Whether environmental, social, or political, major catastrophes hit vulnerable populations hardest, and the global food crisis is no different. As the world watched events unfold during the United Nations' hunger conference in Rome, life for children in places like sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti has reached crisis levels. During the summit, the World Bank had identified three priorities. One, supply immediate aid and support to the 20 countries most vulnerable to current shortages. Two, "fast-track" seeds and fertilizers to the 15 developing countries where small farmers can increase crops immediately. Finally, lift food export bans and other restrictions that encourage food hoarding in rich countries, hoarding that trickles down to further impact already hard-hit poorer regions. The World Bank itself is streamlining $1.2 billion in grants and loans for immediate relief for vulnerable countries.
In Ethiopa, for example, an estimated 126,000 children are severely malnourished, and 6 million total are at risk. Droughts hit this part of Africa frequently, and subsequent failed crops on top of the current higher cost of food spell disaster. Consider this grim scenario at Ropi Catholic Church, now serving as a food distribution center for Unicef:
Many of the Ethiopian children in need of immediate therapeutic care are receiving treatment at centres like the Ropi facility. But Ropi is already at maximum capacity, and the stream of children and families coming into therapeutic feeding centres across the country continues unabated.“A child with severe malnutrition is in immediate danger of death,” said UNICEF’s Deputy Representative in Ethiopia, Viviane Van Steirteghem. “For the moment, NGOs are working in 55 woredas [districts], and they are, together with government, providing the capacity to take care of about 40 to 50 per cent – but there is a big capacity gap to take care of the remaining children,” - Unicef
The food crisis poses such an enormous threat to much of Africa, in fact, that Unicef warned it could undo the work of the past decade and a half, work that has consistently reduced child mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa since 1990. According to Unicef chief Ann Veneman, the problem doesn't just affect present-day quality of life, either. In addition to the immediate threat to health, malnutrition can also carry long-term consequences for children:
"The report shows that rapid reduction in child mortality is possible through sound strategies, adequate resources, political commitment and broad collaboration," Veneman said.However, the report said that sub-Saharan Africa remained the "most difficult place in the world for a child to survive." "We are very concerned, especially about children who are aged two and under, getting adequate nutrition because it is this age that is the formative years for a child," Veneman said. "It's important that children get nutrition so as not to have their learning abilities lessened, or their ability to earn a living later in life," she added. - Yahoo
Like just about all chronic health issues, hunger affects children worst of all because they're still growing. When they are deprived of vitamins and nourishment during the critical early years, their bodies don't develop the way they should. Often, the damage cannot be reversed. Beyond the obvious immediate needs of hungry children, it's crucial to reduce malnourishment around the world to protect the next generation of citizens and workers in vulnerable countries:
Chronic, or long-term, malnutrition, even at mild levels, can increase susceptibility to diseases like diarrhea, malaria, and measles. Chronic malnutrition contributes to the deaths of 6.5 million children per year around the world. Chronic malnutrition of children under two often results in stunting -- reduced height and permanently diminished physical and mental capacity. Stunting negatively impacts the health and productivity of current and future generations. - Save the Children
Relief programs so far included international efforts like the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) Initiative on Soaring Food Prices and more localized efforts like Together for Haiti, Haitian singer Wyclef Jean's partnership with the U.N.'s World Food Program and the Pan American Development Foundation. 
Starvation is not a new problem, of course. While higher food prices are escalating the numbers of malnourished children around the world right now, food insecurity has always plagued vulnerable countries. As the Oxford University's Kevin Watkins writes,
[W]orld leaders have been turning a blind eye to the real hunger crisis for too long. Each year, some 3.5 million children lose their lives as a direct result of malnutrition. Around a third of children in developing countries aged under five have their minds and bodies impaired by hunger. - The Guardian
The current food crisis is an acute problem that requires immediate intervention, but it's critical that we recognize it as a worsening of the food insecurity problems that already existed, an ongoing starvation crisis that kills over 3 million children every year.
Related:
