Navigating the global hunger crisis: Envisioning tomorrow

By Melind Deshpande  

The world still has a big problem with hunger. Even though we've made some progress, things like COVID-19 have made it worse in some places. To fix this, we need to do a lot of different things to stop hunger from happening. In this article, we'll talk about how bad hunger is right now, why it happens, and what we can do to make sure nobody has to go to bed hungry in the future.

The current state of global hunger
Let's first grasp how serious the global hunger problem is. In 2021, more than 9.8% of the world's population didn't have enough to eat. The United Nations says around 690 million people go to bed hungry every night. These numbers are alarming and COVID-19 has made it even worse.

The causes of hunger
Hunger isn't a simple problem; it's tangled up in many issues:
1.    Growing Population, Shrinking Resources: More people need more food, but we're running out of it.
2.    Vanishing Fertile Soil: The ground we grow crops in is disappearing fast. 75% is already gone, and by 2050, it could be 90%.
3.    Poverty: Not having enough money is a big reason people go hungry. They can't buy the food they need.
4.    Conflict and Displacement: Wars and being forced to leave home can make it hard to find food.
5.    Changing Climate: Things people do, like factories and cars, are messing up the weather. That's bad for growing food. Droughts and weird weather can ruin crops.
6.    Inequality: Not everyone has the same chances. Some folks can't get to food even when it's around.
7.    Food Waste: We throw away about a third of all the food we make. Cutting that waste could help end hunger.

Envisioning Tomorrow
To tackle hunger worldwide and dream of a better future, we need to:
1.    Smart Farming: Use clever farming like rotating crops and planting trees to make more food without hurting the planet.
2.    Teaching and Helping Farmers: Give knowledge and tools to farmers, especially small ones, so they can grow more food and escape poverty.
3.    Sharing Food: Stop wasting food and share the extra with those who need it.
4.    Be Ready for Climate Changes: Make crops and farms strong so they can survive the strange weather caused by climate change.
5.    Peace Matters: Solve fights and make safe places for people to get food.
6.    Help When Needed: Make plans to give cash or food to folks who can't afford to eat.
7.    Use New Ideas: Use tech like phone apps for farmers and blockchain for food tracking to make food better.
8.    Unite Our Hearts and Hands: This challenge knows no borders. It's a problem that affects us all, no matter where we come from. It's a call for personal social responsibility, a promise we make to ourselves and our children. We must join hands, individuals, nations, organizations - everyone together, working as one to secure a brighter future for generations to come.

As the world faces the challenge of feeding more people with fewer resources, we can imagine a future where common foods like beans and grains might become rare. Scientists are working on new ways to produce more food.

We're at a crucial point in history, and we need to act fast. This urgency isn't just for us but for the generations after us. We need to support efforts that make farming sustainable, fight climate change, and improve how we grow food.

I recently saw a touching image on WhatsApp of a hungry girl. Her plea for food didn't care about her religion. When asked about her faith, she simply said, "I am hungry." This reminds us that everyone, no matter where they're from, needs food.

This image should motivate us all to take action. It reminds us that our choices today shape the world our children will inherit. Together, we can create a future where no child cries from hunger but smiles with hope.

The global hunger problem is tough, but we can overcome it. By dealing with the causes of hunger and using new ideas, we can imagine a future where everyone can get healthy food. It will take everyone working together on a Personal Social Responsibility (PSR), determination, and a long-term commitment to make a fairer and food-secure world. As we face this challenge, let's hold on to our vision of a better tomorrow, where hunger is something, we've left behind.

The author is the Founder and CEO of BhoomiSeva, HCF Tech Private Limited and distributor for Bhu-Vision (Krishi-RASTAA) which is an IOT based automated soil testing and agronomy advisory platform.