| Where does starvation exist in the world today? | | | | "are on the brink of starvation" because of severe |
| What are some of the causes of world hunger? Are | | | | drought and war. Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia |
| citizens of developed countries donating monetarily to | | | | need food aid, water, new livestock and seeds. This |
| the ongoing relief efforts? In this article I will address | | | | is a major hunger crisis in development. |
| these questions with the hope that by creating an | | | | Afghanistan: |
| understanding of the current world hunger situation, | | | | Poverty in Afghanistan, made worse by drought, has |
| morally conscious individuals will do their part in | | | | contributed greatly to their hunger problem. |
| contributing to the eradication of this unseen | | | | Pakistan: |
| suffering. | | | | The recent earthquake coupled with a severe winter |
| It is a well known fact that there is enough food in | | | | have produced starvation conditions. Recently, mud |
| the world to feed every human being on earth. | | | | slides have hampered relief efforts. |
| Sadly, malnutrition and hunger still afflict one out of | | | | North Korea: |
| every seven people in the world today. Or, from a | | | | Food insecurity caused by the countries economic |
| slightly different statistical perspective, the current | | | | problems, is compounded by unpredictable and |
| world population is 4,712,200,000. The number of | | | | severe weather conditions. To date, the North |
| malnourished is 797,900,000. Therefore 17% of the | | | | Korean government has failed in its duty to provide |
| world population is currently malnourished or starving. | | | | for it's starving people. The North Korean |
| No matter how you examine the issue, a current | | | | government has actually refused foreign aid. |
| crisis is at hand. Why is this so? | | | | Columbia: |
| The causes of starvation are complex, but there are | | | | A 40 year civil conflict and the illegal drug trade have |
| some common threads that seem to be associated | | | | caused mass displacement and poverty. |
| with this problem. First and foremost, starvation is | | | | Democratic Republic of Congo: |
| caused by poverty. To address the problem of world | | | | 3.4 million people have been internally displaced as a |
| hunger then the problem of global poverty must be | | | | result of a continuing internal conflict. |
| addressed. Therefore, the question that we should | | | | Mali: |
| examine is what are the causes of poverty. A | | | | They are struggling to cope with the devastating |
| thorough discussion on the causes of global poverty | | | | impact of a recent drought. |
| is outside the purview of this article. Entire textbooks | | | | Southern Africa: |
| have been written on the subject. For our discussion, | | | | Erratic weather, lack of seed and fertilizer, chronic |
| it is suffice to say that one of the major causes of | | | | poverty, and AIDS have been contributing factors to |
| poverty is governments pursuing policies that inhibit | | | | starvation. |
| self sufficiency. | | | | These are the areas of the world which are currently |
| Areas of starvation are also characterized by | | | | suffering the highest levels of malnutrition and hunger. |
| persistent problems in cultivating food from lack of | | | | With this understanding of where relief efforts are |
| seed, arable land, and tools. Those that can grow | | | | needed, we must address the question of individual |
| food, must deal with insects, drought, floods, and | | | | response. Are individuals of developed countries |
| war, which can result in complete destruction of | | | | donating to relief efforts? Most morally conscious |
| crops. Historically, areas of Africa have experienced | | | | individuals donate to relief efforts when the problem |
| periodic locusts infestations, which can completely | | | | is presented to them. |
| destroy crops. | | | | A major problem in the relief effort is the general |
| Other causes of world hunger are related to the | | | | population of developed countries not knowing about |
| globalize system of food production. The globalize | | | | the current hunger crisis. News organizations, more |
| system of food production and trade favors a | | | | specifically television news, are not giving enough |
| reliance on export crops while discriminating against | | | | attention to the global hunger situation. While an in |
| small-scale farmers and subsistence crops. Many third | | | | depth discussion as to the reasons for this is outside |
| world countries export out to much food while | | | | the purview of this article, a few points can be made. |
| concomitantly not keeping enough food to sustain | | | | Evidently, the American TV news organizations, do |
| their own people. | | | | not think world hunger is much of a story since |
| AIDS is a significant cause of hunger. In societies | | | | starvation is a daily occurrence. I suspect, from the |
| affected by AIDS, famine is more deadly and difficult | | | | perspective of these news organizations, that 24,000 |
| to combat. Why is this so? AIDS attacks the most | | | | people per day dying from hunger is not a big |
| productive individuals within society. Fewer productive | | | | enough news story. When 1,386 people died from |
| people within society means fewer individuals to | | | | hurricane Katrina, the news coverage was enormous. |
| work the jobs that involve food production. This is | | | | Five months after hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, |
| one contributor to the starvation currently taking | | | | TV news organizations were still squeezing all they |
| place in Africa. | | | | could out of this story. Granted this was an obvious |
| Weather plays a major role in terms of the | | | | tragedy, but an even bigger tragedy, much bigger, is |
| prevalence of starvation. Areas of drought leads to | | | | going on in Africa and the general public does not |
| non-useable land with subsequent famine. This is well | | | | even know about it. |
| known. But less well known is that floods can also | | | | I have seen little to almost no coverage given by |
| lead to starvation. Crops can be flooded and | | | | American TV news organizations on the devastating |
| therefore destroyed, which in essence produces the | | | | hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. I have only learned |
| same result as drought. In both cases, weather can | | | | of this crisis through RSS feeds on the Internet. |
| produce a complete lack of self sufficiency. | | | | Television news organizations such as CNN, ABC, |
| Military conflicts, both internal and between | | | | CBS, and NBC are thus far not reporting on this crisis. |
| neighboring countries, can lead to starvation. These | | | | Hopefully this will change. |
| conflicts can result in destruction of crops. | | | | It is evident that the American TV news |
| Government money is directed at funding the conflict | | | | organizations do not really provide total and complete |
| at the expense of the starving people. Funds are | | | | news, rather they screen the events and only |
| diverted from social and economic development. | | | | provide what they feel may be interesting to their |
| Military conflicts can also result in the displacement of | | | | audience. News organizations should present the |
| large groups of people, removing them from their | | | | news and concomitantly maintain high journalistic |
| farms and their way of life. People can end up in | | | | standards. Maybe these news organizations need to |
| refugee camps, completely dependent on relief aid. | | | | incorporate a higher level of moral obligation into their |
| The causative factors of world hunger are numerous, | | | | decision making process, when deciding which stories |
| and certain factors change from year to year, | | | | to cover. In any case, people can not donate if they |
| therefore at any given time, some areas may be | | | | do not know the problem exists. |
| more prone then others. The extent of drought, | | | | We have addressed some key questions in order to |
| flood, internal conflicts, and war with neighboring | | | | characterize the current status of the world hunger |
| countries can vary over time. Therefore, these | | | | situation. We have examined where hunger is the |
| factors incorporate a variable affect on the degree | | | | most prevalent in the world today, and we have |
| to which inhabitants of susceptible countries suffer | | | | identified some of the causative factors which |
| from starvation. | | | | contribute to malnutrition, hunger, and starvation. We |
| A combination of these causative factors in a | | | | have concluded that most morally conscious |
| particular region is a formula for disaster. When this | | | | individuals would contribute to the elimination of |
| occurs, large scale starvation can take place. A case | | | | hunger, if they knew about the crisis. Finally, we have |
| in point. The Horn of Africa has seen severe drought | | | | observed that the degree of world hunger coverage |
| coupled with internal conflicts. This is leading to the | | | | by TV news organizations is very much lacking. |
| development of a tragedy. In this region currently 11 | | | | Even though TV news organizations have not been |
| million people are on the brink of starvation. | | | | covering the current world hunger crisis, by reading |
| Historically, certain areas of the world have had a | | | | this article, you have developed an understanding of |
| high prevalence of hunger and starvation. These | | | | the degree to which starvation is prevalent in the |
| areas are the central region of South America, large | | | | world today. If you are reading this in a developed |
| areas of East, Central, and Southern Africa, and | | | | country, which is highly likely since you are reading it |
| regions of South Asia. As of 2006, the current hot | | | | on a computer which has Internet access, you have |
| spots, those areas which are suffering the greatest | | | | a moral obligation to donate either time or money to |
| degree of starvation, are as follows: | | | | help in the elimination of unseen suffering. Winston |
| Niger: | | | | Churchill once said "we make a living by what we get, |
| This area in central Africa has been struggling to cope | | | | but we make a life by what we give." We must all |
| with the devastating impact of drought and locusts | | | | do our part to eliminate world hunger. |
| infestations. | | | | Thomas Sullivan is a Webmaster, and activist for |
| Haiti: | | | | world hunger elimination. He has built and currently |
| In this region extreme poverty has been further | | | | maintains several websites. A relevant website he |
| exacerbated by a political crisis, floods, tropical | | | | currently manages is Hunger Relief Portal - Relief |
| storms, and hurricanes. | | | | Organizations - Hunger Statistics. |
| Horn of Africa: | | | | For questions or comments his email can be found on |
| An estimated 11 million people in the Horn of Africa | | | | his website. |