In a world marked by unprecedented economic development and technological advancements, hunger and poverty remain two of the most pressing issues
Tejeswar Patnaik
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s famous quote on poverty continues to resonate even today: “Our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” In a world marked by unprecedented economic development and technological advancements, hunger and poverty remain two of the most pressing issues, and the divide between the haves and the have-nots is widening. This persistent challenge has driven economists and social scientists to conduct extensive research over the past decades to understand and address these problems.
With so much research available, it becomes essential to examine the scope of global hunger and poverty. The Annual Global Hunger Index (GHI), published last week by Concern Worldwide, an Irish humanitarian organization, offers a sobering assessment of the situation. The GHI scores rank approximately 136 countries into categories such as ‘extremely alarming,’ ‘alarming,’ ‘serious,’ ‘moderate’ and ‘low’ based on the severity of hunger. These rankings provide a clear picture of the state of hunger in poor and developing countries around the world.
Pack of Six
According to the 2024 GHI report, six countries—Somalia, Yemen, Chad, Madagascar, Burundi and South Sudan—are designated as facing an ‘alarming’ level of hunger. Meanwhile, 36 countries, including India, are categorized as experiencing a ‘serious’ hunger situation. The report also highlights that progress toward eradicating hunger has stagnated. Since 2016, there has been little visible improvement, making it likely that many nations will fail to meet the United Nations’ target of achieving zero hunger by 2030.
The GHI score is calculated using four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and child mortality, which together capture the multidimensional nature of hunger. In 2024, the global GHI score stands at 18.3, considered ‘moderate,’ reflecting a slight decrease from 18.8 in 2016. This score demonstrates that hunger, though improving slightly, is still a significant global issue. Factors such as calorie deficiency, lack of access to nutritious food, undernutrition and impaired physical and cognitive development contribute to these scores.
These indicators are not arbitrary; they are deeply aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), initiated in 2016. These goals aim to end hunger, improve nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. However, the slow pace of progress raises concerns that many countries will miss these critical targets unless drastic measures are taken.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines hunger as the distress caused by the lack of sufficient calories due to food deprivation, leading to regular under consumption of essential nutrients. This definition helps frame the situation faced by countries like India, the world’s fifth-largest economy. India is ranked 105th out of 127 countries in the 2024 GHI, falling into the ‘serious’ category for hunger. Despite its economic power, 13.7% of India’s population is undernourished, 35.5% of children under five are stunted, 18.7% suffer from wasting and the under-five child mortality rate is 2.9%.
India’s Position
While India’s GHI rank has improved since 2016, these figures are a stark reminder that more needs to be done. To significantly improve its global standing, policymakers at both the federal and state levels must collaborate effectively. India, with its favorable demographic dividend, should leverage its human capital to achieve the ambitious goals set by the SDGs by 2030. This requires politicians from all parties to rise above political rivalries and focus on addressing the underlying issues.
Programs such as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, subsidized food grains through the National Food Security Act and Poshan 2.0 must be implemented rigorously to eliminate hunger. Additionally, officials responsible for the implementation of programs must be held accountable for any failures to prevent the country from remaining in the ‘serious’ category in future reports.
Several factors have contributed to the slow progress in reducing hunger since 2016. Poverty is the primary cause of hunger in both low and middle-income countries. The most affected are landless laborers and marginal farmers, particularly in developing nations. These small and marginal farmers possess insufficient land to grow enough food to feed their families throughout the year, let alone produce a surplus for sale. As a result, they remain trapped in a cycle of poverty, dependent on low-paying, informal work that does not provide a stable income.
Climate change presents enormous environmental challenges, with unpredictable weather patterns like unseasonal rains, cyclones and droughts wreaking havoc on agriculture. Since 2010, approximately 21.5 million people have been displaced annually by climate-related disasters. By 2050, it is estimated that up to 1.2 billion people could be displaced due to the effects of climate change. These changes disrupt farming cycles, damage crops and reduce yields, making it difficult for farmers to sustain themselves and their families. As a result, food insecurity grows in many regions, exacerbating poverty and hunger.
Wars and conflicts, such as those in Yemen, Syria and more recently in Ukraine and Israel-Palestine, have devastating effects on food security. Conflicts destroy critical infrastructure like irrigation systems, agricultural fields and transportation networks. They also displace millions of people, many of whom are farmers who lose access to their land and livelihoods.
The war between Russia and Ukraine, for instance, has had a ripple effect on global food supplies, as both countries are major grain exporters. Similarly, the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict aggravates the energy crisis. The disruption of supply chains due to war leads to food shortages and price hikes, which particularly affect the poorest populations who cannot afford to buy food at inflated prices.
Vulnerable Groups
Hunger leads to malnutrition, particularly among vulnerable groups like infants and young children. The first 1,000 days of life are crucial and malnutrition during this period can cause stunting, affecting 1 in 4 children in developing nations. Stunted children face chronic health issues and educational struggles, perpetuating poverty.
Hunger and poverty disproportionately affect women and rural populations. Women’s lower labor force participation and wages make them more vulnerable to malnutrition, a point highlighted by 2023 Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin’s research on gender inequality. Globally, 60% of the world’s hungry are women and girls, underscoring the need to empower them.
Rising food and energy costs, along with financial instability, now threaten nearly one-fifth of the global population. Crass capitalism and widening inequality exacerbate this issue. Despite economic growth, India remains a nation with stark inequalities. To combat hunger, governments must build stronger economies, invest in infrastructure and ensure sustainable food production.
Grappling with global hunger and poverty requires collaborative efforts by governments, institutions, and individuals. By empowering vulnerable communities, improving policy implementation and tackling the root causes like poverty, conflict and inequality, countries can make remarkable progress toward achieving zero hunger by 2030. Hence, the time to act is now.
(The writer is a former Dy General Manager of Bank of India. Views expressed are personal)
