Josette Sheeran: Ending hunger now

Summary

The speaker, with a background in trade and economics, shares her journey to the front lines of global hunger, highlighting the plight of a billion people who struggle daily to find food. She emphasizes the urgency and solvable nature of this crisis, discussing the importance of breastfeeding, accessible nutritious food, and innovative solutions like digital food aid. The talk calls for a global commitment to end hunger, leveraging technology, education, and the potential of small farmers to create sustainable change.

Takeaways

• 🌏 The scale of global hunger is immense, with one out of every seven people not knowing how to fill their next meal.
• 💪 The importance of addressing hunger transcends compassion; it affects world peace, security, and stability, as evidenced by food riots in 2008.
• 👶 The first thousand days of a child's life are critical for nutrition; inadequate nutrition during this period can cause irreversible damage to a child's physical and mental development.
• 🍼 Breastfeeding is a powerful, yet underutilized, nutritional method that can save a child's life every 22 seconds if practiced correctly.
• 🌾 The issue of hunger is not just about food production; even with enough food globally, access to it remains a challenge for many.
• 📈 The economic impact of malnutrition is significant, with the cost to society averaging 6% to 11% of GDP annually in some countries.
• 🏫 School feeding programs are a crucial safety net, particularly in areas without food security, and can transform the lives of children and their communities.
• 🛒 Digital food initiatives, such as providing cards for purchasing nutritious food items, stimulate local economies and improve access to nutrition.
• 🌱 Enabling small farmers to be part of the solution by creating a market for their produce can significantly increase their yields and transform their lives.
• 🏛 Brazil's 'Zero Hunger' program demonstrates that large-scale initiatives can effectively combat hunger and poverty, showing the way for other nations.
• 🔑 Leadership and collective action are essential in addressing hunger; when leaders commit to ending hunger, significant changes can occur.

Q & A

What significant change did the speaker experience in their career that led them to work on human vulnerability?

The speaker transitioned from working in trade and economics to working on the front lines of human vulnerability, where they witnessed people struggling daily for survival and basic needs like food.

What is the symbolic significance of the red cup from Rwanda mentioned in the script?

The red cup symbolizes the challenge of hunger and also the hope for change. It represents the life of Fabian, a child from Rwanda, and how a single cup of food a day can significantly improve his life.

According to the speaker, what proportion of the world's population struggles with not knowing how to fill their cup with food each morning?

The speaker states that about a billion people, or one out of every seven individuals on Earth, wake up uncertain about how to fill their cup with food.

Why should we care about the issue of hunger as presented in the script?

We should care about hunger because it touches on compassion, human dignity, peace and security, global stability, and the potential for economic growth and opportunity. It's also a solvable problem with known solutions.

What historical event influenced the speaker's personal commitment to addressing hunger?

The speaker was deeply affected by the image of a famine in Ethiopia in 1987, especially the sight of a woman unable to nurse her baby due to lack of milk, which occurred when the speaker was a new mother.

What is the current rate at which children die from hunger globally?

The script reveals that every 10 seconds, a child dies from hunger, which is more frequent than the combined deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis.

What does the speaker suggest is the issue with global food production in relation to hunger?

The issue is not the production of food itself, as there was enough food produced globally during the 2008 crisis to provide 2,700 kilocalories per person, but rather the access to food that is the problem.

What is the impact of inadequate nutrition during the first thousand days of a child's life, as mentioned in the script?

Inadequate nutrition during the first thousand days, from conception to two years old, results in irreversible damage to a child's brain and body, leading to stunted growth and reduced brain volumes, affecting their future earning potential.

How does the speaker propose to address the issue of malnutrition in remote areas where traditional crops are grown?

The speaker suggests transforming technologies available in the food industry to be used for traditional crops, creating nutrient-dense foods like the one made from chickpeas, dried milk, and vitamins, which can be produced affordably and effectively combat malnutrition.

What role does school feeding play in combating hunger and poverty, as described in the script?

School feeding serves as a safety net for the poor, especially in the absence of other social institutions. It not only helps keep children in school but also has a transformative effect on girls' education and health, breaking the cycle of malnutrition across generations.

How does the speaker describe the transformation of food aid in northern Cameroon to combat hunger?

In northern Cameroon, the traditional model of food aid was replaced with food banks managed by the villages. During lean seasons, food is distributed, and during harvests, the food is repaid with an additional percentage, creating a self-sufficient system and reducing reliance on external aid.

What is the concept of 'digital food' as introduced in the script, and how does it work?

'Digital food' refers to the use of technology to deliver food assistance via cell phones. Recipients receive a card that allows them to access a certain number of nutritious, locally produced food items, stimulating the local economy and providing targeted nutrition support.

How does the speaker view the potential of viewing the hungry as part of the solution rather than victims?

The speaker proposes that by providing an enabling environment for small farmers, who are often the hungry themselves, to produce and sell food, their yields can increase significantly, transforming their lives and contributing to the fight against hunger on a larger scale.

What is the 'Purchasing for Progress' initiative mentioned in the script, and what are its outcomes?

'Purchasing for Progress' is an initiative in 21 countries that guarantees a market for poor farmers' produce. It has led to increased yields and improved livelihoods for farmers, demonstrating that with the right support, the hungry can be part of the solution to hunger.

What is the economic rationale for investing in addressing malnutrition and hunger, as presented in the script?

The economic rationale is that the cost of malnutrition and hunger to society is significant, with an average burden of 6% of GDP, up to 11% in some countries. Investing in nutrition can lead to a more productive economy and is a cost-effective solution compared to the losses incurred due to malnutrition.

How has Brazil been successful in combating hunger, and what role did leadership play in this success?

Brazil has been successful by investing in a school feeding program that sources a third of its food from the smallest farmers. Leadership, particularly from President Lula, played a crucial role in declaring the goal of ensuring three meals a day for everyone and implementing the 'zero hunger' program, which has significantly reduced hunger and poverty.