In 2009, the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) issued a report stating that nearly one billion people worldwide suffered from hunger on an annual basis. However, FAO’s most recent annual report has retracted these initial findings, citing “flawed methodology and poor data” as the primary reason for improper data collection. Currently, the UN estimates that approximately 870 million people are hungry or malnourished. A spokesperson for the UN claimed that the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of halving worldwide hunger by the year 2015 was “still within reach”.
While the UN’s data oversight has certainly provided positive news in regard to reducing world hunger, a more thorough analysis of the revised figures suggests that the UN’s progress is not as remarkable as it may appear. According to FAO representative, Graziano da Silva, the most significant reduction in the “global number of chronically hungry” occurred prior to 2007-2008. Recent reports have even suggested that the number of unnourished individuals has significantly grown in the African region, indicating that efforts to combat hunger must be maintained. Given the effects of the global recession, climate change and escalating food prices, world hunger is certain to remain a prevalent issue for years to come.
Reference:"UN says 'one billion undernourished' figure is wrong."BBC World News. BBC, 09 2012. Web. 24 Oct 2012.
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