Feeding the world population requires a massive supply of food. Since the late 1940s, grain supplies have fluctuated, but worldwide there has been a surplus, or more than enough food to feed everyone. Yet millions go hungry. Of the over seven billion people on Earth, more than one billion are undernourished, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Each year, poor nutrition plays a role in about half of deaths of children under five years old.
Why do so many people starve when the world produces enough food to feed everyone? One reason is that resources, such as farmland and money, are not evenly distributed among the world’s people.
Many developed countries have millions of acres of fertile land. This huge agricultural economy allows nations like Canada, the United States, and Australia to have a strong food supply for consumption as well as export of grain, livestock, and produce.
Most hunger is not the result of a lack of fertile land, however. Most hunger is the result of poverty. Many people in developing countries are too poor to grow or buy the food they need.
Crisis situations contribute to hunger and starvation. Severe droughts, floods, and other natural disasters can create famines. In many developing counties, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, the population is growing faster than the rate of food production.
In some countries, years of continuous war have severely disrupted food production. During conflicts, millions of people flee their homes, often leaving crops to rot in the fields. The region’s uncertainty and fear mean fewer crops are planted and cultivated.
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