Next year, World Vision’s youth programs will focus on global food issues. To get started, we asked Kioko Munyao, World Vision’s Sector Specialist on Food Security, a few key questions.

What are some of the causes the global food crisis?
Over the past five years, people like us who work in international development have seen signs of the impending crisis. The increase in oil costs has impacted the price of food. The diversion of food crops (grain) to bio-fuels in countries like Brazil and Argentina is a main cause as well.

The increased demand for meat in some regions such as Asia is another factor. As this demand increases, more grain is diverted into animal feed, which in turn reduces its availability for human consumption.
 
Still, another cause is the diversion of funds otherwise invested in agriculture. Statistics show that, over the past 20 years, there’s been almost a 60 per cent reduction in investment in agriculture from Overseas Development Assistance (ODA); the money governments give as international aid. All these factors, on top of increasing oil prices, have created the global food crisis.

Which regions suffer the most?
We’re currently working in the sub regions hardest hit such as West Africa, East Africa and throughout Southern Africa.

What are the implications of this food crisis?
Estimates indicate that if this crisis continues and food prices continue to rise, up to 100 million additional people worldwide may fall under the poverty line (on top of 850 million who currently experience chronic hunger). As a result, all the gains we’ve made over the last decade or two on issues of malnutrition, child mortality, maternal health and child nutrition could be jeopardized—and even reversed.

Is “food crisis” the best term to use?
This is something we’ve been addressing for a long time, so perhaps it’s a more severe food crisis as more populations than ever before are affected, particularly those who depend on the market for food. These same conditions already existed, though, and have been real for a long time for less visible people in rural areas.

It’s more of a “fuel crisis” because food crisis infers that there is not enough food in the world. This is not the case. Food production will actually be higher than last year. However, irrespective of that forecast, when the costs of transporting food and its production are higher, the price of food increases as well.

How does World Vision’s nutrition team currently take on the challenge of malnutrition around the world?
Our “immediate needs” programming tries to ensure child malnutrition is stabilized so children can resume a normal life. As well, our community care approach allows for feeding children within their communities rather than taking them to a hospital. This helps the family as a mother can feed her child at home with her other children.

We help those moderately malnourished through our medium-term programming which helps build resilience and sustainability. In poor communities, our “positive deviance” health approach explores why things work out well for mothers with well-nourished children but not for others though they both have access to the same resources. Volunteer mothers teach other mothers in their communities the activities that have proven effective.

How does this issue affect Canada?
Across the globe, people in both developing countries and developed nations like Canada face the same food insecurity. Once Canadians feel the pinch of rising food prices, it makes us stop and identify with what could be happening to others who have fewer resources.

How can Canadians be part of the solution?
Canadians can call upon the government to increase support to agriculture and food security issues in the world. CIDA’s 2003 food security strategy had a clear plan of increasing investment in agriculture over the next 5 years. They started the plan the first year, contributed the same funds the second year and dropped funding in the third year. Canadians can call upon the government to provide what they promised but did not deliver.

Go Further:
Click here for a quick guide to learn more.
Click here to sign up for a Youth Empowered leadership conference near you.
Click here to sign up for the 30 Hour Famine, a great way to respond!
Click here to learn more about global food issues.