Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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The Fight For Aid to Puerto Rico

The Fight For Aid to Puerto RicoThe island of Puerto Rico has yet to recover from Hurricane Maria’s landfall in September 2017. Power outages, food shortages and a lack of coordination from disaster relief organizations have jeopardized an entire island inhabited by U.S. citizens. Timely aid to Puerto Rico has become detrimental to the island and as the U.S. government’s funding shrinks, so do many of the people’s chances of prosperity.

Insufficient Funding

Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rossello requested approximately $94.4 billion from the U.S. federal government: $31 billion for housing and $17 billion to reestablish power. The federal government initially offered only around $4.7 billion in loans, but the offer has since shrunk. The aid to Puerto Rico from the U.S. has been cut in half, now at around $2.2 billion.

Congress’ plan allocated a total of $90 billion in disaster relief for Texas, Florida and California, combined with Puerto Rico’s aid. In comparison, Hurricane Sandy garnered around $37 billion in aid to New Jersey alone. Needless to say, $90 billion is an insufficient amount to counter the enormous wreckage these four U.S. territories endured in the past year. Aid to Puerto Rico is the most crucial concerning total loss, yet it is the least prioritized based on governmental decisions for funding placement.

One reason aid to Puerto Rico is scarce is due to the U.S. Treasury Department’s unwillingness to help, suspecting the small island of having a central cash balance that isn’t low enough, despite the island’s debt of $74 billion.

FEMA explains the $2.2 billion is divvied up between housing repairs, at around only $620 million, and other needs at $510 million. This funding, along with other FEMA programs, has helped 130,000 Puerto Ricans and housed fewer than 10,000. These numbers fall short of what’s needed to supply appropriate aid to Puerto Rico.

Misplaced Trust

The federal government and FEMA have also given enormous funds to small, often understaffed or simply untrustworthy organizations to supply help.

One example is Bronze Star, LLC, a Florida company that was granted 30 million to supply tarps and plastic sheets for temporary roof repairs for those without proper shelter. By November of the same year, the contract was nulled and funding was withdrawn as the company did nothing to deliver. The entire process of approval and cancellation took four crucial weeks.

Another example is Tribute Contracting, LLC, whose sole employee was awarded a lofty $156 million as part of a plan to disperse nearly 30 million meals. The contract and funding were withdrawn after the company served only 50,000 people, failing over 18 million others who requested the nutritional aid in Puerto Rico. Since the cancellation, the owner has publicly accused the U.S. government of making her a scapegoat for FEMA’s decision-making.

Looking Ahead

Aid to Puerto Rico is improving, but there’s still much to do. With FEMA’s teetering funding, much of the island is being repaired by its inhabitants and some private investors looking to help. Still, 16 percent of the island is without electricity, leaving 200,000 U.S. citizens without it for 6 months.

Locals and visitors to the island have already made tremendous improvements and repairs since the hurricane hit, but much more work still needs to be done. Most Puerto Ricans don’t have the luxury of waiting for help to come and are forced to do what they can.

– Toni Paz

Photo: Flickr

How to Fight for Social Justice

How to Fight for Social JusticeAn important thing to keep in mind when learning how to fight for social justice is what social justice really is. Fighting for social justice is a way of solving social inequalities. Social inequalities can come in different forms, but they revolve around two major categories: inter-social treatment and unequal government regulation.

Inter-social treatment describes the treatment of groups of people on a local and regional scale and deals with issues such as racism, sexism, ageism and heterosexism. These social inequalities are commonly based on personal beliefs.

Unequal government regulation describes the laws and regulations in place which discriminate against minorities. These often relate to poverty, the death penalty, civil rights and access to healthcare and education.

Health, education, social mobility, crime, and wellbeing are directly correlated to social inequalities due to inter-social treatment and unequal government regulation. It is important to remember that these two categories of inequality are often linked to each other. These social inequalities can be experienced directly and indirectly, and it is important to keep that in mind when learning how to fight for social justice.

Direct social inequality is the deliberate mistreatment of minorities or groups of people. This can come in the form of actions that take away resources and opportunities from select groups of people based on prejudices and personal beliefs. This type of inequality can include, but is not limited to, physical and/or verbal assault on a person or group of people and laws created based on established prejudices.

Indirect social inequality is enforcing unfair treatment of people unintentionally. Many people are guilty of this form of oppression because they are simply unaware of it. Consumerism is a large factor in this form of social inequality, because often the products being purchased are made by sweatshop workers, produce waste and chemicals which pollute the areas where impoverished people live and even support political candidates who promote social inequalities.

Taking action on a social issue is a major step in learning how to fight for social justice. Activism, by definition, is using consistent campaigning to bring social and/or political change. With the technology available today, even the busiest of people can become activists for social issues through a variety of means:

  • Using social media
    One of the easiest ways to fight for social justice is to use a social media platform. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all great starting points to grow an active voice for social justice. In today’s age of technology, something as small as a hashtag can be the start of a worldwide social justice movement, such as the “Black Lives Matter”, “Love Wins” and the “Me Too” movements.
  • Donating
    Organizations are always in need of donations to their cause because to fight for social justice, organizations need funding. For some, it is not always practical to donate money, so an alternative is to consider donating your time. Holding fundraisers, hosting rallies and participating in sponsored walks are all great ways to fight for social justice through activism.
  • Contacting Congress
    A critical part of fighting for social justice is starting from the ground up in local government. Big movements take small steps towards greatness, and one way to help move forward for social justice is making a change in government. Contacting Congress about issues and concerns is a pivotal part of creating change. Voting in leadership who support important causes is another important step in fighting for social justice.
  • Joining local groups
    Connecting with local activist groups can help you stay up to date on events, fundraisers, news and information on social issues.

Whether we are fighting against global poverty, racism, sexism, ageism or the many other social issues that face us, the answer to “how to fight for social justice” is understanding what social justice is, finding a voice and using it through activism.

– Courtney Hambrecht

Photo: Flickr

Credit Access in Uganda a Success Story in Africa

Credit Access in UgandaThe ability to access credit in various countries is not often a topic of discussion. This issue usually tends to fall by the wayside when discussing various problems of countries around the world, despite the issue being of great importance when it comes to both the financial literacy and economic growth of a country.

In Uganda, credit access is not a pressing issue. The country is among the top six nations in Africa in regards to accessing credit. Credit access in Uganda is very important to sustaining economic growth and helping to alleviate poverty in the country. The increase in financial services for poorer communities can have a huge impact on eliminating poverty in those areas, which will improve the economy of the whole country and help improve financial literacy among the citizens.

Uganda has 24 banks, four credit institutions, a Social Security Fund, 60 private retirement benefit schemes and seven mobile money providers throughout the country. The abundance of credit access in Uganda has helped improve the economic status of the country as a whole, especially for those in impoverished neighborhoods. Financial services are immensely important when trying to improve the economy of a country, and that is what is happening in Uganda. The accessibility of financial services to poor citizens allow them to save money and help both them and the country grow economically.

The security of financial institutions allows the impoverished citizens of the country to feel safe entrusting their money to a bank and allows them to save more money than they would without a financial institution so easily accessible to them. This allows both citizens and businesses to balance their income and manage any financial shocks they may experience in the future.

Uganda is slowly but surely improving economically. The country saw a GDP growth of 4.8 percent in 2016, which is an improvement for the country as a whole. Although not as high as some neighboring countries, it is still progress for Uganda, and hopefully, it will continue to grow.

Currently, the most popular form of credit access in Uganda is mobile banking, with more than seven million users. This is because of the increased popularity and use of technology in the country. More than half of Ugandans now have access to a financial institution. This is a vast increase from 28 percent in 2009. This shows that both financial literacy and economic stability are increasing in Uganda.

As the economy grows, so does the financial literacy of the country. The accessibility of financial institutions makes it easier for citizens to become more financially literate and manage their money better than they have previously. This will continue to benefit both the citizens and the country in the long run, as Uganda become more economically stable because of the number of easily accessible financial institutions that are now operating in the country.

– Simone Williams

Photo: Flickr

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How Vaccines Prevent Disease and Poverty

Vaccines Prevent Disease and PovertyVaccines are known to save lives and protect against diseases, but now can be credited for preventing poverty as well. A study done at Harvard University alongside Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance researched the economic effects of vaccines for 10 different diseases in 41 developing countries. The study concluded that vaccines would help to prevent 24 million people throughout the world’s poorest countries from falling into poverty by the year 2030. The study also estimated that vaccines given between 2016 and 2030 would prevent the deaths of 36 million people.

Vaccines contain the same antigens that are responsible for causing diseases. The antigens in the vaccines are killed or severely weakened and are unable to cause the disease, but are strong enough to allow the body’s immune system to produce the antibodies needed to become immune to the disease. Therefore, the protection comes without the child having to be sick or suffer from a disease. This reduces the cost of healthcare for families and allows them to save and spend more money, boosting the country’s economy.

Dr. Seth Berkley, the CEO of Gavi, talked about the effects on a child who receives vaccinations and their school attendance. He stated that a child who is healthy is more likely to attend school and become a productive member of society, and their families will not be obligated to pay the expensive healthcare costs that come with diseases. Healthcare expenses cause about 100 million people to fall into poverty each year, as medical treatment is one of the main reasons families are forced below the poverty line. With the use of vaccines, countries will be better protected from both disease and poverty.

The greatest poverty reducer will be vaccinations, by reducing the number of people who are living in poverty due to hepatitis B. Gavi anticipates this will help 14 million people avoid medical impoverishment. Poverty cases that are due to measles will be reduced by vaccines, which is anticipated to prevent 5 million cases as well as preventing 22 million deaths. Disease and poverty are linked through a cause and effect in that medical costs cause poverty in many developing countries.

The study also showed that the poorest 20 percent of the global population represented more than one-fourth of deaths that can be prevented by vaccinations. Furthermore, the study concluded that introducing vaccines in the poorest countries would have the largest impact on lowering the number of deaths and the number of people falling into poverty due to their medical expenses. Therefore, vaccines prevent both disease and poverty.

– Chloe Turner

Photo: Flickr

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New Calls to Action from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
At the turn of the nineteenth century, German mathematician David Hilbert attended the International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris, and asked his colleagues a simple question: “Who of us would not be glad to lift the veil behind which the future lies hidden?”

In a call to action, Hilbert presented a set of ten unresolved problems, which if solved, would signal major breakthroughs in the fields of mathematics and science. Over a century later, Tthe Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched Grand Challenges in Global Health, an open innovation program inspired by Hilbert’s bold question.

Grand Challenges

Originally focused on 14 scientific challenges that could lead to breakthroughs in combating disease in the developing world, the initiative was relaunched in 2014 as Grand Challenges to reflect its broadened scope. Grand Challenges co-opts Hilbert’s approach and applies it to the world of philanthropy, inspiring innovators to come up with solutions to essential development problems and funding the best ideas.

Just as Hilbert expanded his original ten problems to a later published 23 this month, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is adding to the list. Sponsored by its Explorations program, Grand Challenges has outlined three new problems designed for early-stage ideas.

After submitting a two-page application, recipients receive $100,000 over 18 months to implement their visions. Here are three new calls to action from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

1. Reducing Malnutrition

One in three people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, which can have devastating ripple effects on health, cognitive development and productivity. This new challenge seeks to address three essential problems in the fight against malnutrition — making food accessible, affordable and appealing.

People suffering from malnutrition often live in places where nutritious food is hard to find, or is so expensive that they are priced out of a healthy diet. In other cases, people simply don’t know the vital benefits of eating nutritious food.

This challenge seeks solutions that work with existing food systems in low-income countries to improve people’s diets through food product development, processing, packaging, distribution, consumer education and marketing.

2. Combating Crop Disease

Pests and crop disease threaten the livelihoods of not only farmers, but the millions of people who rely on their harvests. Grand Challenges has identified the dearth of information on diseases and pests as an essential problem in responding to protect farmers’ fields.

This call to action seeks to harness the emerging research in data science, engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science and telecommunications to improve pest and disease surveillance in low-income countries so that smallholder farmers can mitigate their risks.

3. Improving Immunization

Each year, about 21.8 million children do not receive vaccines necessary to protect against serious infectious diseases. This year, at least 1.5 million of these children will die from diseases vaccines could have prevented. In a two-pronged approach, this challenge encourages innovators to find new ways to collect and use data, and develop efficiencies that improve existing immunization systems to work better for both health workers and patients.

Much like Hilbert’s problems, two of which remain unresolved to this day, identifying and implementing solutions to the problems facing developing countries remains immensely complex. These new calls to action from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation represent an important continuation of Hilbert’s legacy.

By offering competitive, accessible grant opportunities aimed at pre-targeted problems, the Grand Challenges program is spurring innovation to lift the veil over a better future.

– Whiting Tennis

Photo: Flickr

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The Four Key Components of United Nations Refugee Agency

The Four Key Components of United Nations Refugee Agency
Currently, more than 65.6 million of the world’s population has been forcibly displaced due to conflict, persecution or inhospitable living conditions within their home countries. A majority of these refugees end up in temporary refugee camps, awaiting relocation in both private and state-backed developments. Unfortunately, resources in resettlement countries tend to be limited in capacity to help the millions of displaced.

Policy of Hope and the United Nations Refugee Agency

Fortunately, the international community is making strong efforts to provide both on-the-ground and financial resources to the countries that house the greatest number of refugees. Many organizations see this policy of hope as a universal good, and deem it paramount to find new homes and lives for those who are displaced.

Organizations like the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) work tirelessly to ensure that those displaced have a global advocate looking out for them.

The organization operates on several different levels to assist refugees around the world and saves the lives of thousands who would otherwise be left without any critical survival resources. Several of the most impactful divisions within UNHCR are its protection, shelter, health and advocacy programs.

1. Protection

The protection program seeks to ensure the safety of individuals under the label of refugee. The United Nations Refugee Agency provides funding to security partners who offer legal and physical protection to refugees and minimize the threat of physical violence in refugee camps. The protection program also generates funding for law schools and government agencies to emphasize coursework and professional development in refugee protection.

2. Shelter

The shelter unit of the United Nations Refugee Agency distributes tents and plastic sheeting that are used to make simple shelters in refugee camps throughout the world. The shelter program also funds the rehabilitation of communal displacement shelters, the construction of brand new homes, and also provides materials for those who choose to build homes themselves under self-help schemes.

3. Healthcare

The United Nations Refugee Agency also has a healthcare provision program which assesses the basic health needs of those living in a refugee camp. On a more general scale, UNHCR provides communities with HIV protection, reproductive health services, food and water security, as well as sanitation and hygiene services.

If there is a specific disease that is particularly prevalent in the camp, the United Nations Refugee Agency assesses the situation and provides what is most necessary. For instance, to flee conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, many settled in refugee camps in Uganda. Unfortunately, the Ugandan refugee camps were rampant with malaria. Accordingly, UNHCR provided over 40,000 malaria nets to the camps, protecting many.

The provision of these essentials greatly benefits the refugees living in the camps and helps to ensure that they have a greater chance of survival and relocation.

4. Advocacy

The United Nations Refugee Program advocates for policy changes as well. The UNHCR has specific policy guidelines and standards that it advocates governments adopt. Each year a team assesses how trends in refugee movement and aid shift and adjusts the standards to ensure that needs of the many are met most effectively.

Overall, the world refugee crisis is both an overwhelming and daunting issue. Despite the scale of the problem, organizations like the United Nations Refugee Agency will continue to work as long there are refugees who need its help.

– Daniel Levy

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Poverty in Singapore

Top 10 Facts About Poverty in Singapore

When thinking about poverty, Singapore is usually not the first country that comes to mind. However, the country faces many issues that continue to make poverty an increasing problem in the country.

10 Facts About Poverty in Singapore

  1. Poverty in Singapore suffers from a lack of visibility
    Singapore is one of the wealthiest and most well-developed countries in the world, and this is often the side that is seen and thought of. This makes Singapore’s poverty difficult to see for anyone not living in the country.
  2. Singapore has a large inequality gap
    Singapore has the most millionaires in the world, but also has one of the largest inequality gaps in advanced Asian countries, placing second on the list.
  3. 10 to 14 percent of Singaporeans face severe poverty
    Ten to 14 percent of Singaporeans struggle with severe financial issues. These Singaporeans have difficulty affording their basic needs, with hunger being one of the largest factors.
  4. Poverty is an increasing problem in Singapore
    Poverty in Singapore is growing worse with each year. From 2012 to 2015, impoverished families relying on government assistance increased by approximately 43 percent.
  5. Poverty is an issue for the elderly
    Elderly Singaporeans are the group most affected by poverty. In the same timeframe of 2012 to 2015, the number of impoverished people over 60 years of age relying on government assistance increased by approximately 74 percent. This is mainly attributed to government restrictions on withdrawing retirement funds.
  6. Poverty is also an issue for the young
    Singaporeans between the ages of 15 and 34 years of age are the second most affected group. This is mainly caused by low-paying entry-level jobs and a lack of minimum wage laws. In addition, many young Singaporeans struggle to find a job at all, with approximately 5 percent being unemployed.
  7. Many people are trapped in poverty
    Singaporeans born into poverty, especially those from more recent generations, are more likely to stay in poverty even as adults. Those born into more financially well-off families tend to have more success.
  8. Government assistance is not enough
    The government provides financial aid to any family making less than $1,900 a month. The government also provides aid in other forms such as making education more affordable, tax exemptions for impoverished families and more affordable housing. Yet, impoverished families continue to struggle, and assistance does not seem to be alleviating the growing issue of poverty in the country.
  9. As poverty grows, so does the popularity of the ruling party
    Although the issue of poverty in Singapore is worsening at a steady rate, the ruling party in the country is growing in popularity and continuing to win general elections. Many believe that the current party is not doing enough to address the issue.
  10. Singapore receives little foreign aid
    Foreign aid for Singapore has dropped significantly since the mid-1990s, and it receives only miniscule amounts from countries like the U.S. compared to what others are receiving. Even then, the majority of foreign aid that goes to Singapore does not focus directly on poverty issues, and instead on the country’s trade and economy. This lack of aid may be partially due to how hidden much of the poverty in Singapore seems to be.

Although a growing problem, poverty in Singapore remains in the background of the country’s financial successes and development. Because the issue often goes unnoticed by other countries, little aid is being provided, allowing poverty to grow and spread, affecting a variety of Singaporeans in many ways.

– Keegan Struble

Photo: Google

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7 Years of USAID in Djibouti

USAID in DjiboutiFrom 2011 to 2018, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been working with Djibouti, a country located in sub-Saharan Africa. It operates numerous programs lasting from one to multiple years, and an increase in funding for specific programs has shown how USAID in Djibouti can work.

2011

In 2011, Project Aide, which came out as a four-year plan in 2010 to help increase basic education, was still funded at $1.8 million. Project Aide helped train teachers and revise textbooks. The Commodity Cost of USAID Title II Food Aid received four million dollars to stop hunger, fight disease, support families and help with health, water, nutrition and hygiene. Furthermore, in 2011 USAID in Djibouti also worked with the Combined Joint Task Force/Horn of Africa to construct three new classrooms, upgrade solar panels, renovate latrines and build a security fence.

2012

In 2012, Project AIDE received its all-time highest funding of $2.9 million. The Commodity Cost of USAID Title II Food Aid program was still funded, but only at one million dollars. However, 2012 brought a new program from USAID called Roads to a Healthy Future II (Roads II).  This program received $1.3 million and the purpose was to alleviate HIV/AIDS and other STIs in Djibouti. USAID in Djibouti worked the Roads II program from 2012-2017. Djibouti also first received U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relieve (PEPFAR) funds in 2012, which would help prevent HIV/AIDS starting in early 2013.

2013

2013 brought no new highly funded programs but continued with two USAID programs: Project AIDE and Commodity Cost of USAID II Emergency Program for Humanitarian Assistance. Project AIDE received $2.4 million, and the Commodity Cost program received $1.7 million. USAID in Djibouti, as well as Roads II, helped bring SafeTStop in 2013. The goal of SafeTStop was to help educate individuals about HIV/AIDS and provide condoms and testing.

2014

USAID in Djibouti brought a new program in 2014 funded at $1.5 million. This program was Commodity Cost of USAID Title II Emergency Program for Protection, Assistance and Solutions. It was helped further by the World Food Program to supply protection, assistance and solutions to countries in further need of aid. The World Food Program also helped implement another program called ITSH Freight Cost of USAID Title II Emergency Program for Protection, Assistance and Solutions, which reappears with high funding in 2017. Roads II continued steady funding with $1.3 million.

2015

Both regular aid programs dropped in funding in 2015 to $1.2 million. The two programs are The Commodity Cost of USAID Title II Emergency Program for Protection, Assistance and Solutions and Roads II, but both remained the two highest funded programs of the year.

2016

2016 brought an end to the Roads II program but marked the beginning of two new, highly funded programs. The water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector received the most funding with $1.7 million, and the goal was to increase access to potable water, sanitation and hygiene. WASH also planned to help at least 25,000 poor or vulnerable people enhance their hygiene practices so they can live healthier lives. The other new program was the Workforce Development program (WFD), which aimed to help youth and adults obtain knowledge higher than basic literacy and numeracy to increase job opportunities. 2016 also brought along the Women’s Empowerment and Livelihoods project at Arta’s Regional Council, which is a two-year, one million dollar program to help women in Djibouti.

2017

By 2017, the WFD project was in full effect and funded at $12 million. Now, the project is planned to last roughly five years, taking it all the way to 2021. USAID in Djibouti also funded more than one million dollars each to the ITSH Freight Cost of USAID Title II Emergency Program for Protection, Assistance and Solutions and Commodity Cost of USAID Title II Emergency Program for Protection, Assistance and Solutions.

2018

As of today, there are plans to help with US Food AID for refugees and to continue help with education, such as training another 1,200 primary school teachers and revising textbooks with a gender lens. USAID in Djibouti also plans to support programs to help control diseases such as polio, tuberculous and HIV/AIDS, and also improve nutrition. This year also brings the first public-private partnership to help with HIV/AIDS and building a 1,600 square foot center for health care, counseling, testing and education.

As the past ten years progressed, USAID in Djibouti changed with the needs of the country. Every year, USAID focused on what the country needed to be as successful as possible. With the constant aid and funding, Djibouti was able to increase its overall health and workforce and decrease its diseases rates.

– Amber Duffus

Photo: U.S. Africa Command

Credit Access in Liberia Improving Thanks to Efforts of Central Bank

Credit Access in LiberiaLiberia is a predominantly rural nation. Because of this, the financial literacy of its citizens and the country’s financial institutions are often put on the backburner. This has resulted in credit access in Liberia lagging behind when compared to other countries.

In the country of Liberia, there has not been an effective credit rating system, and many businesses lack the records needed for credit approval. In response to this, the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has established a credit reference system that contains credit history and derogatory information about certain creditors. The CBL focuses on delivering financial services to the communities in the country without any services available to them. These services allow these sections of the country to become integrated into the formal economy.

These services include increasing access to medium-term financing, creating an environment for private-sector job creation and improving and empowering the Liberian-owned business segment of the economy. This will help improve credit access in Liberia and allow more citizens and businesses to have up-to-date financial records. It will also improve the legitimacy of those businesses and their credit records.

The CBL has also begun to issue treasury bills in an effort to develop a capital market. This has allowed the country to expand its foreign market, which helps improve the economy of the country as a whole. With the help of the CBL, the financial system in Liberia is steadily improving. This is happening despite the Ebola crisis and external shocks from the fall in international commodities. Liberia is slowly becoming more financially stable, which is helping both citizens and businesses.

Throughout the country, there has been significant progress in strengthening the banking sector. This has included the adoption of a national corporate governance framework and increasing the regulatory capital adequacy ratio and the minimum capital requirements. These changes to Liberia’s banking system have helped improve the effectiveness of financial institutions throughout the country.

The CBL has recently implemented regulations for all licensed insurance companies operating in Liberia. The regulation sets the capital requirement for each class of insurance business. It also requires each company to maintain a minimum amount of capital. This has been implemented in the hopes of strengthening the insurance sector. These regulations have had a positive effect on credit access in Liberia. They help improve the economy of the country and strengthen its finances.

Despite a significant portion of the population still residing in rural areas, the financial institutions throughout the country are helping businesses become more credible and allowing them to maintain their financial records through banks. As a whole, Liberia has greatly improved its banking sector, and is well on its way to being a significant part of the formal economy.

– Simone Williams

Photo: Flickr

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Could Jackfruit Be Key to Ending World Hunger?

ending world hungerIt may seem crazy, but a fruit with the consistency of pulled pork, a putrid smell and a taste similar to pineapple could be one of the keys to ending world hunger. This crop, the jackfruit, can weigh up to 100 pounds and is rich in protein, potassium and vitamins.

Unfortunately, with its notorious smell, jackfruit has fallen out of favor with consumers in the nations where it most commonly grows in the wild: India and Bangladesh. In India alone, more than 75 percent of the yearly yield goes to waste.

How Is Jackfruit Ending World Hunger?

Recent cautions from the World Bank and the United Nations illustrate how inconsistent rain and soaring temperatures have already reduced wheat and corn yields, and food wars within the next decade are a possibility.

There is an upside. The crops affected most by climate change also have substantial requirements for irrigation and pesticides. The jackfruit, on the other hand, is a perennial (meaning it regrows every year on its own). While it takes up to seven years to bear fruit, which means farmers have to wait, a single tree can yield between 150 and 200 gargantuan fruits per year. It serves plenty of uses, as it can be found in soups, jams and even ice cream. People eat them fresh, dried or roasted. The wood is even rot resistant. With the fruit’s versatility and the ease with which it is cultivated, it is no surprise experts are excited about the jackfruit’s ability to aid in ending world hunger.

Who Loves Jackfruit?

There is an organization aptly called Project Jackfruit that is looking to make jackfruit as readily available as possible over the world. The project believes jackfruit’s status as a “miracle crop” is just another reason it is essential to ending world hunger. It also states that the procurement of the crop will help fight climate change, eliminate waste, feed hungry populations and provide another revenue stream for impoverished farmers in South Asia. The organization markets the fruit globally and has set up relationships with Indian farmers to scale up their production.

The Indian government has gotten on the bandwagon by launching initiatives to increase the fruit’s use in a can and as a processed food. India is fighting to destroy jackfruit’s stigma as a “poor man’s food” via marketing strategies throughout the country. It is outsourcing these projects to local universities such as the University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India, which devoted two days to a conference that detailed plans to ramp up production and further market the jackfruit and its cousin, the breadfruit.

Looking Forward

Only a handful of commercial jackfruit farms are commercially viable at this point. Still, the future looks bright for the jackfruit. Governments are pushing the resilient crop in their own countries, as well as in food-insecure countries. At the University of Agricultural Sciences, a researcher referred to the fruit as a “miracle.” Combine all this effort with the rise of private investments such as Project Jackfruit, it will be no surprise if jackfruit is a primary part of the discussion behind ending world hunger.

– David Jaques