1. 5 Combating famine― Is technology a panacea for food shortages?1

2. 5.1 What is famine?
Where do most
famines occur?

3. (Credit: Bo Mathisen/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)
It shows that some countries are facing the problem of food shortages.
What is famine?
Animals are also died of hunger
People are suffering from hunger and malnutrition
A severely malnourished child in Niger
A starving child and his starving livestock
(Credit: Reuters/OTHK)

4. What is famine?
Famine refers to the situation in which many people die of severe food shortages.
However, famine occurs less frequently when compared with hunger and malnutrition.
Swelling of the abdomen is a common symptom in serious malnutrition
(Credit: Bo Mathisen/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies)

5. How serious is the problem of hunger and malnutrition?
What is famine?
How serious is the problem of hunger and malnutrition?
_____ in seven people in the world are suffering from hunger and malnutrition.
One

6. Which countries are less likely to suffer from food shortages?
Where does famine most likely to occur?
Which countries are less likely to suffer from food shortages?
Risk of food shortages by country
Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004, Volume 1, the UNFAO

7. Western European countries
Where does famine most likely to occur?
Western European countries
Canada
The USA
Japan
Australia
Most of the ( less developed / industrialized ) countries have low risk of food shortages. They have a high level of economic development. They are usually rich and politically stable.
GNP per capita by country
Source: 2007 World Development Indicators, the World Bank

8. Which countries are more likely to suffer from food shortages?
Where does famine most likely to occur?
Which countries are more likely to suffer from food shortages?
Risk of food shortages by country
Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2004, Volume 1, the UNFAO

9. Central and southern African countries
Where does famine most likely to occur?
Mongolia
North Korea
Afghanistan
Central and southern African countries
Bangladesh
The countries with high risk of food shortages are mostly less developed countries. They have a very low GNP per capita. Nearly half of them are in central and southern Africa.
GNP per capita by country
Source: 2007 World Development Indicators, the World Bank

10. Is the food production enough for feeding the world population?
Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
Is the food production enough for feeding the world population?
World production and consumption of cereals (million tonnes)
Production of cereals
Consumption of cereals
2,057 (2004-5)
2,013.5 (2004-5)
Source: UNFAO
The food production is ( not enough / enough ) for feeding the world population.

11. Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
World production and consumption of cereals (million tonnes)
Region/Country
Production of cereals
Consumption of cereals
Sub-Saharan Africa
90 (2004-5)
113 (2004-5)
Japan
12.4 (2005)
22 (2005)
Source: UNFAO
In ( Sub-Saharan Africa / Japan ), the food consumption is greater than its food production.
Because Sub-Saharan Africa are poor and cannot afford to buy food from the world market. In fact, the world food supply is uneven.
There are food shortages in ( Sub-Saharan Africa / Japan ),
while Japan does not suffer from food shortages.

12. Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
When food supplies cannot meet the demand, there are food shortages.
Food demand
Food supply
Local farm production
>
Population size
Food imports
Food shortages
Prolonged severe conditions
Famine

13. They export and sell their surplus grains at world market prices.
Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
Countries with a low risk of food shortages produce more than their people consume.
They export and sell their surplus grains at world market prices.
France
Food surplus
The USA
Food surplus
Net trade in food (2002-4)
Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2005, Volume 1, the UNFAO

14. How does Japan solve the problem of food shortages?
Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
For rich countries whose food production is not enough to meet its demand, such as Japan, the problem of food shortages can be solved by importing food.
France
Food surplus
Japan
The USA
Food shortages
Food surplus
How does Japan solve the problem of food shortages?
Net trade in food (2002-4)
Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2005, Volume 1, the UNFAO

15. Sub-Saharan countries
Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
Countries with a high risk of food shortages like the Sub-Saharan countries are unable to produce their own food to meet demand. They do not have money to buy food from the world market.
France
Food surplus
The USA
Food surplus
Sub-Saharan countries
Food shortages
Can Sub-Saharan countries solve the problem of food shortages by importing food?
Net trade in food (2002-4)
Source: FAO Statistical Yearbook 2005, Volume 1, the UNFAO

16. Why do some countries have a high risk of food shortages whereas others have a low risk?
Uneven food supply
Food production > Food consumption
Food consumption > Food production
Food surplus
Food shortages
Export surplus food
Not enough money to import food
Import food
Sufficient food supply
Famine

17. Civil wars and corruption
What are the similarities found among countries where famine occurs?
Sub-Saharan Africa
Japan
GNP per capita (US$) (2006)
830
38,630
Agricultural labour force (%) (2004) 59 3
Illiteracy rate, adult total (% of people ages 15 and above) (2006) 39
Less than 1
Birth rate (per 1,000 people) (2006) 40 9
Dietary energy consumption (kcal/person/day) (2003-5)
2,220
2,750
Life expectancy (years) (2006) 50 82
Political situation
Civil wars and corruption
Stable
Poor nutrition often leads to ( long / short ) life expectancy.
They are ( poor / rich ).
They rely heavily on _____________.
agriculture
They are politically ( stable / unstable ).
They have ( low / high ) education level.
What are the characteristics of the countries which is more likely to suffer from famine?
The birth rate is ( low / high ),
leading to a high population growth.

18. How is famine related to agriculture?
The food supply in a country is closely related to its level of food production.
Food production
Food supply
Risk of famine
In order to solve the problem of famine, can we increase food production by applying various agricultural technologies?