Ending Hunger Now

  In this TED talk Josette Sheeran, the head of the UN's World Food Program, talks about why, in a world with enough food for everyone, people still go hungry, still die of starvation. She brings about the important topics of malnutrition in the world. The science behind the results of hunger and starvation for both adults/children, as well as some possible solutions to solving this problem throughout the world.

  In 2008 a study was done to look at the effect of malnutrition on children throughout the first 3 years of birth. Side by side comparisons are given to show the growth of normal healthy brain and one that didn't receive proper nutrients and food. The brain on the right after 3 years of growth has permanent brain neuron and brain growth damage that has become permanent. Brain damage is about 40% different in volume between the normal healthy brain and the malnourished brain. It is because of this health problem children develop physical or mental disabilities that paralyzes them for the rest of their life. This is a problem that's not just hitting third world countries but thy entire world even first world countries. What's sad is the fact that we allow this to happen in parts of America when farmers harvest a abundance of food that eventually gets trashed or given to animals that are slaughtered later.

  Yet there are places in world like Brazil that are combating this problem better than anyone else.  Brazil is solving this problem by President Lula issuing a No Hungry Brazil Act. This act details to not only fed the children in schools but to the people and citizens of the country. Its done by requiring a third of farmers that have little opportunity getting there food sold in the market to give it instead to the schools and people instead, where they receive fresh food for a day. This act became a rippling effect that boosted the economy and the people of the country. Giving more jobs to people, giving children food for the day which stimulates their learning activity at school, and moving people from poverty. This investment in food lifted the GDP in Brazil by over 2mil.! It's crazy to think how a little bit of food can change the ways of a country positively.

  In order to make this work for other countries we must first look at ourselves and institute this same type of policy but, in a way that works best for every country in the world.

Link: http://www.ted.com/talks/josette_sheeran_ending_hunger_now