Written by: Sarah Le
Edited by: Zoha Rizwan
There are many ways for each individual to help contribute to the goal of Zero Hunger. This can be done by either reducing food waste, supporting local products, improving food storage systems, or increasing investment in sustainable food production and agricultural practices. So join us and shed a better light for the world.
Reducing food waste
Despite the fact that food waste is considered one of the easiest problems that could be fixed, ⅓ of the food produced is wasted each year worldwide. This amount is enough to feed 3 billion people. Moreover, food waste has tremendously negative impacts on the environment as water and natural resources are required to produce these wasted food. This in turn greatly affected developing countries, as well as undernourished communities, worsening the starvation issue. Therefore, limiting the amount of food waste would shift the situation, leading us all to our Zero Hunger goal.
Supporting local products
In relation to the previous point, supporting local farmers is a great way to help reduce food waste. This is because buying local products shortens the distribution chain, reducing waste produced from processes like packaging or shipping. Moreover, it encourages diversification of local agriculture and crop variety. By purchasing from local shops, you are supporting the local economy by helping small farmers with their low income, limiting environmental waste and adding fresh, nutritional ingredients to your meal plans. Starting to reduce food shortage in your own community is a step moving closer to Zero Hunger.
Improve food storage system
In humid countries, food preservation requires lots of energy and effort as food could be rotten in a matter of a few hours after being exposed to an open air environment. Therefore, a better storage system is needed. A warehouse, for example, is a great solution. However, in order to store sufficient amounts of food, the government should increase investment and fundings to develop additional infrastructure, especially in rural areas where the quality of storage facilities is not up to standard. Once again, this would help maximize food preservation by keeping food fresh as long as possible to make sure they remain edible when reaching customers.
Ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices
Global warming results in unpredictable weather, making it extremely challenging for farmers. Natural disasters like droughts, floods, and extreme temperatures greatly affect the productivity of food production as certain crops require specific environmental conditions. The only solution is implementing Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices where farmers could adapt to the changes in climate. By doing so, not only are we ensuring the sufficient amount of food produced, but also improving the quality of crops being harvested.
Donation
Donating is always an effective way to help those who are in need, no matter where you are. However, it is very important to make sure that your donations reach the correct target as there are many unreliable sources on the Internet. Below are some truthful foundations that we recommend:
United Nation World Food Programme: Donate $0.80 through the mobile app Share The Meal to help malnourished children https://sharethemeal.org/en/
Action Against Hunger: Donate money to help address global food insecurity https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/donate/save-lives-end-hunger
Your local food banks: Donate food that you don’t need through your local food banks to improve the quality of life of your own neighborhood
Singapore: https://foodbank.sg/individual-donors/
It takes lots of time and effort for the world to erase hunger but it is not impossible. If every one of us acknowledges our roles in combating this issue and reaches out to help, Zero Hunger would be achieved. So, are you ready to build a better future with us? Spread the words and join us now.
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