SDG 2: Zero Hunger- End Hunger, Achieve Food Security And Improved Nutrition And Promote Sustainable Agriculture
Have you eaten? This isn’t just your regular, cliché talking stage question. I’m serious, have you eaten today?
Maybe you’ve had breakfast, a quick snack, you’ve gone for your lunch break or perhaps you’ve got a dinner date planned later for tonight. Irrespective of whatever time zone you’re in, the one thing I’m sure you have done or will do today is eat.
We all need food. Food is the fuel that drives our bodies. Its one of the essential things that we need to stay alive.
But its quite unfortunate, that as essential as it is, a lot of people are starving and have no access to food. A lot of people are hungry.
What is Hunger?
Hunger as defined by the UN, is a period of severe food insecurity experienced by people due to lack of money, access to food or other related causes.
Things like famine and war hinder people’s access to food.
Why Should We Care?
1. The most important resource to humans are human beings themselves. In all works of life, people are needed irrespective of the industry.
Hunger comes with so many other problems. A starving person becomes a liability to others.
2. DISEASES: Good nutrition helps our body fight diseases. When we do not eat right or eat very minimally, out immune system becomes compromised giving room to opportunistic infections like tuberculosis.
If people are fed right, we reduce the risk of this diseases.
3. ECONOMIC IMPACT: There are different types of unemployment. Seasonal unemployment, natural, unemployment, underemployment amongst many others.
But there is one that we fail to notice; hunger induced unemployment.
A starving person cannot work and this has adverse effects on the economy of that country.
What Can We Do?
Providing better farming systems and make food accessible is a responsibility of the government of a country.
There is oy so much the common citizens can do. Below is a list of such things
1. DONATIONS: The United Nations recognise October 16 World Food Day. On this day, many NGOs like Food Action and foundations donate food to the hungry.
We can make donations to assist such organization in helping the hungry.
2. STOP FOOD WASTAGE: Food wastage is a big problem. Every year tons of good food are thrown away either as excess from farm produce or as leftovers from restaurants.
Instead of wasting this food, we can give it to people who need it the most.
3. PERSONAL GIVING: Instead of going through foundations, we can still give food directly to people who need it.
There are several cultural holidays that encourage giving food. Examples Thanksgiving, Christmas, Eid El Kabir amongst many more.
We can take advantage of such opportunities and help the less privilege.
Food deprivation and hunger are devastating conditions and no human deserves to live that way. Let us come together and save humanity, one plate at a time.
