Elimination of Hunger

Hunger is the most extreme form of poverty, where individuals or families cannot afford to meet their most basic need for food. Among this group of poor people,many have problems obtaining adequate and nutritious food for themselves and their families. They consume less than the minimum amount of calories essential for sound health and growth.

There are 1.02 billion undernourished people in the world today. That means one in nearly six people do not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life. Hunger and malnutrition are in fact the number one risk to human health worldwide — greater than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined. Among the key causes of hunger are natural disasters, conflict, poverty, poor agricultural infrastructure, and over-exploitation of the environment. Recently, financial and economic crises have pushed more people into hunger.

Some facts

•  India is home to more than 230 million undernourished people – highest  for any country in the world. More than 27 percent of undernourished  population globally lives in India. (FAO, 2008)
•  More than 300 million people in India live below the official poverty line.  (Planning Commission, 2007)
•  Nearly 50 percent of the world's hungry live in India, a low-income, food-deficit country. (World Food Program)
•  Around 35 percent of India's population—350 million—is considered food- insecure, consuming less than 80 percent of minimum energy requirements. Nutritional and health indicators are extremely low.(World Food Program)
•  Nearly nine out of ten pregnant women aged between 15 and 49 years  suffer from malnutrition and anaemia. (World Food Program)

Some facts about effects of hunger on children:

•  43 percent of children (under five years) in the country are underweight. The figure is among the highest in the world and is much higher than the global proportion of 25 percent and also Sub-Saharan Africa figure of 28  percent. (UNICEF, 2008)
•  The proportion of stunted children (under five years) at 48 percent is  again among the highest in the world. Every second child in the country is stunted. (Ministry of Health, Government of India  2007)
•  30 per cent of babies in India are born underweight (UNICEF)
•  Malnutrition accounts for nearly 50 per cent of child deaths in India (UNDP)
•  Every third adult (aged 15-49 years) in the country is reported to be thin  (BMI less than 18.5). (Min. of Health, GoI, 2007)
•  70 percent of children (under-5) suffer from anemia. More than 80  percent don’t get vitamin supplements. (Min. of Health, 2007)
•  More than 1.5 million children in India are at risk of becoming malnourished because of rising global food prices (UNICEF May 2008)

 Undernourishment negatively affects people’s health, productivity, sense of hope,and overall well being. A lack of food can stunt growth, slow thinking, sap energy,hinder fetal development and contribute to mental retardation. Economically, the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of poor people,allowing less time for work and earning income. The death through these silent killers— poverty and hunger— can be easily prevented.

MaFo has already initiated work in this direction through providing help to the needy and the most marginalized, through its initiative in the area of Saving lives and Preventing death due to hunger by: 

•  Supporting Livelihood Program.
•  Help people deal with hunger themselves.
•  Empowerment of poorest of the poor through Information Education and  Communication about the impact of hunger and malnutrition.