Effects of food insecurity

1.Loss of lives-extreme cases of food shortage results in deaths of plants,animals and mankind.

2.Social instability-some world governments have fallen due their inability to guarantee food security for their citizens.

3.Increase in diseases-poor nutrition is a leading cause for many diseases.

Some diseases are caused by malnutrition and others by undernutrition.

4.Poor food choices-extreme cases of food shortage makes some people to eat wild fruits. Some cause death due to poisoning.

We have had cases of people consuming maize seeds.

We have also seen some communities resort to eating rats.

4.Increase in poverty-food is a basic human need. During scarcity, food prices skyrocket. An increase in food prices raises the cost of living.

When people consistently spend more on purchase of food, poverty levels begin to rise.

It’s already estimated that millions of people live on less than a dollar a day.

This situation becomes worse with higher food prices.

5.Reduced human productivity–loss of weight due to insufficient food lowers the ability to work.

Extreme hunger can lead to heart shrinkage.It may also impair the functioning of other vital body organs eg the brain and the kidney.

According to UNICEF, as many as 17million babies are born underweight each year due to inadequate nourishment prior to and during pregnancy.

This results in lower birth weight, smaller head size and brain weight and increased risk of illness and learning disabilities.