By: Lalit Garg
In the latest United Nations Global Food Security Report, the situation of hunger in the world is direr than before, a stigma on the picture of all development. The increase in the number of hungry people among the emerging economic superpowers, systems, and development in the world is a serious question on the development of the world and the structure of a balanced society. Somewhere there is a flaw in the development model of the world or there is a difference between the words and deeds of the present governments. It seems that the tempting nature of development is being considered a success, but keeping its basic aspects at the center, necessary steps have not been taken or they have not been implemented, only then the ironic conditions of hunger and hungry people are increasing like never before.
What an insensitive and neglectful mentality it is that no new report on the tragic and horrifying issue of hunger does not come as a surprise, but it certainly shows that there is no balanced approach to the formulation and implementation of policies around the world. This only shows the flaw in the policy and intention of the governance systems. About two billion and thirty crore population of the world are facing hunger and scarcity. The difficulties, crises, and tragic situations that this population is facing to collect food two times, prove the statements about the development of the governments and systems of the world to be meaningless. According to this UN report, the Corona epidemic and the subsequent Russo-Ukraine war have played an important role in worsening hunger. The report, published jointly by several UN agencies, says that the world is moving away from its goal of eliminating hunger, food insecurity, health, and malnutrition in all forms by 2030.
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In the latest report of the United Nations, even though the causes of starvation, corona epidemic, war, conflict, violence, climate change, natural disaster, etc. have been talked about, but for this, big reasons like neo-imperialism, neo-liberalism, free economy, and market structure. No attention is paid, and the growing gap between rich and poor, etc. is not discussed. One of the major discrepancies in the economies of the world has been that on one side it is poor and on the other hand it is super-rich. There is a big gap between these two. If there is not much noise on this growing gap, one reason for this is also that it is assumed that the goal of poverty alleviation will automatically be achieved through the rise of the prosperity of the upper classes or a high growth rate. This expectation is completely misleading and does not seem to be fulfilled.
On the contrary, the World Food Program report states that due to high food prices set by the governments, 75 million people in the world have fallen into the grip of starvation which was earlier than it. In this increase in the population going hungry or undernourished, 30 million people belong to India only. Add to this the lack of drinking water, education at least up to secondary level, and basic medical facilities, then we can see that India is a world of the underprivileged even after seven decades of independence. A large section of today’s world, riding on development, science, and achievements, still lives a suffocating life in poverty, deprivation, and hunger, which does not struggle with the circumstances but makes compromises. Feels insecure all the time. In which lack of self-confidence teaches us to live in darkness. For which justice and authority become meaningless. How much the measures adopted to cope with the corona epidemic helped in the prevention of the spread of the virus, is yet to be assessed, but as to its practical effect, if people are faced with a crisis of filling their stomachs, then why this condition persists, we need to think again.
The big question is that when the figures of hunger can be exposed with the help of modern technology and science in the world, then why such systems are not developed which can stop hunger. What is needed is that there are a large number of high-level systems, including institutions, experts, and techniques, which are deeply monitoring the issue at the international level, so why are concrete policies not prepared for its far-reaching solution! Why is hunger not controlled? On the contrary, this problem has become more and more serious. If balanced and sensitive systems policies are made and serious efforts are made to make better use of the resources on the earth, then ways can be found to deal with the situation of food insecurity and starvation. But due to the spending of all the money on war and other meaningless matters and also the destruction of existing resources, starvation is not shown seriously by the world community, then whose interest is behind it? Concerns have been raised about providing nutritionally balanced meals to the deprivation-stricken population, but the reality is that many people are not getting even the minimum amount of food they need to survive.
Our world is full of contradictions and ironies. Hunger on the one hand and the abundance of expensive feasts and luxuries of the rich class, and the abundance of junk in big feasts is a stigma on humanity. In this way, food wastage should be curbed, advertisement companies should also be given guidelines, and food should not be wasted in hotels and educational institutions, offices, canteens, meetings, weddings, and other functions and other institutions. We can use this food to get rid of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in our society. Such an environment should be created not only by relying on governments but through public awareness. Finally, we must ask ourselves whether we want or want to change a disturbed, unstable, violent, and unhealthy society. Do we want to be citizens of a world of hunger and hungry people or citizens of a world of happy and resourceful citizens?
Is this problem stable over a long period because the victims of starvation belong to very poor and vulnerable communities, which governments do not consider necessary to care about?
Why is it that between the inventions of science and the new dimensions of its progress, there is talk of settling the world of space and life on new planets, and on the other hand arrangements are not being made to feed the population present on the earth itself! The reason for this is irregularities, corruption, and neglect in these poverty alleviation policies, hunger eradication programs, services, and schemes that deal with the weaker sections of the society. The big demand is to curb this corruption. Secondly, at the policy level also, the world’s rulers will have to think afresh. Hunger and poverty alleviation programs should not be carried out like distribution of philanthropy, but should be directed in such a way that people living below the poverty line can come above it permanently. This can happen only when these plans are combined with such economic and development plans which emphasize involving more and more people in the development process. (The author is a journalist & columnist. He can be reached at lalitgarg11@gmail.com)
