Business and food go hand in hand. Researching and developing new technologies that improve the quality of a seed or reduce the amount of time a farmer spends harvesting crops is largely done by the private sector. Private companies process, package, transport and market foods to all of us every day. So, there’s no question that private companies play a huge role in, if not dominate, our food supply.
For last week’s ONE Act, we gave our readers the chance to win an autographed copy of Roger Thurow and Scott Kilman’s “Enough: Why the World’s Poorest People Starve in an Age of Plenty” by testing their knowledge of the crisis in the Horn of Africa and our new petition. We are overwhelmed by the great response we have had from so many of you -– of the 125 who participated, 60 answered every question correctly!
Here are the answers to the quiz:
1. The Horn of Africa is currently being affected by the worst drought in __ years.
a. 10
b. 20
c. 30 d. 60 – The Horn of Africa is currently suffering from its worst drought in 60 years. Want to learn more? Get more facts and learn what you can do to help here.
Action: 16. Time: 10 minutes. Level of difficulty: Moderate
Have you ever wanted to write a piece for the ONE Blog? Well, here’s your chance. For this week’s ONE Act, we’d like for you to pitch us a blog post idea centered around World Food Day and the fight against world hunger.
In case you’re not familiar with World Food Day, it’s an annual global event to help raise year-round awareness, understanding and action against hunger and its causes. It takes place this year on Sunday, October 16 — however, we’d like to use the day as a springboard for a deeper discussion around the issue, especially on the ONE Blog.
With numbers of young people between 15 and 25 currently at record-breaking highs –- accounting for 20 percent of the global population with even higher numbers throughout much of the developing world –- one thing is certain: what this generation chooses to say or do is going to have a major impact.
A young worker at the Golden Rose Agrofarms Ltd.
In Africa, this has unfortunately not yet meant much for agriculture, which is critical in ensuring that people have sustainable sources of food and livelihoods. Though the continent makes up 25 percent of the world’s arable land, younger generations who will soon join the workforce currently show little interest in pursuing farming-related careers.
Natasha Adams from Concern Worldwide shares the results of a new report, the Global Hunger Index.
Six-year old Gloria and her 18 month old sister Musungu, going to the health clinic in Mathare slum, Nairobi, Kenya. Despite her young age, Gloria is responsible for looking after her two younger siblings since their mother went to hospital. They are fed through Concern’s health center feeding program.
Recent events in the Horn of Africa are a terrible reminder of the vulnerability of millions of poor people around the world to changing weather and other shocks that interrupt their access to food. This humanitarian tragedy highlights two important motivations behind the Global Hunger Index (GHI) -– the need for information and the need for action.
Right now, we’re urging Congress to fully fund Feed the Future, a program that helps improve food security for the world’s poorest people. How does it make an impact on lives, exactly? Read George Chitosa’s story to find out…
When we first walked into the Chitosa Trading grain warehouse, it was hard to envision just what this great big empty room could do to help improve the livelihoods and food security of Malawian farmers. But Mr. George Chitosa told us not to worry -– there are a few weeks to go before the harvest. In a month, this warehouse will be piled high with maize, and the farmers that sell to him will go home happy with a good price for their maize.
This morning officially kicks off the 2011 World Food Prize here in my hometown, Des Moines, Iowa. This year is themed “The Next Generation” and is especially exciting because it not only marks the 25th anniversary of the prize and the revealing of their newly remodeled historic building, The Hall of Laureates, but also because ONE will be hosting a part of the program!
As an Iowan, I am especially so proud of this annual event that brings thousands of world leaders, innovative thinkers and passionate activists from all over the world to discuss food insecurity, hunger and poverty. In addition to amazing speakers, panels and discussions, there is also the prize itself.
ONE is campaigning to ensure that the Congressional budget does not cut foreign assistance programs like Feed the Future that help people break the cycle of poverty and hunger.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years. More than 11 million people, mostly nomadic pastoralists and farmers in south-central Somalia, north-eastern Kenya, and south-eastern Ethiopia, are severely lacking access to food.
2011 marks 30 years since the first cases of AIDS were documented. Take a closer look at the specific, achievable goals we must hit by 2015 to make this year the beginning of the end of AIDS.
As aid agencies warn more than 9 million people could be affected by a food crisis in East Africa, world leaders are failing to keep their 2009 promises to tackle the causes of chronic hunger and support farmers in the world's poorest countries.
