Comparison with the first world countries
The UNDP’s Human Development Index (HDI) scores and ranks each country’s level of development based on three categories of development indicators: income, health and education (Global Sherpa, 2012). 187 countries of the world are classified into four categories: Very High HDI, High HDI, Medium HDI and low HDI. In general countries with very High HDI and High HDI are called Developed nations and Medium and Very Low HDI countries may be termed as developing nations. The indicator which tips the balance between developed and a developing country is health. While developed nations have surplus of food developing nations do not. This disparity is reflected in the nutrition levels of their citizens too. Surplus in developed nations lead to obesity, overfeeding, unhealthy food choices which cause life style related problems like high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol levels. Whereas in developing nations under nutrition is a serious concern because children and mothers are deficient in many nutrients. The world countries produce enough food to feed every individual on the surface of the earth but its unequal distribution is causing these differences in nutritional values. This paper tries to look in detail at the food production of the two categories of nations and probe into the strategies being promoted by international organizations like WHO, UNICEF and FAO to counter the inequalities.
Under nutrition and over nutrition are two ends of the spectrum. Food production and its consumption patterns directly contribute to the people’s nutrition. In the developing nations arable land and water scarcity rule the agricultural practices. Countries like India, Bangladesh, and China have rain fed crops like rice, wheat, maize which are people’s staple foods. Due to global and micro climatic changes, air pollution and loss of vegetative cover seasonal rains have changed their intensity and duration. Crop yields have reduced because they have not adopted modern techniques of production (Postnote, 2006). Dependence on ground and surface water for irrigation has increased. The potable water quantity remains constant while dependence on it has increased multi-fold. Food production in other parts of developing world is plagued by long droughts, lost fertility of soils and desertification. Due to high densities of population in these countries food costs are always high and nutritional value of produce low. Marketability of produce and governmental policies on increasing food production are often retrogatory. There are several variations to this statement though. Some countries have become self sufficient in food production though not its distribution like India, while others have chronic issues with food availability and affordability. Nutritional values of food produced are lower because of over cultivation of aqua sources, cash crops production instead of seasonal variations and low water availability.
The modern food production system, focused on increasing output, has successfully met, and even exceeded, the nutritional needs of consumers in developed countries (Linda Fulponi, OECD Observer, 2010). Good quality cereals, fruits, vegetables and eats are widely available throughout the countries and affordable too. The food available is clean, packaged well, regulated by food quality authorities and marketed across countries for low price. Nutritional value of the food is very high compared to those produced in developing nations. Varieties of food choices are available for common man- both fresh and processed. In the recent past the criticism on processed foods has increased because of single crop promotion. Crop varieties which resist pests are encouraged and scientifically developed by research. Pesticide and fertilizer use is high for increasing yields. Soya beans, wheat and corn are produced en-mass that their byproducts have taken over the entire food market- like corn starch, high fructose syrup which is used in every processed item. Milk, Beef, pork, chicken, fish and eggs and other meats are being generated from mechanized, climate controlled, indoor environments that the nutritional values of those have become questionable.
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that one in eight people in the world suffered from chronic undernourishment in 2010-2012. Almost all of the hungry people live in developing countries. 40 to 50% of population in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa live on less than $1.25 per day (World Bank, 2010). While poverty is a prime concern for deaths and under nourishment global climatic change evident in unseasonal rains, floods and drought, political and economic stability of nations also drive up the numbers. Children are the most visible examples of under nourishment. Five million children die every year due to malnutrition or due to diseases caused by under nourishment. Under five years children suffer with low Birth weight (LBW) and Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) are resultant of lack of food (poverty), clean water (water depletion), poor sanitation (lack of awareness), infections (vaccination shortages) and social unrest (war and displacement) (Abdelaziz Elamin, 2011). Population in developing nations is also exponentially increasing making it difficult to share natural resources. Women and children are worst hit due to mal nutrition. Children face low dietary energy supply, wasting, stunting, underweight and low body mass index (BMI) (FAO Corporate Document Repository, 2000).
In the developed, industrialized countries food is mass produced and mechanized farming is encouraged. The calorie intake per person is easily met with wide variety of foods available at cheaper rates. Rising incomes, car dependency for travel, work culture changes are promoting sedentary life styles. Processed and refined foods, genetically modified produce for pest resistance, fast food chains have increased dramatically leading to unhealthy eating habits. The calories consumed come from high saturated fats, sugars and carbohydrates replacing the body requirement with fattening products. This is termed as over nutrition. Overweight and obesity concerns in the developed nations are alarmingly high. Every third person in USA is obese or overweight (Center for Disease Control and prevention, 2012).
The imbalance between food supply and demand between developed and developing nations has been a concern for FAO for long. Both sets of nations have to be dealt in different planes. Developing countries need to focus on nutritional value of their produce and its equal distribution whereas developed countries need to inculcate life style changes. Knowledge transfer between these two sets of countries and research backed agriculture could change the patterns of farming in developing countries. Hunger and poverty reduction, reduce child mortality and improve maternal health are three of the eight Millennium Development Goals identified by United Nations. One cannot but hope that Global partnership for development goal will help us lead to a healthy world.
Resources
Global Sherpa, 2013. Globalization, Sustainable Development and Social Impact in World Rankings, Countries and Cities.” Development and developing nations”. Web. Accessed on Oct 26th, 2013. Available at: http://www.globalsherpa.org/development-developing-countries-developed
Postnote, December 2006. Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology. “Food Security in developing countries.” Web Accessed on October 26, 2013. Available at www.parliament.uk/documents/post/postpn274.pdf
Linda Fulponi, OECD Observer, 2010. OECD Trade and Agriculture Directorate. “Over Nutrition?” Web. Accessed on Oct 25th, 2013. Available at http://www.oecdobserver.org/news/archivestory.php/aid/3215/Overnutrition_.html#sthash.rv3COA7B.dpuf
World Bank. 2010. World Bank PovcalNet "Replicate the World Bank's Regional Aggregation.” Web. Accessed May 7, 2010). Available at http://iresearch.worldbank.org/PovcalNet/povDuplic.html
Abdelaziz Elamin. 2011. Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. “Protein Energy malnutrition.” Web. Accessed on Oct 25th, 2013. Available at: www.pitt.edu/~super7/17011-18001/17671.ppt.
FAO Corporate Document Repository. 2000. The State of food insecurity in the World. Web. Accessed on Oct 24th, 2013. Available at ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/x8200e/
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012. “Adult obesity Facts.” Web. Accessed on Oct 27th, 2013. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
