Photo: © Tine Frank
The Hunger Report 2012 was launched yesterday by Bread for the World Institute. This year's report focuses on the global response to the rise in hunger as a result of the 2008 food price crisis.
There are several interesting things this report highlights. For example, the report calls for more determined thinking about the role of the United States in mobilizing global commitments to increase investments in agriculture, food security, and nutrition in developing countries. Arguing that U.S. farm policies need to shift toward production of healthy foods, the report considers there is too much support for ingredients used to produce cheap junk food, and not enough support to promote healthier food. To face this problem, the report proposes a rebalancing of farm policies to "improve efficiency, encourage production and distribution of healthy foods, support rural development, and help farmers manage risk more efficiently". It's time to U.S. food and farm policies meet the challenges of the 21st century and start contributing to a healthy food system.
The report also emphasizes the new poor: it calls for more protection for those families who suddenly became dependent on food assistance by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The report believes that a comprehensive revenue insurance program, instead of the current patchwork of farm subsidies, "would better meet the needs of farmers, reach more farmers, provide a healthy food supply for all, be less trade-distorting, help the environment, and save taxpayer dollars".
We know food is a very sensitive issue. We are facing the rising cost of healthcare, and we know obesity is (and will be) a contributor for these costs. More and more people all over developed world are being affected by this problem. On other hand, we have those who are in poor health due to insufficient food. Together they represent a huge cost for health care we can avoid. This calls for better balance between what governments are asking farmers to produce and what are encouraging people to eat.
Finally, the report calls for strengthening international food aid. This should be more effective by allowing for more local and regional purchase of food aid. Elkanah Odembo, ambassador of Kenya to the United States, says: “Investments in food security in the Horn of Africa must have the ultimate goal of ensuring that drought does not translate into famine, hunger, and even death.”
The Hunger Report 2012 is crucial to have a big picture of the problem all over the world. But most importantly, it is a tool of public awareness on what policy makers should do about hunger and malnutrition, giving ideas and proposing solutions to solve the problems. We know food is a basic need and fighting hunger and malnutrition is a key to a better world... and a healthier one.
read more: Hunger Report 2012: Rebalancing Act: Updating U.S. Food and Farm Policies
There are several interesting things this report highlights. For example, the report calls for more determined thinking about the role of the United States in mobilizing global commitments to increase investments in agriculture, food security, and nutrition in developing countries. Arguing that U.S. farm policies need to shift toward production of healthy foods, the report considers there is too much support for ingredients used to produce cheap junk food, and not enough support to promote healthier food. To face this problem, the report proposes a rebalancing of farm policies to "improve efficiency, encourage production and distribution of healthy foods, support rural development, and help farmers manage risk more efficiently". It's time to U.S. food and farm policies meet the challenges of the 21st century and start contributing to a healthy food system.
The report also emphasizes the new poor: it calls for more protection for those families who suddenly became dependent on food assistance by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The report believes that a comprehensive revenue insurance program, instead of the current patchwork of farm subsidies, "would better meet the needs of farmers, reach more farmers, provide a healthy food supply for all, be less trade-distorting, help the environment, and save taxpayer dollars".
We know food is a very sensitive issue. We are facing the rising cost of healthcare, and we know obesity is (and will be) a contributor for these costs. More and more people all over developed world are being affected by this problem. On other hand, we have those who are in poor health due to insufficient food. Together they represent a huge cost for health care we can avoid. This calls for better balance between what governments are asking farmers to produce and what are encouraging people to eat.
Finally, the report calls for strengthening international food aid. This should be more effective by allowing for more local and regional purchase of food aid. Elkanah Odembo, ambassador of Kenya to the United States, says: “Investments in food security in the Horn of Africa must have the ultimate goal of ensuring that drought does not translate into famine, hunger, and even death.”
The Hunger Report 2012 is crucial to have a big picture of the problem all over the world. But most importantly, it is a tool of public awareness on what policy makers should do about hunger and malnutrition, giving ideas and proposing solutions to solve the problems. We know food is a basic need and fighting hunger and malnutrition is a key to a better world... and a healthier one.
read more: Hunger Report 2012: Rebalancing Act: Updating U.S. Food and Farm Policies
No comments:
Post a Comment