Zero Hunger!!

By: Aijaz Ali Khuwaja

In last UNs General Assembly session, Mr Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of
the United Nation said in his last speech (He will retire in January 2017) that
"Everyone eats. Everyone needs food. Yet around 795 million people in the world
do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life. That's about one in nine
people on earth". Ban Ki-moon explains that why the global movement for Zero
Hunger needs attention of World leaders.
Unfortunately, World leaders from America (Obama also delivered last speech
because he will retire in November 2016) to China, Pakistan, England, India and
many more gave speeches but not a single leader mentioned about the rampant
poverty & UN's Sustainable Development Goals. No one committed about the
goals and policies to achieve the goals. Obama spoke about migration but he
didnt speak about the reasons behind migration. America's arrogant attitude
around the Globe created such a situation in Arab World, especially, people of
Syria, Libya, Egypt, Iraq and other places are migrating to Europe. Countries of
European nations are also facing crisis due to migration of thousands of people.
This mass migration has created a hole of poverty in which people are drowning
day by day. Leaders of the nations in their speeches raised issues which were
created because of their own policies. World is now not a safe place for everyone
and thousands are sleeping on roads without eating food.
The future of the planet's food is not very rosy. It is becoming worse and worse
every single day passing. Worlds population is increasing day by day. Millions of
people around the Globe are facing hunger on daily basis. They are chronically
hungry. They can never find food for their children from time to time and never
will be in near future. Too many countries have systematically neglected their
food requirements. What is the world doing about it? In true sense its nothing or
very slow action! Ten countries including Pakistan have been declared disaster
prone and will face harsh reality of climate change. The problem is too big, too
widespread. World hunger was not on the top agenda of the last UN General
Assembly session, G-20 session, G-8 and different meetings held at different
locations of the Globe. These good for nothing-International summits/meetings
are less fruitful. Since 1990, many issues have been discussed at international
forums but less has been done. Population issues were discussed at Cairo,
environmental issues were discussed at Rio, food at Rome, Beijing was the
venue to talk about women and climate issues were discussed at Kyoto, Beijing
& regular International meetings held at UN headquarters! What happened?
Population is increasing day by day, Environment issue reached at no return
point, world is now facing food crisis and millions are going hungry every single
day, women of the Globe are still facing discrimination in every walk of life and
climate has been completely reversed!! Thanks to Paris meetings that climate
change protocol has been signed by America and other nations, still important
nations like China, Russia have yet to sign. Last UN General Assembly session

not discussed climate, poverty, health and most importantly Sustainable

Development Goals? Ten densely populated countries including India, Pakistan,
China, Bangladesh & others will face harsh reality of climate change. Disasters
will increase so food insecurity also increase. Many countries are facing hunger
due to slow response of G-8, G-20, UN and other forums. Only lip service and
nothing is concrete came out of these meetings. International summits and
meetings are less result oriented. There will be more poor people in Asia due to
harsh weather conditions and disasters. International summits sponsored by UN
and other important countries groups like G-20, G-8 and others in last twenty
years were remaining less fruitful, but only cities where summits held became
famous!
In 2007-08, when prices of food commodities surged, some 30 countries- from
Bangladesh to Haiti to Pakistan, were shaken by food riots. Illegal migration to all
around the world has been increased, which got worlds attention. Terrorism also
increased and we all know that roots of these issues lay in poverty. Rich
countries are spending billions of euros on combating terrorism, which has been
created by them, have no money for real issues directly related to wellbeing of
human being. In this Globalized world it is very easy to surf Internet but difficult to
feed mouths on daily basis!
Dynamism in rural agricultural sector is needed to narrow the rural-urban income
gap and reduce rural poverty for about 900 million plus poor living in rural areas
while avoiding falling into subsidy and protection traps, the World Bank report
2015 cautions. Pakistan is one of those countries, which has not implemented its
land reforms in its true sense. Here farmers have been neglected and
government spending/subsidy on agriculture have been decreased. PMs
agriculture investment program is largely based on short term benefits. It has
been noted in last two decades that a country self-sufficient in agriculture
products has nothing to fear, a country dependent on its imports, exposes its
population to serious dangers. No one will be surprised that hunger is still a daily
reality for at least 70 million Pakistani human beings. Millions of others are still far
from eating enough to guarantee them an "active, healthy life".
Pakistan is currently facing physical water shortages because it has No proper
storage facilities. At this stage government must give priority to agriculture in the
next budget to reform centuries old irrigation system, seriously implement
agriculture/land reforms in the country, improve existing water reservoirs, start
work on small carryover dams and tap new underground water resources for the
future. Big dams are more controversial rather than smaller dams, which are
needed for the agriculture growth. We have to do more otherwise human crisis
will take away soul of this country of above 160 million souls!! Census is the main
issue, which must be address in 2016, without census its impossible for a country
to plan livelihood activities. Government must ensure census by end of 2016 and
reform agriculture system to save people of country from hunger.
These good for nothing National and International meetings have changed
nothing for the poor. One in nine souls is still facing rampant poverty and world

leaders/organizations are doing nothing. Countries are threatening each other for
closing of their water sources. Indias irrational/provoking statements regarding
Indus Water Treaty will create another war and make world more unsafe to live.
United Nation & world powers must intervene and stop India from making
irrelevant/provoke statements. Water is Life and everyone on earth needs water
for life. Thousands of Pakistani souls are depending on agriculture which
requires water for every season. I hope UN, G-20, G-8 and Global powers
individually take water issue seriously and save planet from upcoming disaster of
Hunger!!!