World’s Hunger Population Drops Below 800 Million – A First In 25 Years, But The Number Is Still Shocking
The world’s “hunger population” has fallen below 800 million. While this is certainly a first in no less than 25 years since the UN started to keep track, the sheer volume of the population that goes hungry is concerning.
The report, called “The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015,” indicates that a little less than 800 million people do not have the minimum amount of food for sustenance. While this is the lowest number since the United Nations (UN) first started counting back in 1990, there are still 795 million people worldwide who don’t get enough nourishment to survive.
Nonetheless, the number is still 216 million fewer than between 1990 and 1992. Though it might appear to be an insurmountable task, the United Nations is confident that global hunger can be eradicated within a single generation. To support its claim, the UN points out that 72 out of the 129 countries that are being monitored by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have halved undernourishment in their populations.
Though a little late (the initial deadline was the year 2000), it is still a better scenario, pointed out Jose Graziano da Silva, the director general of the FAO.
“The near-achievement of the MDG hunger targets shows us that we can indeed eliminate the scourge of hunger in our lifetime. We must be the zero hunger generation.”
The report also indicated that the prevalence of undernourishment in developing regions has almost halved. From 23.3 percent 25 years ago, undernourishment has dropped to 12.9 percent, giving a solid boost to the efforts of the UN to curb world hunger, a menace that largely goes unnoticed amidst the havoc perpetrated by natural calamities and terrorist factions. These hurdles have been marring the progress, says the UN.
“In West Asia, where hygiene conditions are generally advanced and child underweight rates low, the incidence of hunger has risen due to war, civil strife and consequent large migrant and refugee populations in some countries.”
What the report subtly points out is that due to constant infighting between multiple religious fanatics and armed jihadists, the local population is often deprived of basic human necessities like food, clothing, and shelter.
The primary goal that the UN seems acutely aware of is bringing the direly needed stability in the regions so that food can be safely and steadily provided to the hungry population.
While the UN might succeed in arresting and reversing world hunger, it is the unrest and massacre on an industrial scale that needs to halt.
[Image Credit | Oli Scarff / Getty Images]
