An estimated 3.1 million children die from hunger each year. In 2011, malnutrition caused almost half of all deaths in children under the age of five. However, there are many great organizations around the globe working to end hunger, but there is still work that needs to be done. Here are three foundational methods to cure world hunger:

Educate People

Education efforts can boost economic growth in developing nations. It can also help provide income to the impoverished and lift them out of hunger. Special attention to areas lacking access to basic education can lead to the most dramatic improvements.  In fact, just one extra year of schooling can lead to a 10 percent pay increase.

Focus on Children

In addition to educating the current working generation, teaching children how to better take care of themselves and the environment is one of the most important methods to cure world hunger. The future of a nation lies in the hands of today’s children. Thus, with a proper education, doors will open. An education provides individuals with the methods to investigate and solve problems, which fuels the growth of society as a whole and promotes sustainable communities. Data provided by the Global Education Conference shows that although governments in places like Africa are working towards improving educational systems, a lot of work still remains. Now, they are focusing on improving the cognitive skill sets that are taught in these schools.

Empower Women

Globally, 43 percent of agricultural workers are women. In third-world countries, this percentage increases to over 50 percent. However, these women experience more poverty and less education than their male counterparts. Female farmers have fewer resources, and they produce about 20 percent less product. If given the same opportunities as men, this gap would diminish, which would provide greater income to these women and more food for their communities. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations estimates that if women were given the same resources as men, the extra food they would be able to produce would decrease hunger by 12-17 percent. That’s 150 million additional people receiving food.

Ending world hunger will take more than sending shipments of food and vaccinations to African villages a few times a year. These families need permanent solutions to their problems, instead of temporary fixes. These methods to cure world hunger work because they are focused on implementing permanent change within struggling communities, the effects of which will be felt for generations to come.

– Helen Barker

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