization directed to

combat global hunger

• Est. 1961

• Provides emergency and development food and aid

• In 2001, provided food to 77 mil people in 82 countries

• Most of food is distributed to displaced people and refugees

• Relies entirely on voluntary contributions from countries, businesses and organizations, and indivdiuals

Global trends in food aid• Food aid has declined as a form of aid

1960s/70s 1990s

30% 7%

• Overall the value and volume of food aid have declined

--In late 1990s, total value of aid was only 20% value of 1980s

--In late 1990s, total volume of aid was only 40% volume of 1980s

Value of food aid as share of all aid from countries

Distribution of food aid, by world region

Food aid received (% total) 1998

37

4 1211

36

Sub-Saharan Africa

N. Africa/Middle East

Latin Am./Carib.

Europe/CIS

Asia

Largest recipients of food aid, 1998

1. Bangladesh

2. N. Korea

3. Ethiopia

4. Indonesia

5. India

6. Peru

7. Rwanda

8. Mozambique

9. Angola

10. Bolivia

Largest donors of food aid, 1998

Country % total food aid provided

Australia 4

Canada 5

China 1

EU 27

Japan 9

Korea 1

Norway 1

USA 53

Why does hunger occur?•Sen’s entitlement thesis

Hunger often occurs where food is available. . .

“. . . because people are not able to acquire enough of it.”

Will producing more food solve this problem?

“Food does not automatically trickle

down to those who need it.”

Why does hunger occur?•Sen’s entitlement thesis

Hunger occurs when/where people are not able to legitimately acquire enough food.

In other words, hunger occurs when legitimate modes of acquiring food are disrupted.

Why does hunger occur?•Sen’s democracy thesis

Amartya Sen (Economist)

I know how to prevent famines and address

hunger!Democracy!

Why does hunger occur?•Sen’s democracy thesis

Effective political rights and oppositional politics can and do enhance food entitlements

Amartya SenReceiving 1998 Nobel Prize in Economics

If there are no elections, no opposition parties, no scope for uncensored public criticism, then those in authority don’t have to suffer the political consequences of their failure to prevent famines. Democracy, on the other hand, would spread the penalty of famines to the ruling groups and political leaders as well. This gives them the political incentive to try to prevent any threatening famine . . . [Moreover, a] free press and the practice of democracy contribute greatly to bringing out information than can have an enormous impact on policies for famine prevention . . . Indeed, I would argue that a free press and an active political opposition constitute the best early-warning system a country threatened by famines can have.

Amartya Sen Development as Freedom (1999)pp. 180-1