Myths

Myths

The belief that world hunger can be solved by increasing food production is an unsubstantiated myth. It has lead to policies by international organs that have supported farming policies that in practice have boosted production of expensive export foods on the expense of production of basic foods for the population.

The real problem is poverty. As the market responds to money and not actual need, it can only work to eliminate hunger when purchasing power is widely dispersed. As the rural poor are increasingly pushed from land, they are less and less able to demand for food on the market. Promoting free trade to alleviate hunger has proven to be a failure. In most developing countries exports have boomed while hunger has continued unabated or actually worsened.

The worlds food supply is abundant, not scarce. The world production of grain and many foods is sufficient to provide at least 4.3 pounds of food per person each day. Even in countries that have excess food, large numbers are starving. According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 78 percent of all malnourished children under age five, live in countries with food surplus.

Population growth is another mythical cause of hunger. "Although rapid population growth remains a seriouse concern in many countries, nowhere does population density explain hunger."...."For every bangladesh- a densely populated and hungery country-we dind a Nigeria, Brazil or Bolivia where abundant food resources coexist with hunger." In Costa Rica, that only has half of Honduras' cropped acres per persoon, the life expectancy is 11 years longer than Honduras which puts it to that of developed countries.

"Hunger is caused by decisions made by human beings, and can be ended by making different decisions. The scientific evidence shows it is possible to eleminate hunger....As societies we gave to decide that it is a priority."

The world could feed itself if food polices were based on facts and not on myths as presently. The fact is that there is no scarcity of food. The real reason for the world hunger problem is poverty. This requires politival and not agrotechnival solutions.