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| Hunger puts lives at greater risk |
The
Institute of Development Studies with funding from DFID and Irish Aid has
released the Hunger and Nutrition
Commitment Index (HANCI) for 2012. The index measures the political commitment
to reduce hunger and undernutrition in developing countries. It also measures what governments achieve and where they fail in addressing hunger and undernutrition
to help provide greater transparency and public accountability.
To
me, the index has come at such a good time when global consultation on the post
2015 Development Agenda is still happening. Guatemala has set the pace as the
country with the highest political commitment score (hunger and undernutrition)
of 240 while Guinea Bissau with a score of 74 sits comfortably at the bottom with the least political commitment to fight hunger and undernutrition.
The “State
of Food Insecurity in the World” report[1]
and the “Global Hunger Index”[2]
make revelations on the perversity of hunger and under-nutrition. The “State of
Food Insecurity in the World” report indicates that about 870 million people, or one in eight, were
suffering from chronic undernourishment in 2010-2012. The vast majority of
these, 852 million, live in developing countries, where the prevalence of
undernourishment is estimated at 14.9 percent. The “Global Hunger Index” also
reveals that world
hunger though has declined somewhat since 1990 remains “extremely alarming” in sub-Saharan
Africa and South Asia. According to the International Fund for Agriculture
Development (IFAD), there are close to 1 billion people suffering from hunger.
These statistics
reflect lack of a basic necessity in life, food. The lives of children are at risk.
How
did Ghana fare in the HANCI? This is precisely my concern. A country with huge contribution
from agriculture supporting GDP growth, hunger and undernutrition must not be
tolerated in anyway. Ghana with the score of 198 ranks 10th position
with Burkina Faso. Though statistics indicates that Ghana is on track to
achieving the Millennium Development Goal 1 of eradicating extreme poverty and
hunger, the worry is that investment in agriculture has reduced [and is
reducing] over the years.
Between
2003 and 2009, Ghana spent an average of 8.7% of the budget on agriculture. In
2011, however, GHC 84.2 million ($44.3 million), or 1.1% of total budget was
spent on agriculture and food sector. Ghana has backtracked on its commitment
to increase investments in agriculture it promised by signing the Maputo
Declaration in the July 2003 African Union (AU) summit. Where is the promise to
allocate 10% of national budget to agriculture?
Ranking
10th is not bad. But Ghana can do better. It is high time Ghana got
its agriculture policies right. You cannot neglect investing in the agriculture
sector and expect to develop. This is not possible. Agriculture is still
substantial to contributing to the overall growth of the economy. Structural transformation of the economy must revolve around agriculture. This we
should get right. Proper investment and growth in agriculture is needed to address the increasing threats of hunger and undernutrition. And we need of course investments that trickle down to benefit the majority smallholder farmers in the rural areas who feed the country.
The
HANCI has emerged as a useful tool to press on reviving the ‘dull’ commitment of
politicians in developing countries especially in sub-Saharan Africa. I think
it should be made clear that the fight against poverty would make no meaning if
there is still high prevalence of hunger and undernutrition. The political will
of leaders in sub-Saharan Africa is needed! This is a rude awakening. LET’S
FIGHT HUNGER AND UNDERNUTRITION.
Find
more on the Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index here.
By:
Stephen Yeboah, Geneva, Switzerland [profstephenyeboah@gmail.com]
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