Global Hunger Alliance

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Global Hunger Alliance

Statement of Principles

 

Hunger is a global emergency. The problems of hunger and malnutrition will

be solved by more efficient and equitable use of existing world food

resources and by increased international support for the self-determined

efforts of low-income food-deficient nations to redevelop self-sufficient

and sustainable agricultural operations. Neither of these aims will be met

by the expansion of foreign-owned industrial animal agriculture operations

into low-income food-deficient nations.

 

Actions taken to address hunger must be cost-effective so that they will

feed the greatest number of people possible. Because industrial animal

agriculture operations entail higher usage of land, plant, water and fuel

resources per calorie or unit of protein than the cultivation of plant crops

for human consumption, the expansion of such operations in low-income

food-deficient nations would worsen rather than lessen the problems of

hunger and malnutrition in those nations. In contrast, sustainable

cultivation of plants for human consumption offers a cost-effective method

of producing healthy food for hungry people.

 

Foods produced as a result of hunger relief efforts must be safe, healthy,

and consistent with traditional diets. Hunger relief plans which elevate

consumption of animal-based foods are culturally inappropriate and likely to

increase the incidence of diseases which are known to be related to high

levels of consumption of animal-based foods. Low-income nations would be

left to bear the health care costs and lowered levels of productivity

associated with these diseases.

 

Pollution and depletion of natural resources also threaten human survival.

The impending global water crisis is a particularly emergent problem.

Demands upon and pollution of already depleted water resources by new

industrial animal agriculture operations would worsen this growing worldwide

crisis. Land degradation and desertification associated with intensive

grazing would worsen the impact of cycles of drought and flooding, further

threatening global water security.

 

Poverty eradication must be pursued in the context of self-determination.

External corporate control of industrial animal agriculture operations in

low-income food-deficient nations would lead to profit extraction from

impoverished nations as well as diminished self-determination within the

agricultural sectors of those nations.

 

Self-sufficiency is an important component of food security. Industrial

animal agriculture operations are highly dependent on capital and

technology. They require large amounts of bought-in feed inputs, energy, and

water. Therefore, the expansion of such operations in low-income

food-deficient nations would worsen, rather than lessen, food insecurity in

those nations.

 

The aim of agriculture is to feed people. Low-income nations must not be

pressured to convert their agricultural sectors into profit-generating

components of foreign-owned corporations or to place the demands of

international markets above the needs of their own citizens. Conversion of

agricultural resources now devoted to food for local and regional

consumption into resources devoted to the production of commodities for

foreign markets would increase vulnerability to market shocks and, hence,

increase food insecurity.

 

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations must act

in the interests of low-income food-deficient nations and must also

recognize the shared interest of the citizens of the world in the

preservation of the environment. The FAO must not cede to the interests of

private corporations by promoting practices which would ultimately further

impoverish low-income food-deficient nations and further despoil the

environment upon which we all depend.

 

The Global Hunger Alliance calls upon participants in the World Food Summit

to rise above national interests and profit motives in order to agree upon a

set of genuine solutions that will feed the world while preserving the

planet.