State of the World 2011: Innovative ways hunger can be eradicated

By CSRwire Contributing Writer Elaine Cohen

Nine hundred twenty-five million around the globe are undernourished. A child dies every six seconds from undernourishment. This is 2011. We can land on the moon but we cannot feed ourselves. State of the World 2011 brings a touch of hope and optimism to this harsh reality.

Most of the reports we read about undernourishment, hunger and the growing shortfall of food supplies as the world trundles on towards a population of 9 billion in 2050, all of whom will need to eat, are depressing descriptions of growing poverty, political manipulation, socio-economic inequality, uninspiring leadership and the likely disastrous effects of climate change on long-term food security for all. Yet most reports we read stop there, describing the scope of the problem with its many different facets and implications. And, indeed, there is a problem. The fact that 13% of the world's population is undernourished and women and children are the highest proportion of chronically hungry people is more than an issue for specific countries or regions because we are all tied into the global food system, whether or not we know exactly where our next meal is coming from. As Olivier de Schutter, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, writes in his forward to the State of the World 2011 report, "We live in a world in which we produce more food than ever before and in which the hungry have never been as many." In addition to food distribution inequalities, the environmental impacts of our growing global food needs cannot be ignored: with livestock contributing 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions and 31% of global water use for agriculture, the environmental implications of feeding so many more people are also far-reaching.

The State of the World 2011 report from Worldwatch.org, however, goes further than most reports. It celebrates the incredible creativity of small-scale farmers and determined survive-or-die innovations that have potential for big-scale impact. The report repositions our view of the global agricultural industry by suggesting that big is not necessarily better and sustainable solutions from unexpected sources are available, if, globally, we can affect systemic change to amplify the impact. Not surprising, then, that this report is called 'Innovations that Nourish the Planet.' The report was written by project directors Danielle Nierenberg and Brian Halweil and includes contributions from many accomplished advisors and experts from around the world. It is the culmination of two years spent studying connections between hunger, poverty, environmental degradation and the possible sustainable solutions to these problems. The output of this mammoth endeavor is as fascinating, inspiring and uplifting as it is staggeringly sobering.

The key directions for changing the world food supply inadequacies, recommended by the authors, include three broad elements. First is a shift in agricultural research from a focus on heavy investment in development of new seeds in favor of identifying ways to improve the current state of water and soil utilization, which is critical to maximizing current yields. The second is about making better use of what is actually produced, which may include changing eating patterns as well as reengineering food to market supply systems, to ensure food gets to market efficiently with reduced waste. Estimates run between 30 - 72% of post-harvest losses of agricultural produce due to inadequate food distribution systems in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan, spanning to hundreds of thousands of tons of food waste per year and grain losses of an estimated 150 million tons per year in other low-income countries. The third direction relates to broadening the scope of addressing food issues through an "international solidarity" system that includes aspects such as fair trade and cross-continental collaboration to encourage and enhance a wider range of local options for agricultural development and food supply. All of this relies on governmental direction, corporate enlightenment and local innovation and skill.

Is this too tall an order? Maybe. But the fascinating innovations showcased in the State of the World report may give cause for optimism that a framework for change is more accessible than we might think. A few examples are worthy of mention: improved livestock productivity through "sheep fattening cycles" developed by women in Ethiopia; a thermostable vaccine (that does not need refrigeration) developed in Mozambique to prevent Newcastle disease in poultry; the Uganda banana project based on an association of banana growers to demand fair prices for produce; provision of market prices and traders' contact information through text messaging and a website for farmers in Zambia, enabling more informed trading to achieve improved prices for produce; gardens in sacks full of dirt and poked with holes in Nairobi as part of an urban agriculture program; old tires cut into half and used as portable gardens in sub-Saharan Africa; special ponds with water conveyance mechanisms that facilitate the supply of water for irrigation in Rwanda; use of theatrical performances by popular theater personalities in Mozambique and Malawi to encourage dialogue, understanding and awareness amongst women who tend farms about farming challenges and possible solutions; special processing of groundnuts in Kenya for longer preservation; and many more.

These initiatives show how local grassroots innovations can significantly enhance food productivity and reduce waste. When necessity knocks at the door, innovation opens it and opportunity is the result. The State of the World '11 report describes this global opportunity, borne of absolute necessity, to assist local farming populations in low-income countries and massively increase food availability for all, advancing us along the way to achieving the Millennium Development Goal of eradicating extreme hunger by 2015. Whilst the measure of this necessity is daunting, State of the World 2011 leaves us inspired and optimistic that a viable roadmap to global food security is available.

About Elaine Cohen

Elaine Cohen is a Sustainability Consultant and Reporter at Beyond Business and blogger on sustainability reporting and author of CSR for HR: A necessary business partnership to advance responsible business practices.

This commentary is written by a valued member of the CSRwire contributing writers' community and expresses this author's views alone.

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