hunger causes
Causes of hunger in south Sudan and other middle- eastern countries
The lack of resources in South Sudan has led to ailing of children and people in need of medical attention. For example, Unicef state's, “Basic health and nutrition services remain out of reach for most children in South Sudan,” (Unicef, 2015). This proves that children or families with lack of economical resources have less chances of getting quality of medical attention which can lead to health disabilities and possible exclusion. This problem also relates to the poverty cycle because children born in poor families have more chances of having improper medical aid and less chances of education. If you don’t get a proper nutrition, then you are probably going to face weakness and therefore be less capable of earning money to escape the poverty cycle. This health problem also affects how kids interact with peers because if a kid has some type of health condition it is more probable that he can be excluded, discriminated or ashamed of his physical condition which can eventually lead to a psychological disorder. For example, World Hunger Facts states, “Studies have shown that underweight children will probably spend fewer years in school, which, in turn, has a measurable impact on how much they earn in adulthood” (World Hunger Facts, 2015) This proves that due to hunger, kids are more likely to be excluded since they can’t attend school very often. This can eventually lead to not having a proper and worthy job in the future caused by the poverty cycle. Also, after the child enters the poverty cycle, the infant won't be able to obtain proper food due to discrimination.
Poverty and weather causes hunger in an excessive way. “Can $1.25 a day pay for three meals for one person? In poor countries around the world, more than 1.4 billion people earn less than $1.25 per day. Poor people in developing countries spend between 50% and 80% of their incomes on food. Comparatively, the average American and European spends around 10% of their income on food.” (Revolution Hunger). “Poverty prevents people from accessing food, health and other basic needs for survival. Many people living in poverty are hungry and malnourished, and they do not have money or the ability to grow or obtain food.” (Revolution Hunger).This proves that hunger is mostly caused by poverty. That’s why most of the african and Middle Eastern people die because of hunger. In some countries the rain or storms damages an excessive amount of agriculture,and that causes plenty of people to go to bed hungry. An illustration of this is, “Natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and long periods of drought are on the increase -- with calamitous consequences for the hungry poor in developing countries.” (WFP). Also, “Drought is one of the most common causes of food shortages in the world. In 2011, recurrent drought caused crop failures and heavy livestock losses in parts of Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya. In 2012 there was a similar situation in the Sahel region of West Africa.” (WFP). In addition, “In many countries, climate change is exacerbating already adverse natural conditions. Increasingly, the world's fertile farmland is under threat from erosion, salinization and desertification. Deforestation by human hands accelerates the erosion of land which could be used for growing food,”(WFP). This means that not only poverty causes hunger, but climate too. Hunger can occur to anyone and it can be provoked by various reasons.
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other causes
- "War and Conflict – It’s no coincidence that many of the world’s “conflict hot spots” are also the regions most ravaged by hunger. Imagine how difficult it is for a community stressed by violence, crumbling infrastructure, and fleeing refugees to support stable food systems. In many cases, a family whose life has been interrupted by war will see a drop in income and access to arable land. War and conflict drastically impact food supply and security.
- Weather and Climate Change – Natural disasters leave dramatic impact on the production of arable land. Between droughts, floods, and tropical storms, weather can be unpredictable and devastating. Although a natural disaster may strike quickly, its long-term damage can be unimaginable. In many developing countries, farmers depend on one small plot of land. If this land is destroyed by natural disaster, their source of food and livelihood is washed away with it.
- Agricultural Practices – In recent years, farmers have seen an increase in deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, and drought. Combined with overgrazing, over-cropping, and deforestation, the impact of poor agricultural practices can destroy arable land. By improving farming practices and increasing access to quality infrastructure, we can make huge strides in eliminating hunger.
- Population Growth – As the populations of countries rise, so too does the demand for food. Population growth has hit developing countries especially hard. Compounded with rising food prices, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to match food production rates with population growth rates.
- Poverty – Like hunger, poverty is often a cyclical, structural crisis. In most cases, poverty and hunger go hand-in-hand. As a family sinks into poverty, they are forced to stretch their meager income. As more money is spent on food, less money is available to spend on health care, savings, and education. Farmers may find themselves unable to purchase seeds, tools, or farming equipment. Poverty is a cause of hunger, but it is an effect as well," (Global Concerns Classroom 2015).