As today marks the 35th year celebration of the World Food Day (WFD), the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, Jose Graziano da Silva, the Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) alongside the Italian President and other dignitaries are gathered to commemorate this occasion in Italy. WFD is celebrated in 150 countries across the globe to raise awareness on eradicating poverty and hunger all around the world.
In 1979, at FAO’s General Conference, World Food Day was created when the former Hungarian Minister for Food and Agriculture suggested the idea. In raising awareness and making efforts toward ending hunger, FAO encourages conversations that center on agriculture and revolves around education and health. They hope that by raising awareness especially around agriculture, more investments will be made in that sector.
Agriculture which is the mainstay in the economies of most developing countries has not had sufficient foreign investment over the years. This may be the reason nearly 800 million people still go to bed hungry in Africa where the agricultural sector contributes over 15 percent to its GDP.
In order to address the problem of hunger, the United Nations established the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000. Topping the list of the goals by World leaders is the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. It was proposed that by 2015, all the 193 member states would have been able to reduce the proportion of people living on less than $1.25 (the poverty line as of 2000) a day and the proportion of people suffering from hunger and malnutrition by half. At the recently concluded UN summit, the General Assembly adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Also, the World Bank set a new poverty line $1.90 to reflect the rise in the global inflation rate.
According to the United Nations in 2010, out of its 54 African member states, only two – Nigeria and Congo- were still living in acute hunger and poverty. However in a recent report by the FAO, three African countries have the highest percentage of undernourished people in the world.
Zambia
Despite the alleged ‘investor surge’ in the country, Zambia ranks the second highest on the list of the hungriest people in the world with over 7 million malnourished people. As copper is the pillar of the Zambian economy, agriculture is still very much at a subsistence level.
Central African Republic
Over 47 percent of the entire population in CAR is suffering from hunger, poverty or under nourishment. Ranked as the 45th largest country in the world, CAR earns about $400 in a year as per capita income, which is one of the lowest in the world. Poor economic development and the on-going crisis in this land locked region may be the possible cause of hunger.
Namibia
With a population of 2.1 million, about 1 million people are hungry in Namibia. Although Namibia only accounts for one percent of arable lands, almost half of the population also depends on agriculture.
