Ending World Hunger: A Global Challenge for Food Security

We have all felt that burning sensation in our stomach when we get hungry. This urgent demand pushes off every other desire and forces our attention on only one thing, which is to calm this sensation and the only way it can be done is to intake one of the most integral things for the progression of life and that is “Food”.

Across the world, more than 300 million people are facing acute food insecurity as per the data released by the United Nations in 2024. Around 42 million people in 45 countries are at 'emergency' or worse levels of hunger.

Lack of Food Nutrition

Although the global food production is enough to fill all stomachs but the socio-economic barriers, climate change, structural inequality have been the prime reasons for the lack of food access.

Food security around the world can be seriously dealt with by the analysis of the Agricultural output, determining the quality of soil, and crop nutrition that is getting affected by the overuse of fertilizers and pesticides and providing sustainable solutions to the problem without hampering the environment.

Climate Change: A Major Risk

Climate change has been unceasingly affecting global food production at large scale, as agriculture uses 70% of all freshwater, produces around a third of all GHG emissions, and contributes to biodiversity loss and soil degradation (around 69% of agricultural land is degraded). If food demand continues to grow as projected, by 2050 we will need 120% more water, 42% more cropland, lose 14% more forest and produce 77% more GHG emissions. Even with yield gap closure through SI, we would still need 56% more water, 5% more cropland, lose 8% more forest, and produce 42% more GHG emissions.

The growing global population is increasing the overall food demand and to cater to that farmers are increasingly using artificial fertilizers which in turn is degrading soil health and in the long run, will significantly affect the Food Security of the world.

What can we do

Progressive actions are taken all around the world by several countries, meetings between important delegates from different countries have been constantly in motion to tackle this pressing issue in the world, and various policies have been implemented by the political bodies in accordance and guidance by the United Nations as well.

A global collective awareness has to be inculcated, the idea that ignorance is bliss should not be the current motto but proactive action to tackle the upcoming problems upfront must be our outlook.

At the beginning of our blog, we were talking about the burning sensation, we all feel the pain of hunger, and a simple change in our attitudes can have global impacts. Now is the time to be reminded of our responsibility and prepare for a future where every stomach feels satisfied and full.