What Can we do about World Hunger? Food First

Thoughts about the Future “The way people think about hunger is the greatest obstacle toward ending it.” -- Peter Rosset, Food First /:v_get/45663/07114/_res/id=sa_Picture

Thoughts about the Future “The only real risk is the risk of thinking too small.” - Frances Moore Lappe re_lappe.jpg

Thoughts about the Future “The world has enough for man's need, but not for man's greed.” --Mahatma Ghandi

Questions Should we have guilt? We have so much food, wealth!

Questions Should we have fear? We might lose it all! Food riot, 2008

Questions Can we protect the environment and grow enough food?

Questions Should we seek justice?

Questions Should we seek efficiency?

Questions Can we eliminate hunger without losing freedom?

Five Principles 1) Hunger results from human choices –not inexorable forces of nature. Therefore we can choose to end hunger in the same way we chose to end slavery.

Five Principles 2) Economic democracy –and the empowerment of women are keys to ending hunger and will also reduce world population growth. Microfinance meeting, India

Economic Democracy “Because no human being chooses hunger, hunger is proof that a person has been denied a voice in meeting survival needs. And, since a say in one’s future is the very essence of democracy, the existence of hunger belies democracy.” -- Frances Moore Lappe Hunger results from a lack of Economic Democracy

Five Principles 3) Ending hunger need not destroy the environment – but will require sustainable agriculture that can be practiced by even the poor.

Five Principles 4) Greater fairness can lead to ending hunger –if we devise food systems where those that do the work have a greater say and reap a greater reward. Farmers protesting for land reform

Five Principles 5) The increased well- being of the poor in the third world –can enhance our own well-being we need not fear their advancement.

What can we do? If change is possible, we must change ourselves. ISU student in Africa

What can we do? We must examine our everyday choices. D7duSnoiU/DSC00312.JPG?imgmax=512

Personal Choices 1) Get alternative information. Mainstream TV, press has a vision clouded by myths.

Personal Choices 2) Educate others— –friends –co-workers –family. Speak up when others voice self-defeating myths.

Personal choices 3) Choose a job that contributes to the solution rather than to the problem. Is accumulation of material possession the real key to a satisfying life?

Personal Choices 4) Help hungry, homeless people through church, community groups.

Personal Choices 5) Participate in –community planning –more and better jobs –affordable housing –environmental protection. Habitat for Humanity

Personal Choices 6) Elect officials committed to addressing roots of hunger.

Vote!

Personal Choices 7) Spend money on less processed, –less packaged foods –from co-ops or worker owned stores. Farmers market

Personal Choices 8) Boycotts have been successful: –Nestle stopped marketing baby formula in third world –divestment helped bring majority rule to South Africa.

Personal choices 9) Become an activist. Social movements –brought women the vote –got civil rights legislation –helped end war in Vietnam. Civil rights protest

Moral Courage Compassion is essential –but is easy. Harder to achieve is moral courage. It takes courage to cry out "The emperor wears no clothes" –In the face of injustice, inequity, malnutrition Nigeria

Moral Courage Takes courage to challenge the status quo, –to point out that the world is awash in food –and all of the suffering is the result of human decisions. We risk embarrassment, –dismissal by friends –to speak out about widespread false understandings of the world.

Compassion This courage comes from the same place our compassion comes from: –our innate moral sensibilities, –our deepest emotional intuitions about our connectedness to others' well-being.

Compassion Ironically, the message of compassion and connectedness to others' well-being – underlies the dominant western religion, Christianity

Compassion But our culture has elevated economic dogma –market and property rights –above the Christian message of love, compassion and connection. Mall of America