1 of 3
"Enough Food For Everyone IF" campaign launched
2 of 3
Nyani Quarmyne: Save the Children
IF campaign
There is a need to end hunger in the world
3 of 3
Dele Onabowu
Positive Runway's Justina Mutale signing the IF inflatable
Positive Runway's Justina Mutale signing the IF inflatable
by 'Femi Okutubo
A campaign to get world leaders end hunger in the world has been launched in London by 100 leading British development charities and faith groups.
Tagged: "Enough Food For Everyone IF," the campaign which has has the backing of philanthropist Bill Gates and Desmond Tutu, is the largest coalition of its kind in the UK since Make Poverty History in 2005.
There are fears that hunger and malnutrition in childhood will trap almost a billion young people in poverty by 2025. The campaign warns that in a world where there is enough food for everyone, the scandal of children growing up hungry imposes a grave economic burden on the developing world, projected to cost £78 billion in lost economic output by 2030.
In its first Report, the campaign group stated that, great strides have been made in reducing poverty, and 14,000 fewer children are dying each day than in 1990; but hunger is threatening to reverse these achievements.
Hardworking poor farmers, especially women and children, and vulnerable and ordinary people everywhere face the highest food prices in a generation. In the UK, the numbers of people using food banks has risen sharply. And climate change is making things worse.
The campaign calls on Prime Minister David Cameron to use the UK’s G8 presidency in 2013 to take action on the root causes of the hunger crisis in the poorest countries. The ‘IF’ movement challenges the Prime Minister to tackle 4 big Ifs, arguing that there is enough food for everyone:
IF we stop poor farmers being forced off their land, and use the available agricultural land to grow food for people, not biofuels for cars.
IF governments keep their promises on aid, invest to stop children dying from malnutrition and help the poorest people feed themselves through investment in small farmers.
IF governments close loopholes to stop big companies dodging tax in poor countries, so that millions of people can free themselves from hunger.
IF we force governments and investors to be honest and open about the deals they make in the poorest countries that stop people getting enough food.
Taking action on the ‘corporation tax gap’ by multinational companies alone would enable developing countries to raise enough revenue every day to save the lives of 230 children under 5 currently dying because of malnutrition.
Desmond Tutu said: “Hunger is not an incurable disease or an unavoidable tragedy. We can make sure no child goes to bed hungry. We can stop mothers from starving themselves to feed their families. We can save lives. We can do all of this, IF we are prepared to do something about it. IF we challenge our leaders to take action. IF they listen to us. We can make hunger a thing of the past IF we act now.”
Grammy Award winning singer-songwriter, Angélique Kidjo, commented: “We need to solve the underlying issues of famine and hunger once and for all. People are denied access to land that could produce food. Parents work tirelessly, but still can’t afford to feed their children. It’s unfair, it’s unjust and the truth is – it’s totally preventable. With enough people behind this campaign, we can make world leaders listen. IF you believe that everyone can and should have enough food to live, please join us.”
Charities involved in the campaign include: Action Aid, Save the Children, Advantage Africa, The Salvation Army, Partners for Change Ethiopia, Positive Runway, Scotland Malawi Partnership, The Church of England, Christian Aid and Zambia Diaspora Development Network.
Further information is available at www.enoughfoodif.org