Hunger in developing nations essay example

1. Introduction
Hunger continues to be a major global issue that needs to be tackled at national as well as global levels in order to bring about sustainable solutions. Though the global food crisis is intense in developing countries primarily due to poverty, diminishing food production, lack of resources, misappropriations, etc, there is need for developed countries to get actively involved in solving this global issue. Assessments on the food sources, its utilization and distribution from the perspective of hunger in developing countries are made in detail.
2. Future of food sources and its impact
It is considered that the global food production appears to be a mismatch with regard to the demand and so there is increased possibility for severe food shortages in future resulting in the rise in hunger across the globe. According to Brown, the scarcity of food sources is mainly the result of rapid population growth and worsening environmental situations like reduction in agricultural land, reducing water table, rise in temperature, etc (1). Estimates that the world population would add about three billion people to the existing population of over six billion by 2050 in fact stress the possibility for intense food shortages and hunger in the world. Increasing population would be confronted with intense food shortages in future as the prevailing environmental circumstances would not favour enhancements in food production in line with the requirements. That is, conditions like reduction in cultivable areas, destruction of forests, diminishing water table, soil erosion, rising temperatures, unscientific or rapid urbanization, etc could form the key factors that might adversely affect food production (Eugene 10). An increasing population could result in the over utilization of the natural resources and hence “ artificially inflates economic output, including food output” (1). Unfavourable climatic and environmental conditions lead to deficits in grain production, which ultimately lead to severe food shortages (Sasson 3). Though Brown have not mentioned about any specific solution to the problem, it is stated that measures aimed at checking population growth, diminishing water levels and climate change could probably develop satisfactory results. The solution, according to me, is to adopt sustainable and environmental friendly agricultural practices alongside with rationalizing usage. Measures for optimizing the distribution of food resources based on need has to be made at national and global levels.
Food shortages are severe in different parts of Africa, Asia and such situations could arise any regions across the world as food crisis is crippling Malawi, which is an agricultural economy. This food crisis or shortages are the effect of erratic rains and other climate change related issues. According to the estimates about 1. 63 million people are affected by severe food shortages and would require about thirty million dollars to cope up with these food shortages (Tafirenyika 1). Brown suggests that all the nations across the globe are prone to food deficits and even the richest of the nations like United States of America (USA) would not be spared from such issues (13).

Conclusion

Evaluations on the hunger in developing nations showed that increasing population and diminishing environmental conditions appear to be the major causes for food shortages in different parts of the world. This scenario might intensify if appropriate steps like adopting sustainable agricultural practices, optimal utilization and distribution of resources based on need, etc are not taken in the needed times.

References

Brown, Lester, R. “ Plan B 4. 0: Mobilizing to save civilization”. Norton and Company, London (2012). Web. 18 July 2013
Tafirenyika, Masimba. “ What went wrong? Lessons from Malawi’s food crisis.” Africa Renewal Online, (2013). Web. 18 July 2013
Eugene, Nweke, N. “ Increase of extreme Poverty and Hunger in the context of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria: Explanations and Framework for improvement”. Developing Country Studies, 2. 5 (2012): 7 – 12.
Brown, Lester, R. “ The global population corundum”. (2004) Web. 18 July 2013
Sasson, Albert. “ Food security for Africa: an urgent global challenge. Agriculture & Food Security, 1. 2 (2012). Web. 19 July 2013