Editorials and Letters 2007

Editorials and commentary

Remembering Martin McLaughlin Lane Vanderslice December 2, 2007 Obituary: Martin McLaughlin, 89; advocate for poor and hungry Joe Holley Washington Post November 29, 2007 (You will leave this site and be required to register [once] with the Post.)

A terrible shortage of food for the poor grips the country. Where is the political will to do the right thing for the hungry? Anna Quindlen Newsweek November 26, 2007

Ending hunger isn't what it used to be--neither is fear Chuck Woolery October 23, 2007

Letters to the Editor

Dear Hunger Notes,
I am a high school student and am currently involved in a project to raise awareness about the crisis in Africa in regards to hunger and HIV/AIDS. I would greatly appreciate if you would be able to assist me with data. I need data for hunger and HIV/AIDS, data tables, statistics, graphs, etc. I would be willing to state the name of the website on my presentation which will clearly increase awareness of the website and talk about what you do. Thank you, U. M.

Dear U.M.,
To the best of my knowledge there is no statistical source that estimates hunger due to HIV/AIDS. The standard source for estimates of food insecurity is the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's State of the World's Food Insecurity report with the latest being from 2006. It is available beginning on http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0750e/a0750e00.htm. However when I tried to access the actual PDF report I was unable to do so, due to some sort of technical difficulty. Perhaps you will have better luck. The source for HIV/AIDS statistics is UNAIDS and its 2006 report can be accessed beginning at http://www.unaids.org/en/HIV_data/2006GlobalReport/default.asp.  See Annex 2. Another good source for Africa is Avert http://www.avert.org/subaadults.htm . Also see the article 'SOUTHERN AFRICA: HIV-induced famine's impact on agriculture' on Hunger Notes PHN page. Not statistical, but useful I think. The book cited there 'Silent Hunger..' is also very helpful and can be accessed at http://www.fanrpan.org/documents/d00351/ . I hope your report on this important question turns out well.
Editor, Hunger Notes

Dear Hunger Notes,
There was a rice vocabulary game website for kids that was featured on the national news last night where every time a student answered the vocabulary correctly, rice was donated to World Hunger Org (I believe). Do you happen to know the website info? Thanks, DB

Dear DB.
Sorry for the delay in replying. It is http://www.freerice.com/  BBC had a news story on the site 'Web game provides rice for the hungry.'
Editor, Hunger Notes
 

Dear Hunger Notes Editor,

I am a 7th grader at Marshall Middle School in Houston, Texas. Will you answer three questions about my history fair project?

1. What is your opinion  about the world hunger problem?

2. Have you personally helped to end the world hunger problem?

3. Will you send me some pictures associated with the world hunger problem?

Thank you,

F.R.

Dear F.R.

To respond to the three questions that you pose.
1.  What is your opinion about the world hunger problem?
The principal cause of hunger is poverty, with the second being conflict. There are two principal ways to reduce hunger due to poverty, economic growth and (in combination with) pro-poor economic policies.  Nations have made some progress in reducing poverty and poverty related hunger--the percentage of people in 'dollar a day' poverty has declined and even the absolute numbers have declined. There has been a greater emphasis on economic growth than pro-poor policies.  Conflict is probably down from its highest level but still continues in many countries in the world.  Reducing hunger and poverty in developing countries has been very far down on the list of priorities for developed countries.  There is still much to be done.
2.  Have you personally helped to end the world hunger problem? 
Well, we hope informing people through Hunger Notes about issues surrounding world hunger makes some contribution!  On a personal level, I contribute to organizations such as Catholic Relief Services that assist poor people in developing countries and am a member of organizations such as Bread for the World, which works to improve US policies affecting hungry  people. 
3. Will you send me some pictures associated with hunger?
We do not have pictures other than those which we use on our website, which you are welcome to use though they are small. For larger pictures,   see the sources referred to in the letter below. These would have to be downloaded and printed on a color printer.   Another good source is IRIN.  See its photo page at http://www.irinnews.org/photo.aspx. Try something like food as a keyword.  You will have to register to download an image, but this is easy.
Good luck on your history fair project!

Editor, Hunger Notes

Dear Hunger Notes,
I am a volunteer for Lapis Lazuli Light Singapore, a non-profit organization which promotes total wellness. We will be having an exhibition during end Nov at Fort Canning. This is to create public awareness on various topics we going cover, one of it is on vegetarianism. It will include how a vegetarian diet can helps to reverse world hungers.
I will like to request for the usage right on suitable hi-res photos on world hunger from your organization. It will be used for our booth display. I have some low-res images downloaded from the net, which I find very impactful, just wonder if your photo collection consists of such photos.
Hope to hear a favourable reply from you soon.
Regards, V.M. 

Dear V.M.,

Dear V.M.,
We do not have high-res photos. The best source in the past was the Food and Agriculture Organization, which has unfortunately discontinued its public photo search site. I would suggest going to the FAO photo page http://www.fao.org/newsroom/en/photo/ , seeing if any of the images there work for you, and then asking the FAO media department (that I have found helpful in the past) for larger res images. Do the same for the World Food Program, whose photos may be seen at http://www.wfp.org/english/?n=36 . And the International Fund for Agricultural Development http://www.ifad.org/photo/photo.htm . These should turn up some good pictures.

Editor, Hunger Notes

Hunger Notes 2007 2006 Editorials and Letters  Hunger Notes Home Page