Malnutrition is neither a disease nor is it a phenomenon. It is a man made conspiracy, leading to genocide as, unlike other social malaise, malnutrition does not kill the victim instantly but drives him closer to a life of destitution and ultimately death, with every passing moment. It is a chronic and permanent shortcoming that not only destroys an individual’s future but cripples the entire demography of the nation. Conventionally, malnutrition and other similar problems are attributed to climatic changes, natural disasters and other uncontrollable factors, but then a detailed analysis makes it evident that such a problem creeps up only on account of policy failures and political reluctance. I would like to go a step ahead and blame it on the conflict between the scientific and political community, and more on the growing greed for ownership of resources amongst the underdeveloped nations, wherein the incidence of malnutrition is also the highest. To put it in simple words, it is relatively easier to own resources in a country that is socially challenged rather than in a nation that is otherwise. This is what is happening in the whole of African continent.
The dark clouds of hunger in Africa are ever more ominous as the rulers themselves have turned their backs towards their own countrymen! Dr. Robert Mwadime of Uganda Action for Nutrition inferred the problem by commenting that “children don’t vote”, there is no urgent need felt in the rulers to feed their hungry mouths! This very outlook has escalated the food crisis situation in Africa – with a staggering 50.9 per cent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa living with below $1.25 a day! Drought in Africa this year again has caused havoc with 14 million pushed to the edge of starvation and malnutrition! Most of sub-Saharan Africa is facing an emergency with an immediate need of 270,000 metric tonnes of food – no more than 120,000 metric tonnes is available! Sudan, Uganda and Somalia are the worst affected apart from Ethiopia. The World Food Program (WFP) has penetrated deep into South Kordofan with food from Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) reaching out to 4,000 displaced people in Kadugli and 3,000 in Heiban in Sudan. For the records, there are an estimated 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sudan, and this number is continuously increasing! Uganda, to a large extent, depends on international aid for adequate food supply – because of the lack of livelihood diversification, reduced wages, and over dependence on agriculture! Thus, a drought in the region (as is the situation at present) leads to large scale food insecurity and malnutrition. The clutches of famine penetrating deep into Somalia have created such trepidation that tens of thousands of Somalis are fleeing to neighboring Ethiopia. But then, conditions in Ethiopia are something that is beyond what words can describe.
In Wag Hamra district of Ethiopia, more than 10,000 children under the age of 5 died between 2001 and 2006 because of malnutrition and hunger, while tens of thousands were found massively suffering malnutrition-related diseases. On an average, 50 per cent of all children in Ethiopia are malnourished. Most of these children do not have the fortune of finding the easy escape of death, but get stuck in the grasp of chronic malnutrition and related diseases. Their physical and mental growth gets decelerated and most of them end up spending years in dilapidated hospitals and ill equipped clinics. The saga doesn’t end here. Even if a child struggles and reaches school, his/her performance is very dull and slow. Most of the children, due to lack of nutrition, find it tough to concentrate and learn, and thus fail to get promoted to a higher grade. This results in early dropouts and incomplete education. As of 2010, around 25 per cent of elementary school students quit schooling (between grade 1 and 8) and 7.3 per cent of all students failed to get promoted to the next grade compared to 5.3 per cent in 2005. This clearly indicates the dwindling education level of the nation. Moreover, given the fact that these poor areas have no industries and Ethiopia at large is a backward nation, these children – even if they manage to grow up safely – find it tough to make a living. Also, since the nation has more labour-intensive jobs, which require physical fitness and strength – most of these children are left jobless even at their productive age.
With Ethiopia’s population growing at 3 per cent every year, the per capita availability of resources is getting increasingly sparse and dispersed. However, the bigger problem here is about the population distribution and population density. Population in Ethiopia is not homogenously distributed, but is the exact converse. Around 40 per cent of all Ethiopians prefer staying in the Oromyia region, thus increasing the demand of resources in this very place. Around 25 per cent of the population resides in the Amara region – where the food shortage is at its peak; and the rest are scattered all across the nation. These two regions, in particular, are more vulnerable to diseases and malnutrition. Overpopulation (high population density) has increased the burden on the local administration. The huge food shortage and increasing unemployment have worsened the situation here.
The dark clouds of hunger in Africa are ever more ominous as the rulers themselves have turned their backs towards their own countrymen! Dr. Robert Mwadime of Uganda Action for Nutrition inferred the problem by commenting that “children don’t vote”, there is no urgent need felt in the rulers to feed their hungry mouths! This very outlook has escalated the food crisis situation in Africa – with a staggering 50.9 per cent of the population of sub-Saharan Africa living with below $1.25 a day! Drought in Africa this year again has caused havoc with 14 million pushed to the edge of starvation and malnutrition! Most of sub-Saharan Africa is facing an emergency with an immediate need of 270,000 metric tonnes of food – no more than 120,000 metric tonnes is available! Sudan, Uganda and Somalia are the worst affected apart from Ethiopia. The World Food Program (WFP) has penetrated deep into South Kordofan with food from Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) reaching out to 4,000 displaced people in Kadugli and 3,000 in Heiban in Sudan. For the records, there are an estimated 60,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Sudan, and this number is continuously increasing! Uganda, to a large extent, depends on international aid for adequate food supply – because of the lack of livelihood diversification, reduced wages, and over dependence on agriculture! Thus, a drought in the region (as is the situation at present) leads to large scale food insecurity and malnutrition. The clutches of famine penetrating deep into Somalia have created such trepidation that tens of thousands of Somalis are fleeing to neighboring Ethiopia. But then, conditions in Ethiopia are something that is beyond what words can describe.
In Wag Hamra district of Ethiopia, more than 10,000 children under the age of 5 died between 2001 and 2006 because of malnutrition and hunger, while tens of thousands were found massively suffering malnutrition-related diseases. On an average, 50 per cent of all children in Ethiopia are malnourished. Most of these children do not have the fortune of finding the easy escape of death, but get stuck in the grasp of chronic malnutrition and related diseases. Their physical and mental growth gets decelerated and most of them end up spending years in dilapidated hospitals and ill equipped clinics. The saga doesn’t end here. Even if a child struggles and reaches school, his/her performance is very dull and slow. Most of the children, due to lack of nutrition, find it tough to concentrate and learn, and thus fail to get promoted to a higher grade. This results in early dropouts and incomplete education. As of 2010, around 25 per cent of elementary school students quit schooling (between grade 1 and 8) and 7.3 per cent of all students failed to get promoted to the next grade compared to 5.3 per cent in 2005. This clearly indicates the dwindling education level of the nation. Moreover, given the fact that these poor areas have no industries and Ethiopia at large is a backward nation, these children – even if they manage to grow up safely – find it tough to make a living. Also, since the nation has more labour-intensive jobs, which require physical fitness and strength – most of these children are left jobless even at their productive age.
With Ethiopia’s population growing at 3 per cent every year, the per capita availability of resources is getting increasingly sparse and dispersed. However, the bigger problem here is about the population distribution and population density. Population in Ethiopia is not homogenously distributed, but is the exact converse. Around 40 per cent of all Ethiopians prefer staying in the Oromyia region, thus increasing the demand of resources in this very place. Around 25 per cent of the population resides in the Amara region – where the food shortage is at its peak; and the rest are scattered all across the nation. These two regions, in particular, are more vulnerable to diseases and malnutrition. Overpopulation (high population density) has increased the burden on the local administration. The huge food shortage and increasing unemployment have worsened the situation here.
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2012.
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
An Initiative of IIPM, Malay Chaudhuri
and Arindam Chaudhuri (Renowned Management Guru and Economist).
For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
IIPM Best B School India
Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri
Rajita Chaudhuri-The New Age Woman
IIPM's Management Consulting Arm-Planman Consulting
