Abstract
The United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that more than 820 million people suffer from chronic undernourishment, and it identifies poverty as the principal cause of hunger. According to the World Bank, 767 million people live on less than $1.90 per day, i.e. below the international poverty line. Other causes of hunger include conflict, political instability, food and agricultural policies and climate change. To these causes, this paper adds gender inequality. The study uses regression analysis of secondary data to test the impact of gender inequality, income and environmental performance on the hunger of nations. Statistical results confirm interrelationships among several of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Policy implications include a call to identify and address root causes of hunger and to adopt a long-term focus.
Highlights
After some years of progress, global hunger is on the rise (UN 2018)
Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); this paper investigates the influence of national income, gender inequality and environmental performance on the hunger of nations, focusing on the developing countries
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) measure for hunger, undernourishment, is percent of a population whose dietary energy consumption is less than a pre-determined, country-specific threshold, in terms of kilocalories required to engage in sedentary or light activities
Summary
After some years of progress (i.e. decline), global hunger is on the rise (UN 2018). According to the FAO (2019), there are more than 820 million hungry people around the world today – and an estimated two billion people suffer from moderate to severe food insecurity. Blesh et al (2019) call for research “to identify interactions between SDG 2 and other SDGs,” including SDG 1 (no poverty) and SDG 13 (climate action). Related to this call, Tayal (2019) observes that there is very little research into “the linkage between gender inequality and food insecurity.”. Inspired by the SDGs; this paper investigates the influence of national income, gender inequality and environmental performance on the hunger of nations, focusing on the developing countries. The second section defines hunger, discusses its causes, and links these causes to the SDGs. This section includes development of several hypotheses. The discussion focuses on implications for public policy and academic research
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