1. World Hunger Series 2006 Hunger and Learning Paul Howe, Policy Adviser
United Nations World Food Programme
Presentation at the University of Pavia
February 22, 2007
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

2. The global hunger situation Hunger’s impact on learning
Learning’s impact on hunger
Hunger, learning and national development
The way forward
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

3. The global hunger situation
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

4. The simple story ... Some progress has been made overall
Undernourished: million in 1990 to million in 2006 in the developing world
Underweight: million in 1990 to 146 million in 2006
But not enough to meet the Millennium Development Goals
Halve, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of people who suffer from hunger

5. Hunger indicators worsening in some countries
Source: WFP 2006

6. Hunger is related to a number of issues but learning is one of the most important

7. Problems with hunger and learning exist across the world

8. 2. Hunger’s impact on learning
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

9. Undernutrition damages neuron networks in children’s brains
Neuron from severely undernourished child
Neuron from normal child
Source: Monckeberg 2004 (?)

10. Iodine deficiencies in early childhood have lasting impacts on intelligence
Source: Ma and others 1994

11. Hunger also limits learning at school age and in adulthood
Hunger at school age
Lowers attendance at school
Makes it hard to concentrate
May cause further damage
Hunger in adulthood
Lowers attendance at training
Does not cause further long-term damage to mental capacity

12. 3. Learning’s impact on hunger
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

13. Stimulation in early childhood affects the growth of the brain
Extremely abandoned
Source: Monckeberg 2004 (?)

14. Stimulation leads to higher IQs even in the long run
Source: Grantham-McGregor and others 1994

15. Female learning at school age (and adulthood) is correlated with better child nutrition
Source: WFP 2006

16. Female education is the most significant factor in reducing undernutrition
Women’s
status
12%
Women’s
education
National
food
availability
43%
26%
19%
Health
environment
Source: Smith and Haddad 2000

17. 4. Hunger, learning and national development
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

18. Reduced hunger and improved learning expand people’s opportunities
At the individual level, people can:
Take on more fulfilling work
Read books
Participate in local council meetings
Care better for loved ones – and the next generation
At an aggregate level, expanded opportunities and choices for millions

19. Hunger and learning reduce economic growth through two pathways
Undernutrition
Limited learning
Mental damage
Nutritional damage
Annual cost of doing nothing about child hunger and undernutrition is between US$20-30 billion
US$500 billion to $1 trillion in lost productivity and income over the lifetime of today’s undernourished children
2 to 3 percent of annual GDP lost to malnutrition in some countries
Less schooling
Less capacity
Small stature
Ill-health
Less ‘human capital’
Weaker ‘human engine’

20. 5. The way forward
World Food Programme, Rome, 2006.

21. Micronutrient supplementation/ fortification
‘Knowledge tree’ identifies the right interventions for hunger and learning
Micronutrient supplementation/ fortification

22. Food fortification can improve birthweight
Source: Shrimpton and others 2003

23. Political choices are difficult but can be influenced
‘Frankly, we have other priorities’
Stress that improvement in child growth can be achieved in two years – while they are still in office
Commission opinion research among the clients themselves
Ensure that regular reports about the programme appear in the media

24. Economic choices are difficult but benefits often outweigh costs
‘We cannot afford these
kinds of interventions’

25. Dramatic improvements are possible: the case of child mortality in Chile
Source: Monckeberg 2005

26. Key messages from the report
Hunger damages mental ability; yet learning can help address hunger
Hungry children must be reached early, but targeted inteventions needed throughout life cycle
There are challenges, but solutions can be found
National governments must make the political commitment to act, but require the full support of the international community