A press release quotes the London Action Aid International office saying it was difficult to therefore meet the Millennium Development Goal One (MDG1). The report, ‘Really Fighting Hunger?’ which also indicates actual dates will meet the MDG1, also scores nations on their efforts to fight hunger.
It has been released ahead of next week’s United Nations summit in New York where world leaders will discuss progress on MDGs.
“Fighting hunger now will be ten times cheaper than ignoring it. Every year reduced worker productivity, poor health and lost education costs poor countries billions,” said Joanna Kerr, Action Aid International chief executive officer.
In Malawi, it has been estimated by a Southern African Development Community (SADC) that about 1.6 million people may face hunger by the end of this year despite a hefty surplus yield. The Ministry of Agriculture in the country has also received a 11% of the 2010/11 budget battling the 10% target set by the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP).
Chandiwira Chisi, Action Aid International Malawi, Advocacy and Campaigns Coordinator, said: “We would like to urge government to continue with this commitment by further increasing investment in smallholder farmers – particularly women farmers by focusing more on research, extension services, credit to farmers and irrigation.”
He added strategies addressing challenges of climate should be considered.
“Given the Agriculture Sector Wide Approach and CAADP, we urge government, civil society, donors and stakeholders to meet their commitments in ensuring that Malawi achieves MDG1. Government and stakeholders should further work towards legislating food security,” said Chisi.
The statement also reveals that the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Sierra Leone, Pakistan and Lesotho may rank bottom on the score card.
“Surprisingly not just for the poorest, war-torn or disease-struck countries rank low. Despite radical and rapid increase in India’s economy, drastic cuts in agriculture and support to small farms, means nearly half of the country’s children are malnourished and one in five of the population is hungry,” adds the statement.
Rich nations also scored. Luxemburg, France, Spain, Sweden and Canada who pledged agricultural aid to help fight the 2009 food crisis scored top as donor nations. Portugal, Korea, Greece, New Zealand and Australia ranked bottom.
“G8 nations pledged $22 billion in 2009 to fight hunger, yet Action Aid estimates $14 billion of this is in fact old aid promises repackaged and it is still unclear when or how the money will be present,” concludes the statement.
Source: news24.com