Renewing respect for people’s right to adequate food
The number of chronically hungry and malnourished people in the world, after declining slowly but steadily from about 893 million in the early 1970s to 809 million in the 1990s, has shot upward again—to more than 1 billion, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

Much of this increase resulted from the food price crisis of 2008. But the numbers of chronically hungry people had actually begun to increase well before then, largely as a result of more than a decade of declining investment and limited development in rural areas. If that trend persists, climate change will push the numbers even higher by depressing crop yields and driving up food prices over the next several decades.

When there isn’t enough food to go around in poor households—because of diminished supplies, reduced income or higher prices—the nutritional consequences are devastating, especially for children. Not only do family members eat less food, but they reduce the quality of an already meager diet, relying more on inexpensive starchy staples.

In addition to energy and protein deficiency, the poor succumb to a more subtle form of malnourishment called “hidden hunger,” which is a lack of micronutrients, especially vitamin A, zinc, and iron. These are abundant in fruits, vegetables, and animal products, but poor people often cannot afford such luxuries. The resulting deficiencies stunt children’s growth or cause blindness, increase both children and adults’ susceptibility to disease, and expose mothers and infants to greater risks during childbirth.

As the number of victims continues to mount, world leaders and governments must redouble their commitment to guaranteeing the right of the poor to an adequate diet. Achieving that objective, despite current disarray in the world food system and the climate change threat, will require a determined effort to raise agricultural productivity and bolster food and nutrition security, combined with strong interventions in health and education, backed by enabling policies.