Food Important Aspect In Our Lives Essay

Food an important aspect in our lives has always been affected by the way we distribute it. With proper channels we will be satisfied by our actions; we will all either benefit or loose. In the event that there is food shortage followed by poor distribution of whatever is available it leads to persistent starvations and can lead to death. In December 27, 2002 Mason Booth a Red Cross Organization staff writer wrote and I quote â€Å"There is nothing growing. Looking around the entire land is dry and barren. We only have enough food for the most severely affected people†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ How many more are going to die until we have enough to feed you all? † From the report reading further we find out that the starvation at large results from lack of food situation. From this example of the report we discover that famine is a situation of chronic starvation and death. Like the conditions in Malawi, though several factors contribute to the situations are one and most important primary reason was a prolonged drought that withered harvests hence resulting to vast food shortages. The regions conditions at that moment were the worst, in the Southern Africa. Not only does the weather conditions affect productivity other factors have at large contributed to this situation. For instance, we get to know how famine is fueled by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In this region where at that moment HIV/AIDS prevalence rates were the highest and some countries more than 30% of the adult population was infected. It impacted on security where even if it’s a rainy season there is no good in preparation, nurturing and harvesting because there is no body to do this. There is also the question the rising demand for food between the population growth rates and death rate. There is more demand for food than the production rate or supplies can meet. In most cases natural calamities also are causes of famine and starvation as it is unfolded. 4Eugene Linden, The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilizations. (New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006 58-67). Despite progress in taking up the right preventive measures the dire social and economic consequences are for a fragile nation-state felt in all aspects of life. 7(Poku, Nana and Whiteside Alan. The Political Economy of AIDS in Africa: Africa’s silent crisis / Nana K. Poku AIDS-related famine in Africa: questioning assumptions and developing frameworks / Alex de Waal Cultural hazards facing young people in the era of HIV/AIDS: specificity and change / Carolyn Baylies HIV/AIDS: the †¦ , New York: Publishing, Ltd. , 2004 38). We know that without food there is no peace of the mind hence many of the crises around. There is no end in sight to global food shortages and multiple crises from climate changes and energy and water scarcity. This has always intensified. 2William A. Dando, The Geography of Famine. (Haven: V. H. Winston, 1980 147-148) With the world’s population growing towards 9 billion by year 2050 demand for food is forecasted to rise to approximately 110% spread over the same period and beyond. At the same time due to global warming it has a negative impact in to the supply of fresh waters that are available to humans and for the crops. Poverty is also a factor to consider because of the developing world where people can not access or obtain adequate nutritional food for their families. Economically the constant securing of food consumes valuable time and energy of the people hence allowing less time to increase their productivity. 1Lisa Cliggett, Grains from Grass: Aging, Gender, and Famine in Rural Africa, (Washington, D. C: Cornell University Press, 2005). (97-99) With reference to the Asian, African and Latin American countries an approximate of 500 million people under what the World Bank describes as absolute poverty. In addition the breakdown in distribution mechanisms of food has also contributed at large. War situations have been a major factor. Citing an example of North Africa and Middle East it’s evident that war torn areas suffer greatly from shortages of food which eventually leads to famine and starvation. For instance massive human rights abuses in Sudan and most parts in that region have been reported as the major cause of famine. It is estimated that three million Sudanese food securities was destroyed by civil war and drought any they eventually became sufferers to this crisis. Due to human displacement, there are no serious agricultural activities and productivity reduces due to shift of focus in productivity to war. To date and more than two decades of civil clash and three years of severe drought, Sudan is still teetering on the brink of a severe food crisis. While the food stocks deteriorate and water boreholes drying up the conflict shows no signs of recovery. Countries are crippled by civil wars, drought, poverty, forced migrations, debt and poverty, forced migrations, debt and poverty. This in general has reduced the productivity rate due to labor shortages, volatile national security, erosion of the economic family bases and massive and insupportable demands on health and public services. 6Sorokin, Pitirim. Man and Society in Calamity: The Effects of War, Revolution, Famine, Pestilence upon Human Mind, Behavior, Social Organization and Culture Life. Toronto: E. P Dutton, 1942. 46-52). Moreover, using the example of Tibet during 1960-62 as a result of the Chinese invasion of 1950. There was food crisis. This is as a result of increase in the population and the changes imposed on Tibetan traditional agricultural production systems. The socio economic conditions in most regions or continent did not favor the Tibetians as a result of the Chinese government invasion. 3Frances, Joseph and Peter, World Hunger: 12 Myths, (Chicago: Earthscan, 1998 43-62) The Chinese Authority on their urge to develop Tibet economically required the peasants to switch crops to wheat, which never grew at 1200 feet height. As a result Tibetans died between 1959 -1961 as a result of persistent starvation. Failure of entitlements is a major cause of food crisis. For incidence as a result of Chinese invasions there were no humane relations due to Chinese policies. Although the traditional feudal system in Tibet seemed archaic to the Chinese who wanted to modernize the country and make use of it, it was in harmony with their environment. Resources can be scarce but famine and starvation can never be hard off if there are good distribution systems. The desire of the Chinese to wipe out the Tibet people lied to in equal distribution of food and resources. Citing another example of the My Lai Massacre that in the war in Vietnam. If compared to developing countries, at the moment developing countries are starving to death and the developed countries are getting worried of which kind of food should they buy or not, whether to eat or not. However, notable facts are that starvation results from both lack of food and from a continuous breakdown of distribution mechanisms. 4(Eugene Linden 194) Malnutrition and under nutrition which are the symptoms of starvation are generally caused by poverty. Globally if we compare massive surplus exists in Europe and the United States while the developing worlds have nothing. It is note able that there is lack of a proper distribution channel or mechanism. Developed countries have proper markets and produce high yields for their markets while developing countries agriculture is lacking from untreated diseases, food shortage, bad hygiene low capital and income inputs. This calls for a concern in the ways of productivity. 5Ronald E. Seavoy. Famine in East Africa: Food Production and Food Policies, (Washington, D. C: Greenwood Press, 1989. (82-84) Special attention has to be paid to the importance of increasing food production and productivity and open more clear distribution mechanisms without being controlled on other guidelines so as food can be made available affordable and quality. This in conclusion is to say the developed countries must pursue economic goals without the current levels of unacceptable environmental damage to themselves and other nations. Starvation resulted from both the lack of food and breakdown in distribution due to prevailing circumstantial situations. Further more, from history in Ireland between1845-1852 what in the modern world is called the great starvation of Ireland. Though the people of Ireland have suffered many hardships none could be compared to the devastation brought by the Irish potato famine. The disaster in the badly managed land was caused by the supremely wicked climate that the country was experiencing during that time, which had been fuelled by a mixture of social, political and the economic factors pushing it to the end. 4((Eugene Linden 196). The intentional by use of phytophora infestans from Europe and America led to these destructions. ((Eugene Linden 199). The following winter became unbearable for the already starving nation. The warranty of warmer air brought around by the westerly winds failed letting severe environmental conditions from Scandinavia and Russia and the severe cold failed, letting severe cold conditions from Scandinavia and Russia surpass the Ireland Island. Bad weather had its own share of bad effects ranging from malnutrition freezing temperatures aided in the spread of disease and ultimately death among the nation of Ireland. Diseases, starvations all contributed to more loss of manpower thus a reduction in productivity. 3(Frances, and Peter ,202-205) Death toll was on the higher side thus it was never recorded and the estimated number of deaths resulting from starvation was only estimated to be 1. 5 million people. Lack of proper medical administration and crop diseases control had resulted to this loss where mechanisms of distribution production have failed. This resulted to rise in the mortality rate up to 50% if there are no people who are going to be productive in future. This means there is no continuality hence more food shortages combining with other factors it would lead to starvation. During this disastrous time, the beginning of the starvation are said to be a â€Å"biometeorological phenomenon†. Developed countries like the British government who were expected to look upon the matter were slow and insignificant to no response. The economic policies that existed were unhelpful and the British parliament refused to make adjustments to provide for a national disaster. No food was offered to the starving people as along as there was food for sale. The economic polices that existed were unhelpful and the British parliament refused to make adjustment to provide for a national disaster. The relief food aid supplies from other countries could not reach their destination for the ships carrying them were intercepted before they could reach the badly hit situations. It emerged that there were divisions among Christians where Catholics were condemned by the peasants who had been forced to do so by the Protestants and could therefore not get food. Others were died of starvation due to water retention and lack of adequate nutrition. During this time of poor health living conditions promoted spread of diseases and all efforts were halted to finance improvements in long term seed distribution. Food storage entitlement was denied for the Irelands. Death rate during these predicaments had increased making the situations worse and by this time many had fled their country though came some kind of relief, and by this time another winter had come and gone, but in the year 1851 the famine subsided though majority remained at high risk. Social economic and political factors are that there were many repressive society conditions under which the Irish peasants were forced to hire with and as a result became dependant on one single source. Under colonialist each item that could be affordable became extremely expensive. ((Eugene Linden 202). Conclusion If the two major factors are combined using the various cited examples they are results to starvation and lead to other human death related conditions that cannot be avoided. In any case circumstances from one situation may change and could breakdown distribution channels of food or even land of proper healthcare. I feel that all factors and circumstances lead to one another with one result at the end. We should always watch our impacts in order to achieve a stable economy. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cligget, Lisa. Grains from Grass: Aging, Gender, and Famine in Rural Africa, Washington, D. C:Cornell University Press, 2005. Dando, William A. The Geography of Famine. Haven: V. H. Winston, 1980. Lappe, Francis M. , Collins, Peter and Rosset, Peter. World Hunger: 12 Myths, Chicago: Earthscan, 1998. Linden, Eugene. The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilizations. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2006. Seavoy, Ronald E. Famine in East Africa: Food Production and Food Policies, Washington, D. C: Greenwood Press, 1989. Sorokin, Pitirim. Man and Society in Calamity: The Effects of War, Revolution, Famine, Pestilence upon Human Mind, Behavior, Social Organization and Culture Life. Toronto: E. P Dutton, 1942. Poku, Nana and Whiteside Alan. The Political Economy of AIDS in Africa: Africa’s silent crisis / Nana K. Poku AIDS-related famine in Africa: questioning assumptions and developing frameworks / Alex de Waal Cultural hazards facing young people in the era of HIV/AIDS: specificity and change / Carolyn Baylies HIV/AIDS: the †¦ , New York: Publishing, Ltd. , 2004