Chapter 12: Problem 10

How is relief from famine and severe hunger accomplished? Why does food aid sometimes aggravate poverty and hunger?

Short Answer

Expert verified

Relief from famine and severe hunger is accomplished through tools like food aid and strategies aimed at improving agricultural productivity and implementing social safety nets. However, food aid can sometimes lead to dependency, disrupt local markets, and discourage local food production, thus inadvertently aggravating poverty and hunger. Carefully managed and targeted food aid, combined with resilience building measures, can mitigate these issues.

Step by step solution

Understanding Relief Measures

Relief from famine and severe hunger is often accomplished through a number of strategies. These can include emergency food aid, increasing agricultural productivity, improved food storage and preservation techniques, and implementing social safety nets. Emergency food aid is a short term measure and often involves international assistance, while the other strategies aim for more sustainable, long term solutions.

Analyzing the Negative Impacts of Food Aid

While food aid is crucial during emergencies, it can sometimes lead to unintended negative effects. If not well managed, these include dependency on aid, disruption of local markets and economies, and discouraging local food production. For instance, a regular influx of free or cheap food aid can lower prices, making it unprofitable for local farmers to produce food, thus aggravating poverty and potentially encouraging dependency on aid.

Bridging Both Aspects

So, relief from famine and severe hunger ideally combines emergency responses with long-term strategies to build resilience. It's also essential to ensure that food aid is carefully managed to support, rather than disrupt, local economies.

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How is relief from famine and severe hunger accomplished? Why does food aid sometimes aggravate poverty and hunger?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understanding Relief Measures

Analyzing the Negative Impacts of Food Aid

Bridging Both Aspects

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