Josette Sheeran, head of the World Food Program, oversees the largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger around the globe. This UN agency feeds more than 90 million people, including victims of war and natural disasters, families affected by HIV/AIDS, and schoolchildren in poor communities every year.
Speaking at TED Global 2011 she argues that our generation is the first in history with enough resources to eradicate hunger worldwide:
Josette Sheeran is the executive director of the United Nations World Food Program. Prior to joining the UN in 2007, Sheeran was the Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs at the US Department of State, where she frequently focused on economic diplomacy to help emerging nations move toward self-sufficiency and prosperity.
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October 10, 2011
Ed Atkins, University of Kent , Bronze Contributor (22)
However through policies such as a irresponsible speculation on commodity prices,the investment in biofuels and the excessively protectionist trade policies of some Western government has led to the chances of the third world pulling themselves out of this position being incredibly low.
The Millennium Development Goals of the United Nations will not be achieved without urgent attention paid to the issue of nutrition and prescribed methods to tackle the inadequacies and contradictions in efforts to defeat world hunger. So far, only 18 countries, including Peru, Niger and Bangladesh have committed to improving their efforts. Most nations don't seem amazing committed to this cause.
Sheeran's point of utilising technologies in the food markets to transform the way that nutritious aid is delivered is inspired, particularly the way that it is designed to supply the nutrients that these people need.
A great lecture, like so many that TED deliver.