Food Security and Global Hunger

Introduction

Poverty and food insecurity share one similarity in that both can lead to losing of lives. However, it is evident that as the rich continue to get richer, their gap with the poor is rapidly widening. Research indicate that millions of people die annually because of poverty, hunger and lack of food. In fact, the world food program for instance indicate that more than 795 million people do not have access to healthy and active life, it also state  that 12.9 % is undernourished.  While others continue to perish in famine, another group continues to enjoy at their expense without minding whether their brothers and sisters have anything to take for that day. The United Nation state that Asia leads with the hungriest people while Africa has the highest prevalence of hunger.

Related statistics for instance state that one in four people in Africa is surviving below a dollar a day. The United States and other third world countries too have not been exempted from the discussion.  It is thus high time for effective measures to be adopted so as to reverse the current trajectories and save lives. In managing global food security and poverty, there is a need to reform the food system based on the political effects that lead to starving among the less fortunate.  The systems should be reformed such that the poor can get their basic need other than focusing on raising the economy and industrialization leaving them with no food. In order to curb food security and poverty, the government and all concerned stakeholders need to ensure equal access to food, wealth, land and employment opportunities to all people irrespective or religious, racial or political stand.

Counter Argument

Those against the belief that poverty is attributed to inequality have often cited factors such as laziness and ignorance of the poor people. Sharon Astyk and Aaron Newton in their article point out to the fact that some of the poor people who are farmers are like that because of their own choice. The authors effectively use an emotional appeal when she states that, they can grow some cash crops and use the revenue to feed their families.

When prices of essential goods raise, then it is good for business, the rich keep getting the benefits.  It is true all people buy almost the same foods, but the difference is how much wealth one has in store. They focus on their great saying that “a rising tide lifts all the boats”. If what they own appreciates together with the economy, then that not bad for business. According to them, poor people and countries are not doing enough to come from their current status. Developing countries, for instance, have high rates of corruption and political instability and these factors contribute to the high poverty rates.  .  .

Argument

Global food insecurity is attributed to poor farming practice by developing countries.  Astyk and Newton in their article state that some of the world’s poorest people are farmers who have been displaced from their lands. The United Nation states that 43 % of farmers in developing countries are usually women who despite being as efficient as men lack the necessary input require for agriculture and farming practices such as access to water. It further states that if women had access to these essential things, poverty around could be managed. It is the role of the government and non-governmental organizations to ensure that these items are provided. Some of the farming policies that can be enacted by the government to ensure efficient farming practices thus include irrigation schemes and mass education of the farmers so that they are able to utilize the available technologies effectively.

Lack of proper employment migration into the urban areas and this has led to increasing in poverty because the old are left behind to farm yet they do not have the strength.  As of May 2015, the unemployment rates in the United States was at 5.5 %. In some sub-Saharan countries such as Nigeria and Kenya, it is even much higher at 11% and 17 % respectively. The impact of this statistics is that without access to proper employment, the per capita is reduced and people are left to languish in poverty.  The government in these developing country is not doing enough to empower its people especially the youths to be job creators instead of job seekers. The poor end up living in desert margins, falling deeper into poverty. In their article, argue that some of the people who depended on farming had to abandon the practice because of low returns.

Rich and economically stable countries such as the United States and Britain and many others are not doing enough to help the emerging countries. These countries should lend a helping hand to the underdeveloped countries before it is too late it may not be good for business. It is also a necessity because people are dying of hunger and poverty. They should not just send relief food whenever famine strikes but ensure a long term goal by providing farming aids such as fertilizers and machines. All the nations should come to terms with the fact that, if developing countries are left to solve their serious issues such as poverty while the rest focus on climate change, there is no way that their goal will be achieved. Annually, the United States lends billions to Africa countries yet this is not enough, there is a lot of inequalities in their distribution.

Social factors such as racism, corruption and culture has led to inequalities and thus food problem around the world. Segregation of different persons based on their orientation has been a great drawback to development. Most poor people are unable to get employments even with marvelous qualification because richer people snatch them through the back door. This leads to increased number of unqualified staff, hence poor management, fewer profits, and poor goods and services. Transparency international which is a reputable organization states that corruption rates in Africa (South Africa) is at 17%. It is thus evident that unless justice is done and everyone gets to the position they fit in, then the poverty will continue increasing. For example, a government full of individuals who didn’t get to their positions in a just way. There is no way that country will succeed because the leaders don’t know the problems that the people face, and they do not have planning capabilities at all.

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What Needs to Be Done?

Proper agricultural policies have to be enacted. This includes transferring idle land ownership to people who can use it to grow food for themselves and others. Poor people need to be able to grow food of their own. Self-sufficiency is the only solution to poverty.  Additionally, there is a need to stop reliance on imported food but depend on the local farms and gardens.  If global food trade is minimized, the prices will not be increased hence the rich multinational corporations will not become richer at the expense of poor people.

Mass education on proper farming techniques. Small-scale farmers have to be educated on how to use the little land they have to get enough food. Knowledge of the need to preserve the cheap grains should be well spread among the poor (Toledo, Álvaro, and Burlingame 1). People also need to be educated on the need to reduce rural-urban migration as a way to solve poverty issue. With more people depending on local food supply, there will be no need to import food.

Youth empowerment and more employment opportunities. Job opportunities to poor people can assist in ensuring a better distribution of wealth among people in any nation.  The youth also needs to be educated in a way that promotes talent development and focuses on creation individuals who can invest in the society. Youths need to be their employers by becoming entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that social vices such as inequality in land, food and wealth are all attributed to high poverty levels around the world. Therefore, it is the duty of the rich to stop oppressing the poor and help them get some wealth to themselves. Sharon Astyk and Aaron Newton in their article have effectively described the food security scenario around the globe. They have integrated the rhetorical elements such as pathos, ethos and logos to persuade their audience and the government that there is need to ensure equal access to food, wealth, land and employment opportunities.

Self-sufficiency is the only way to solve food crisis and poverty. Although some people have often stated that poverty and food problems in developing countries and some states are due to their own lazy habits, it is evident that factors such as lack of employment, insecurity, racism and lack of financial support from developing countries are derailing the war against poverty. Some measures that need to be adopted thus include mass education and empowerment of people and creation of more employment opportunities among others.