Introduction

In our world, there is enough food to feed the whole population. However, according to FAO’s recent report, one out of every six or seven people is hungry and it is a possibility that one out of three children is underweight. Today a massive number of people are living under poverty and many are dying of hunger each day. According to a report, 40% of the world’s population is living under poverty” (www.thp.org). The World Bank states “in India, the world’s second most populated nation, has 34% living on less than $1 a day and 80% living on less than $2”. The situation is the same in Sub- Saharan Africa. The same source indicated above claims that “41% of the population in Sub- Saharan Africa live on less than $1 a day” which is considered as the international poverty line. What are the causes and effects of poverty and hunger and how are they spread out around the world?

What does Poverty and Hunger Mean?

Poverty and hunger are defined in different ways by different individuals. Poverty is defined as “people living in household below 60 percent of median income” ( Raffo et al 5). Encarta Dictionary also states poverty as “the state of not having enough money to take care of basic needs such as food, clothing and housing.” Encyclopedia Britannica defines poverty as “the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions”. All the definitions assert that poverty is a state in which one cannot afford to achieve a basic living standard such as food and clothing. Poverty may be considered as the condition of being extremely poor.

Poverty is classified into two categories according to World Bank. These are income poverty and human poverty. Income poverty is related with only “financial income” whereas human poverty includes lack of “proper diet, clothing, shelter and work”. So far, we’ve defined poverty but what is hunger?

In many sources including Encyclopedia Britannica, hunger is viewed as a feeling we have when we need something to eat. Both poverty and hunger are spread all over the world but the degree varies from country to country. The less developed countries suffer from it strongly whereas the developed countries are affected to a much lesser degree.

Poverty and Hunger Facts

Do you know how many people are living in poverty and how many are diying of hunger each day worldwide? There are a number of people who are poor and hungry in the world. The United Nation’s bulletin on the “Eradication of Poverty” claims that “1.2 billion people live on less than $1 a day which is viewed as the absolute poverty level. It is very shocking to know that so many people are living under poverty. According to the bulletin, “24,000 people die of hunger each day, 16,000 of whom are children under five years of age”. In addition to this, “800 million people, or one in every six people, are malnourished, 200 million of whom are children”. As a result, the average life expectancy where hunger is serious, is low.