World Hunger CGW-4U
Hunger Scenario
Remember a time when you have been hungry Missed a meal, Delayed dinner or sick and unable to
eat
Symptoms: felt the gnawing pain of hunger being tired or cranky as your body adapted to the lack
of energy
Feel this feeling now
Hunger Scenario
Situation: Imagine you are unable to get food and this feeling
continues for the whole day
Symptoms: How has your feeling of hunger changed?
How has it impacted your body? How has it impacted your mind? How has it impacted your emotions?
Imagine the consequences of a day without food
Hunger Scenario
Situation: Its been 1 week You have eaten a small amount of food and water You have lost weight
Symptoms: Imagine what the hunger feels like now
How is your ability to perform simple tasks? How much energy do you have?
Imagine the consequences of 1 week without food
Hunger Scenario
Situation: Its been 1 year …. Or a lifetime Without adequate food or water
Any thoughts, feelings, or consequences of hunger that you mentally visualized?
Global Hunger
Approximately 925 million people do not receive adequate daily food supplies
One in twelve people worldwide is malnourished
15,000 children die each day from diseases related to lack of food
During this class 478 people will die of starvation
Definitions
1. Chronic Persistent Hunger: Long-term and consistent conditions of poor nutrition. Has little to do with food shortages
Undernutrition: Caused by not getting enough food to eat – poor food availability
Malnutrition: Caused by poorly balanced diet – not receiving enough nutrients
2. Famine:rapid and severe under nutrition – food shortages occur due to natural conditions. 1/10th of hunger related deaths
Did you eat breakfast today?
A. YesB. No
There is simply not enough food produced to feed
everyone...
A. TrueB. False
Overpopulation is the direct cause of world
hunger....
A. TrueB. False
Poverty, corrupt economic systems and armed conflict are the major causes of
world hunger....
A. TrueB. False
Increasing agricultural land use will solve the
crisis....
A. TrueB. False
Free trade and free markets will decrease the cost of food and increase
global food sharing...
A. TrueB. False
Developed countries could alleviate world hunger by providing food aid to
suffering countries
A. TrueB. False
Perceptions on Global Hunger
1. There is simply not enough food produced to feed everyone
Incorrect: Current enough food to provide a 3200 calorie diet for every person each day. Global food production is not the cause of global hunger
2. Overpopulation is the direct cause of world hunger
Incorrect: there is no correlation between population density and hunger. Often significant food resources per capita coexist with hunger
Perceptions on Global Hunger
3. Increasing agricultural land use will solve the crisis Incorrect: Small scale farming using land more efficiently
and produce larger yields compared to commercial farming
4. Free trade and free markets will decrease the cost of food and increase global food sharing
Incorrect: large corporations produce food at lower costs and benefits from free trade agreements.
5. Developed countries could alleviate world hunger by providing food aid to suffering countries
Incorrect: cannot provide long-term sustainable support by providing aid. Instead, local food economies are impacted.
Causes of World Hunger
1. Poverty Lack of resources and unequal distribution of wealth (land,
tools or money)
2. Corrupt Economic Systems Control over resources and income is based on military,
political and economic power
3. Conflict Surrounding Cause/Importance of Hunger Receives less media attention and little accountability
4. Armed Conflict War disrupts agricultural production, and governments often
spend more on arms than on social programs
World Hunger and the Economy
The Global Food System based on large scale commercialization. domination by large transnational corporations control trade and pricing of food commodities Increasing emphasis on growing cash-crops for export
Developing Countries Are economically dependent on single commodities Commodity and food prices have not risen significantly
while the cost of input has risen dramatically.
Poverty and World Hunger
Malnutrition
Decreased
Energy
Decreased
Ability to Learn
Decreased
Ability to Work
Poverty
Low Disease Resistance
High Death Rate for Children
Shortened Life Expectancy
Effects of World Hunger
1. High Infant Mortality Rates Malnourished women are more likely to be sick,
have smaller babies, and die earlier Where infant and child mortality is high, birth rates
are also high
2. Vulnerability to Common Illnesses A malnourished child often lacks the strength to
survive any common illness
3. Increased Risk of Infection Weakened immune systems and inability to fight off
recurrent and lingering infections
Effects of World Hunger
4. Impediments to Physical Development Deprived essential proteins, micronutrients and fatty
acids they need to grow adequately – stunted growth, poor brain development
5. Impediments to Economic Growth Impacts educational levels, social services and
industrial development
6. Acute Vulnerability during Disasters Lack of supplies, resources, planning causes almost
immediate death
Considered Solutions
1. Creating More Cropland Urbanization Soil degradation Consider productivity of land
2. Using More Fertilizer Ground water contamination Cost Lack of effectiveness
Considered Solutions
3. Using More Pesticides Costs Harm humans Pest become immune
4. Genetically Modified Foods Seed control Additional costs Fewer jobs Human and environment threats