“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” James Beard
821 Million People
821 million people – one in nine – still go to bed on an empty stomach each night. Even more – one in three – suffer from some form of malnutrition. This data comes directly from World Food Programme (WFP), the leading humanitarian organization in responding to this urgent need and great challenge. Their mission is awe-inspiring: to deliver food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. The WFP hunger statistics have a magnitude that is hard to grasp, especially for those who have never experienced hunger.
Humanity depends upon food for survival. When we see a steady influx of food coming to our neighbourhood grocery stores, we see little danger of our food supply diminishing. We need to rethink our connection to food and to our global world.
Zero Hunger – pledge to end hunger and achieving food security by 2030!
In 2015, the 193-Member United Nations General Assembly United Nations adopted ambitious Global Goals to achieve sustainable development for people and our planet. Target date: 2030.
17 goals and 169 targets were outlined focusing on wiping out poverty, fighting inequality and tackling climate change. Goal # 2: Zero Hunger was a pledge to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Over the past few months, I have been considering how one person can make a difference. How can I be part of a global mission to end hunger? It is a question that I want to pursue in a series of posts Farm-to-Table & Distance to Fork. I’m looking forward to the discussion.
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Taking the Kitchen 
I’m looking forward to your series – it is such a challenge to understand what we can do as individuals to address these global problems. But address them we must, and I am all ears.
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You are going to love this quote, Liz! “The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.” Robert Swan. This is a personal – we need to figure this out on a small, individual scale if we are ever going to apply in on a massive scale. This is going to be interesting! Thank you, Thank you Thank you!!!!
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You’re right – I DO love that quote – such an important reminder. X
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I truly believe that being vegetarian is a huge step.
I learned once (when there were only 3 billion people on earth) that it took 1 acre of arable land to feed a vegetarian for 1 year. It took 5 acres of land to feed a meat eater for 1 year. At that time there was 1 acre of arable land available per person on the planet.
We have outgrown that, and are in more of a pickle than ever.
Anyway, I’m not saying everyone should, or could be a Vegan. I have a pal who is undergoing serious treatment, and is only allowed to eat meat. Crazy!
However, embracing more of a plant based diet is a small thing we can all do.
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I agree wholeheartedly, Resa. Embracing more of a plant based diet is a small (but with huge benefits) thing we can do. As 2018 study by Dalhousie University indicated that 32.2% of Canadians willing to reduce their meat consumption over the next 6 month. I was a strict vegetarian for three years until I experienced an intolerance for several vegetables. I so miss my cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, broccoli! (BIG SIGH) But I have learned to compensate. My favourite meal is beans and rice, humus and carrots – there a so many alternatives. I love Mark Bittman’s thought from Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating and More. “In any case, the principles are simple: deny nothing, enjoy everything, but eat plants first and most.” Thank you for the information on the arable land. You have me on another mini research project – and you know how much I love them!!
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You go, Rebecca!
Humus…. I love it!! I put it in salad, pasta… anything. I only buy a small tub at a time. I won’t stop until the tub is clean, and I mean clean! 😀
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You and me both!!!
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😀 😀
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Horrifying statistics.
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Indeed they are. I am looking forward to this exploration of how I can make a difference. I believe in the power of one – we all have a part to play. Thank you for visit!! Hugs!
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I found a shorter version of this on Twitter. This post is so important! Thank you for grasping one of the most important challenges of our time. And, even so, more important in the face of global warming. It is difficult for us who see much in our food stores that does not even get purchased before it has to go on sale. This was the case with grapes last week, already past prime time for eating and offered at a very low price. We need someone who could gather these items and take them to parts of our cities where there is need!
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Thank you for your comments, Frances! I am looking forward to our next podcast interview when we look back to the 1930’s and depression years. How did families with limited food supplies thrive during very difficult times when gardens and farms experienced crop failures. I think looking back will provide insights that can benefit us in our current reality.
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You have a very noble intention here, Rebecca.
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Thank you!!! Your insights will be invaluable in this exploration of food supply, hunger, causes etc. By the way, Carina’s blog “Anyone 4 Curry & Other Things” is a wonderful resource for food education. When a grocery store is close by, it is easy to think that there isn’t a food supply problem. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois (Dalhousie University ) noted in a May 31, 2019 article that Canada is not immune to food issues: “It’s estimated that four million Canadians experience food insecurity regularly. Hunger is cruelly invisible and unfairly discriminatory. Women, the disabled, Indigenous and people living in northern communities are disproportionally hungry compared with the average Canadian.”https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/op-ed/comment-access-is-the-issue-with-food-distribution-not-scarcity-1.23840241.
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