Charter to End Extreme Hunger: New Hope Against Famine

By JLBane

New York is set to host a meeting of world leaders on Saturday (24^th September, 2011) where they will sign the “Charter to End Extreme Hunger”.

Amongst the names on the list will be Kenya’s premier Raila Odinga and Live Aid/Live 8 organiser, Bob Geldof, as well as United Nations’ Valerie Amos.

The new incentive comes at a time when East Africa is facing a huge famine problem and over 13 million people are currently starving. Unlike the 1980s when the media covered this kind of tragedy on a massive scale, this current famine has been largely ignored by the major news outlets.

Raila Odinga will meet with a host of big names in New York to sign the Charter to End Exreme hunger.

Geldof is of course a veteran and although his previous aid ventures raised a lot of money for their causes (estimated at $60bn since 1984), only a fraction of that money ever reached the affected areas, while record sales of the musicians involved soared as high as 300% in the immediate aftermath.

The real enemy in any case of famine is poverty. There isn’t a lack of food in the world and the claims by GM food producing companies that their supposedly superior yields will lead to the end of world hunger is looking like egg on their faces in the guise of false advertising and marketing to justify producing chemicalised, unhealthy food.

Bob Geldof has raised incredible sums of money to aid starving people, but where has most of it gone?

Read about GM food and diminishing choices for consumers.

This new charter, which was drafted by several aid agencies and civil charity groups, outlines five steps which need to be taken when facing a famine and they are as follows:

• Respond early
  The East African crisis was predicted several months in advance, but was ignored by governments. In future they must act immediately.

• Support local food production
  This is something which must take place all over the world as it provides local employment and is safer for the environment. It also helps people develop skills and self-sufficiency.

• Making food affordable
  Rises in oil prices have had a knock on effect with food which has risen by 20% in the past few years, data which contradicts claims by food companies who support GM crop growth. Food must be made cheaper.

• Protect the poorest and most vulnerable
  Funding for schools, clean water and localised farming will provide people with the tools to build sustainable communities and develop personal skills.

• Reduce armed conflict
  Violence is a major hindrance to aid reaching its destination so governments must make provisions for better acces in conflict zones, as well as improve diplomacy skills to reach a peaceful conclusion.

Drought in East Africa is putting between 13 and 20 million lives at risk.

I hope the Charter to End Extreme Hunger does its job and that all the aid reaches the people who need it the most, not just a portion of it while the rest is absorbed by unscrupulous charities who absorb so much of it in ‘admin costs’.

Please share your thoughts on the Charter to End Extreme Hunger by leaving a comment or share this article using the social media buttons.

images: economist.com, techdigest.tv, sharpishkane.blogspot.com, klubffi.com, treehugger.com