Global Hunger Crisis

Yesterday morning I was interviewed on the Voice of Islam Breakfast Show, discussing the global hunger crisis (you can hear my segment of the show above).

Despite significant advancements in technology and agriculture, hunger remains a pervasive issue affecting millions of individuals worldwide. In this interview I emphasised that hunger is not merely a lack of food but a multifaceted problem intertwined with poverty, inequality, and political instability; mostly caused by a long history of colonialism, empire, and more contemporary, issues of capitalism & exploitation - as new forms of colonialism.

Subsequently, I focused on the local impacts of the global hunger crisis. Even in developed nations, food insecurity is a growing concern and, since the Great Recession of 2008, we have seen the national spread of food banks and other charitable organisations - stepping in where the government should hold responsibility (not a new argument for me). Although food charity does its best to provide nutritionally balanced food, what we know is that it is mostly tinned and processed food stuff.

This is a problem of wealthier nations. Numerous families struggle to afford nutritious meals, and what we see is an increase in health issues such as malnutrition and obesity. This is not simply a problem of food insecurity (as food bank use), but also more general food insecurity leading to poor food availability & choices (or lack there of). In our discussion above, I underscored the importance of addressing these local challenges through community support and policy reforms. You also won’t be surprised to hear - I also argued the case for a (Global) Universal Basic Income too.

Please give the interview a listen. Its only a short 10-minutes, and I offered insights into potential solutions for combating hunger. I advocated for a multifaceted approach that includes improving food distribution systems, supporting local agriculture, and implementing policies that address the root causes of poverty and inequality. I also emphasised the imperative of supporting local shops too, underscoring the domination of supermarkets has made us all culturally and socially poorer.