food shortage solutions essay 250 words

IELTS Essay: Food Shortage and Solution

05/25/2022 11:27 AM

Agree or Disagree

In this essay type, you have to agree or disagree. Often times students make the mistake to write about both, where you shouldn't. Pick ONE side ( agree or disagree ) and stick to it in the whole essay .

You are supposed to have a strong opinion defending or being against the idea. Provide logical ideas and creative examples on why you have that strong opinion.

What is a GMF?

Genetically modified food (GMF) is food that has changes in its DNA using the method of genetic engineering . Thanks to this method, new traits can be introduced to a type of plant or animal to control its growth, shape, size, smell, taste, appearance, etc.

For example:

Naturally grown apples look different, have a weak yellow coloring, the taste may be sweet or sour, their size is definitely smaller than commercial apples, the shape is oftentimes distorted , etc.

Commercial apples (GM apples) are perfectly round, perfectly red on every side, taste only sweet, and can be grown in very large sizes.

All of this change was done thanks to generic modifications of the apple. The main reason for the change is mass production of the same product and eventually higher profits for the corporation or farmer. People would most often buy only "perfect apples" instead of the other "leftover" food.

This can be applied to every other fruit or vegetable, as all of them have been modified in one way or another.

Food Shortage: Why?

There are many reasons why we might have a food shortage in certain areas around the world, and those can include geography , economic conditions , corruption of governments , wars , worldwide distribution , and many more. Before we answer the question above, we should learn about the whole problem of food shortage, what causes it and what can be done about it.

Let's take a look at a few reasons and then discuss solutions.

Reason 1: Distribution

One of the biggest reasons for food shortage is probably distribution or moving resources from one place to another. As the world transportation system is controlled tightly by a few global transportation monopolies , they oftentimes would straight up refuse to ship food around the world, simply because they won't be able to make a profit on that transportation. This creates a bottleneck system where food remains stuck at certain places in the world and has to be consumed only there.

Reason 2: Overconsumption and Waste

This is a huge problem in developed countries . In countries like the USA , China , or some developed European nations , people overconsume food to a huge extent . There is a growing problem with obesity , which comes directly from huge portions , a vast amount of fast food, snacks , and sweet delights . Food waste is a ridiculous problem as well , where restaurants and huge fast food chains throw out tons and tons of food daily , as they are unable to sell or do anything with it.

Reason 3: Geography and Climate Change

It is a non-debatable fact that climate change is here and it is affecting agriculture all around the world. The countries hit the hardest will be the ones along the equator , but the effect will be felt all around the world. This will affect heavily crops yield and reduce the number of food resources available in the world. With the weather changing constantly , we might not be able to engineer crops quickly enough for them to grow well in those changing conditions .

Reason 4: Capitalism and Profit

This problem is somewhat related to the first one about distribution. The main issue that creates world hunger is greed , monopolies , and unchecked capitalism . As wealthy countries and individuals control the means of production for food, they keep prices high and this keeps poor nations or societies hungry. It is so bad that in many cases large producers of meat or vegetables are willing to destroy their production, only to keep prices high or keep selling entirely to wealthy nations .

Solution 1: Distribution

The problems with distribution are linked directly to capitalism and globalization . The world should have never allowed for huge monopolies to control the flow of goods in and out of countries. What can be done is perhaps treating these huge transportation companies with either incentive (rewards) for shipping food or punishing them heavily for refusal. They are supposed to be a public good , and there should be strong government action against all sorts of monopolies , no matter where they come from.

Solution 2: Overconsumption and Waste

A solution for this is again government control . It sounds like a loss of freedom or loss of independence , but there should be strict and dramatic control of diet and food in the developed nations . Restaurants and food chains should not be allowed to make huge portions that could in any normal time feed a whole family, and sell that to a single person. All of that is done because of greed and carelessness for human health . Moreover , food waste should be fought vigorously , and all types of wasteful companies should be held accountable . Those resources of food can go and should go to other people, instead of being wasted and destroyed .

Solution 3: Geography and Climate Change

This is going to be one of the toughest challenges . Fertile soil naturally occurs in only some areas around the world, while other areas have scarce or non-existent . The solution is obviously international cooperation . Countries that are unlucky to have low-yielding soil or shifting climate patterns , have to receive generous help from luckier nations. This whole process should be transparent , cheap , and effective , in order to support those nations' development and avoid mass migrations .

Solution 4: Capitalism and Profit

This is a very tough problem to solve, as power is absolutely in the hands of the rich and powerful . There should be a system , or an international institution that is neutral from governments and corruption , and has the power to block , ban , control , or persuade companies and producers in any nation, no matter if they are in a powerful or weak nation, to change their attitude and prices . This type of organization should be profit free , focusing on securing equal nutrition across all nations of the world. It is a long shot , and probably will never happen, but it is one type of solution.

These are a few ideas in general when writing about food shortages and starvation . In our case here, the topic discusses " gene-modified food " and whether it is an adequate solution . If you agree with the statement, then you need to provide the benefits of GM food. Some benefits can be:

Mass Production - gene-modified food allows mass production of one type one style "uniform" crops that can yield more than traditional crops. ( Example: Corn being mass-produced in the USA and used as anything from biofuel, sweetener, staple food, etc.)

Adaptability - changing the gene of foods improves their durability, their ability to grow in unfriendly environments, and their ability to adapt to changing climates. ( example: rice being modified in china and being planted in all sorts of environments including flooded humid areas in the south, dry and hot locations in the north, mountainous regions, and even in salty seawater)., appeal - although that's not in their interest, humans like perfection and are willing to spend more to buy perfectly looking vegetables and fruit, rather than the naturally-grown imperfect variants. ( example: think perfectly looking apples, bananas, watermelons, huge cucumbers, perfectly round and red tomatoes, etc.).

However, if you disagree , you can use the reasons and solutions above. You can say that even though gene-modified foods are on the rise , massive companies still hold monopoly rights to these foods and technology which will prevent the food to reach the people that need it the most. The technology is definitely good, but it won't change geography , capitalism , or human greed , which is the underlined problem in this case. It is not that the world doesn't have food, it is that we don't want to share it at affordable prices with everyone.

Example Essay:

"One of the most important issues facing the world today is a shortage of food and some think genetically modified foods are a possible solution"

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Vocabulary related to the topic

Sentence starters and linking words, idioms and phrases, introduction.

The idea of a food shortage seems somewhat alien to people from the developed world , especially those living in large megacities . However, predominantly in the last decade , big forces like climate change , international conflicts , economic failure , and income disparities have brought up the topic into the mainstream again. Some believe that genetically modified crops are the solution to this crisis , and although being a net benefit to society , I’d have to disagree, as this innovation does not solve the overarching issues of distribution and human greed . I will provide a few reasons in this essay supporting my decision.

Vocabulary:

the developed world - wealthy, rich countries like the USA, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, the UK, and more.

large megacities - cities with huge populations like Shanghai, New York, Los Angelis, Berlin, London, etc.

a decade - 10 years

a big force - something strong and powerful that affects the world

climate change - the change and rise of temperatures in the world

international conflict - fights, arguments, and misunderstandings between countries

economic failure - having problems with the economy, having economic crises

income disparity - income gap, large differences between the top earners and the bottom earners

mainstream - popular, in the spotlight , being discussed by many people

crops - food that grows on the ground, vegetables and grains

a crisis - a big problem with a country or the world

*IDIOM* - a net benefit - an absolute benefit, a positive development

innovation - improvement of something, making something better, more efficient, cheaper, and so on.

overarching - above all, the most important, the top

distribution - the spread, transportation, delivery, and sharing of resources

greed - the constant need for financial gain, that can never be satisfied

Linking Phrases / Sentence Beginners:

The idea of __________ seems __________ ,especially __________.

However, predominantly _________, have brought up the topic into _________.

Some believe that __________, and although __________, I'd have to disagree, as __________.

I will provide a few reasons in this essay supporting my decision.

Paragraph 1

Initially, it may seem that genetically modified crops can be an easy solution to the crisis . After all , they can grow quickly, they can be mass-produced easily, they can yield more than traditional crops and that means we can feed everyone around the world with ease . This whole picture is wrong, as simply producing a lot does not mean that that food can be shared evenly across the world. It is a well-known fact that most rich and wealthy nations like the US , Canada , France , or Germany hold monopoly power on many new technologies. Not only that, but they protect that monopoly power of their mega-corporations and that means that this technology cannot and will not be shared with the rest of the world. What good is creating these amazing technologies, if they are not shared with any nation that actually needs them? In this case , wealthy nations overproduce and hoard resources , including food, and develop huge problems with rising obesity , while other nations suffer from malnutrition . It is an unjust system that needs to be changed, in order to help feed the world and not just the rich part of it.

solution - a way to fix something, a way to solve something

*IDIOM* - with ease - very easy, effortlessly

mass-produced - something that can be made quickly and on a large scale, making thousands or hundreds of thousands of things quickly

yield - the amount of produced crops (vegetables, fruit, grain)

traditional crops - non-gene-modified crops, organic crops

*IDIOM* -to hold monopoly power - to have full control of a system and to try to keep that control for yourself

mega-corporations - a multinational corporation (company), a company that has unlimited resources and power

to overproduce - to make more than needed

to hoard resources - to collect and keep resources only for yourself, without sharing, to pile up

obesity - becoming unhealthily fat

malnutrition - to consume very less nutrients because of a lack of good quality food

unjust system - a system that is unfair or lacks fairness for everyone

Initially,it may seem that _________.

After all _________.

This whole picture is wrong as , _________.

It is a well-known fact that _________.

Not only that but _________ and that means that _________.

What good is _________, if they are not _________.

In this case _________ , while _________.

It is __________, in order to _________ and not just _________.

Paragraph 2

Secondly, the problem with genetically-modified food is that of distribution . There is a massive waste of food happening in the developed world which is clearly presented by the fast-food industry . Daily, millions of tons of actually edible , quality food are being trashed , fed to animals , burned , destroyed , or used for biofuel , instead of feeding people. This is a problem with monopolies and distribution . Often times shipping monopolies refuse to ship food from one country to another, as there is low or no profit on those shipments. Food monopolies produce a lot, however , they would prefer to destroy their own production , rather than drop the price , as profits and making money is always above feeding those in need . In a way , the food distribution and supply system are absolutely broken and unjust , and that solidifies the case that genetically-modified food won’t save the world. In fact, it might create a larger problem with waste , rather than feeding everyone in need.

distribution - the sharing, shipping, and transportation of resources

waste of food - inefficient use of food

the fast-food industry - the big companies in the fast-food industry like KFC, Mcdonald's, Burger King, etc.

edible - able to eat, good for eating

to be trashed - to be destroyed or thrown in the trash

biofuel - fuel made of plants like corn or other grains

shipping monopolies - companies that control the shipping industry

to ship - to send something by sea

to profit - to gain money out of something

to drop the price - to reduce the price, to lower the price

profits - financial gain, money

a supply - the making and bringing of goods to the goods market

Secondly, the problem with _________.

There is a massive _________.

Daily, millions of tons of _________, instead of _________.

This is a problem with __________.

Often times __________, as __________,

__________, however they would prefer to _________, rather than __________, as _________ is always above _________.

In a way __________, and that solidifies the case that __________.

In fact, it might __________, rather than __________.

In a word , the world suffers from unjust , corrupt systems of food supply, and that is one of the main reasons for a food shortage. As climate change and global conflicts build up steam , we are faced with this unparallel challenge – should we feed the needy , or simply close down and focus on our own. The world needs a better system of international cooperation and understanding , that fights monopolies rigorously , shares technology with kindness , and utilizes genetically-modified foods, in order to lift up nations all around the globe . Hopefully, we can achieve that in the foreseeable future .

*This essay was written in 30 minutes . It is quite long but gives a deep and thoughtful discussion on the problems of food supply and production.

unjust - unfair, not normally right

corrupt system -dishonest behavior by the people operating the system, seeking large amounts of money in order to function or making favors

unparallel challenge - unmatched, inconceivable, unprecedented challenge

*IDIOM* - to build up steam - to increase speed (from steam trains), to accelerate, to grow quickly

the needy - the poor, those in need

international cooperation - countries working together hand in hand , helping and supporting each other

a monopoly - a company or few companies that have full control over one industry and control the price, production, and everything else

*IDIOM* - to lift (people) up - to improve the lives of people

rigorous - hard and strong, without any rest

to utilize - to use effectively and efficiently

nations - countries

the globe - the world, Earth

foreseeable - predictable, one that can be seen, near or close to our time (future) (10-20 years)

In a word _________, and that is one of the main reasons for _________.

As _________, we are faced with __________.

Hopefully, we can achieve _________.

Essay on Problem of Food Shortage Causes and Solutions

The problem of food shortage essay with outline for matric, fa, fsc, 2nd year, intermediate, ba and bsc.

Here is an Essay on Problem of Food Shortage for Class, 10, Class 12, BA, BSC and other classes in which a good student should discuss the Causes of food shortage. The closing of the essay should be with the suggestions and solutions to overcome this problem.

Essay on Problem of Food Shortage with Outline for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation

Introduction
Food shortage problem in developing countries
What are the Causes of the problem of food shortage
Problems with our agriculture
How to overcome this problem
How to update of agriculture system
Solutions and Suggestions

Food is the essential thing which every one of us requires to keep himself alive. It is the basic need of every individual and every country. If we do not get food for a few days, we are likely to die.

Unfortunately, food shortage is a great problem in the world. There are many countries in the world where self-sufficiency in food is not present. Pakistan is one of those countries. We have to import wheat and other foodstuffs from other countries. However, we do not suffer from the shortage of food. Our government is alive on this issue They arrange sufficient quantity of food for its people. There are many countries in the world which are hit by starvation and famine.

The developing countries of Asia and Africa are facing this problem. The reasons for food shortage are many and some of them are as under:-

Firstly, The population of the world is increasing at a very rapid rate. There are more mouths to feed than the food which is available. The result is hunger and starvation. The most densely populated countries of the world have to face hunger and starvation

Secondly, The shortage of food occurs due to low productivity of certain crops. Wheat is the basic foodstuff in Pakistan, we have not attained self-sufficiency in it. The following factors are responsible for it.

(a) Old and primitive methods of cultivation.

(b) The irrigation system is old and defective. It has never been overhauled to meet the modern needs of agriculture.

(d) The farmers are uneducated and illiterate. They fight shy of using modern methods of cultivation. They keep themselves aloof from the use of tractors and tube wells.

(e) The farmers do not have enough money to purchase better quality of seeds and manure.

(f) The natural calamities too destroy the standing and ripe crops.

The goal of attaining self-sufficiency in food is certainly attainable. It is no doubt a difficult problem. But its challenge must be accepted. There are two typeset measures or means which can be adapted to increase agricultural output. i. Long-term measures. ii. Short-term measures.

The short-term measures are the following. i. We should educate our farmers and convince them to increase the yield of their fields. ii. We should give them loans on easy terms. They should be enabled to buy the better seeds and good quality of manure. iii. We must educate them to use insecticides when their crops are attacked by diseases.

Long-term measures include the following.

i. We must have land reforms. The poor farmers and agricultural labourers must be given some piece of land for cultivation. If a poor person is made the owner of a piece of land he, will get an incentive to work hard at it. ii. irrigation system i.e. the distribution of canal water must be made on fair and just basis. iii. The government should use their knowledge and experience to control floods. iv. The farmers must be provided modern implements of agriculture like tractors harvesters and threshers in easy instalments. If we adopt these measures, we can overcome the shortage of food in our country.

If you are done with Essay on Problem of food shortage then go for Unemployment in Pakistan Essay .

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World Hunger: Causes and Solutions Essay (Critical Writing)

Although World Hunger may seem to be completely solved for the majority of people in developed countries, it is not entirely true. Diverse issues concerning this global problem can be considered urgent or damaging for some nations or even continents. For example, despite the presence of several developing and industrial countries in Africa, most of the continent’s inhabitants lead an agricultural lifestyle and live under conditions of constant hunger. Therefore, an appropriate solution requires to be found in order to provide broad-based prosperity and admissible living conditions.

World hunger can be caused by diverse reasons, which lead to the establishment of different concepts about the issue. The most common reasons for famine are poverty, food shortages, war, armed conflicts, global warming, the economy, poor public policy and food nutrition, gender inequality, food waste, as well as forced migration. Hence, the global understanding of world hunger can be viewed in correlation with other ubiquitous issues, and the reason for various solutions is the distinctions between its diverse concepts and directions.

For example, poverty tends to be one of the most significant factors that contribute to global hunger. In terms of famine, inadmissible living conditions lead to the inability to purchase healthy food. Additionally, the majority of poor families often sell their household goods, devices, and clothes to provide their relatives and children with the minimum amount of food and water. Living under the line of poverty results in a decrease in health levels, higher death rates, and expanding world hunger, especially in poor domestic areas. The Democratic Republic of Congo can be presented as an example of these factors’ influence. The second enormous problem causing global hunger is the ubiquitous food shortage that is mostly applicable to African countries as well. Generally, in this case, famine emerges under the affection of global warming, inappropriate weather for cultivating activities, the overall poverty across certain regions, and the population’s low educational level. In addition, global hunger shows a tendency to fluctuation depending on the year’s seasons; for example, when in certain tribes, the food from the previous harvest is ceased.

War or armed conflicts are often the primary reason for broad-based hunger. For example, in such countries as Sudan, Syria, or Iraq, the confrontations among diverse belligerent groups led to poverty, the decay of natural and human resources, and a shortage of land suitable for cultivating activities. Under such conditions, the populations of specific countries suffer from famine and struggle to get access to nutritious food. Hence, it can be stated that several reasons and issues for world hunger can be grouped based on their distinctions and similarities, such as economic, martial, social, or environmental factors.

A number of scholars and scientists express their concerns about global hunger and often consider it the most significant social problem comparable with the climate crisis. For example, Peter Singer and Garrett Hardin depict the importance of famine and suggest diverse solutions for the cease of the problem in their publications and scientific research. Both researchers argue about helping the less lucky and wealthy ones or leaving them without support and donation. The issue is rather controversial. Hence, scientists express diverse opinions regarding the world hunger and poverty problem. Singer’s main idea is that if people can provide starving, dying, and struggling people with help or financial support, they should definitely do it (Boesch, 2021). However, Hardin argues his viewpoint and supports the idea of “no sharing,” which means no donation from the wealthy ones (Hardin, 1974). Those viewpoints cannot be defined as correct or incorrect, ethical or unethical, because both have their risks and benefits. Therefore, they require to be examined and estimated to find the right compromise for solving this existing catastrophe.

On the one hand, people living in wealthier and more economically developed countries cannot be forced to donate to save other people from dying. Additionally, it cannot be considered an ethically inappropriate decision as such citizens do not bear any responsibility for the lives of poorer nations. However, when individuals see some donation or volunteering proposals and do not perform any actions, they generally feel guilty despite their non-participation. Singer explains that if there is any chance of helping someone to survive, then this opportunity has to be taken, and the person needs to be saved. Due to the complexity of people’s lives, this cannot be taken as the only right decision. For example, many people in the United States live under the line of poverty and often cannot afford to buy even vital products. However, American citizens prefer to donate to children in Africa instead of helping those who live only several miles away. In addition, Singer’s idea is rather extreme as it requires every citizen living under appropriate or satisfying living conditions to donate their money instead of buying more goods and services for themselves.

In comparison to Singer’s opinion, Hardin takes just the opposite position on the issue. However, the no-sharing concept can be considered extreme as well. For example, celebrities having millions or even billions of dollars could take part in diverse volunteering activities to encourage others willing to help to do so. Business corporations could apply a particular part of their profit to the establishment of specialized funds for helping people in need.

Such a viewpoint cannot be considered totally correct as well due to the broad-based integration and international relations between different political leaders and countries. Hardin thinks that people should not share their incomes or wealth with the poorer representatives of the community and focus on the increase of their own well-being (Hardin, 1974). No evidence is needed to state that the refusal to donate and invest in poverty and world hunger will lead to an enormous difference in economic and socio-cultural levels among various countries and continents. This situation will not be beneficial for both sides as such causes as lowering international trade volumes, growing number of immigrants and refugees, as well as overall economic stagnation will be seen. Therefore, the concept of no sharing might be inappropriate based on its radicalism and damaging outcomes.

Blind donations cannot help other nations succeed or fight the problem. More than money, such countries need support in developing and implementing advanced technology and learning to deal with climate change and diverse natural disasters. Additionally, modifications in the political, economic, and social spheres would be beneficial; hence, developed countries and their citizen would play a greater role by teaching volunteers than by donating. Hence, the right solution for the issue can be found by overlapping both Hardin’s and Singer’s suggestions. The donations should continue; however, those actions should be voluntary; therefore, only those who want to help should do it. Such funds are relevant in combination with the increase of knowledge, development of production, and economy. Donations and sponsorships without an actual rise in productivity are irrelevant and unprofitable.

Boesch, B. (2021). Ethics and absolute poverty: Peter Singer and effective altruism. 1000-Word Philosophy. Web.

Hardin, G. (1974). Lifeboat ethics: The case against helping the poor . The Garret Hardin Society. Web.

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Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, November 30). World Hunger: Causes and Solutions. https://ivypanda.com/essays/world-hunger-causes-and-solutions/

"World Hunger: Causes and Solutions." IvyPanda , 30 Nov. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/world-hunger-causes-and-solutions/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'World Hunger: Causes and Solutions'. 30 November.

IvyPanda . 2022. "World Hunger: Causes and Solutions." November 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/world-hunger-causes-and-solutions/.

1. IvyPanda . "World Hunger: Causes and Solutions." November 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/world-hunger-causes-and-solutions/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "World Hunger: Causes and Solutions." November 30, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/world-hunger-causes-and-solutions/.

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7 simple steps we can all take to reduce food waste

1.3 billion tonnes of food is thrown away each year. Image: Unsplsah

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Stay up to date:, food security.

Millions of people worldwide suffer from malnutrition, yet 1.3 billion tonnes of food is thrown away each year.
The UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization has put out a list of simple yet effective ways we can all reduce food waste.
From buying ‘ugly’ fruit and vegetables to rearranging your fridge.

Most people at some time have bought too much food during weekly shopping and been left with rotting vegetables at the bottom of the fridge.

But what many don’t realize is the scale of the problem: each year, around 1.3 billion tonnes of food produced for human consumption – enough to feed those going hungry worldwide – is thrown away.

Food crises were identified as a significant risk in this year’s World Economic Forum Global Risks Report.

The situation has been further exacerbated by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, which closed restaurants and disrupted supply chains.

The First International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste next month (29 September) will make a clear call to action to bolster efforts to reduce food loss and waste. With millions suffering malnutrition , the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has put out a list of simple, yet sensible, steps we can all take to change our habits:

1) Buy only what you need. Make a list and stick to it.

2) Don’t be prejudiced. Purchase ‘ugly’ or irregularly shaped fruit and vegetables that are just as good but look a little different.

3) Check your fridge. Store food between 1-5°C for maximum freshness and shelf-life.

4) First in, first out. When you stack up your fridge and cupboards, move older products to the front and place newer ones in the back.

5) Understand dates. ‘Use by’ indicates a date by which the food is safe to be eaten, while ‘best before’ means the food’s quality is best prior to that date, but it is still safe to eat after that date.

6) Leave nothing behind. Keep leftovers for another meal or use them in a different dish.

7) Donate any surplus to others.

A 2018 study forecast that by 2030, food waste could have soared by a third , with more than 2 billion tonnes being binned. The UN, meanwhile, has set a target of halving food loss and waste by that date .

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How to End World Hunger: 6 Zero Hunger Solutions

We are at the crossroads of one of the greatest challenges of our time: How do we end world hunger? There are 828 million hungry people in the world, including 349 million people facing severe hunger. While this is the largest global food crisis in modern history, we have the solutions for a zero hunger world.

In 2012, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Zero Hunger challenge as the U.N. plan to end world hunger. The challenge reflects five elements from within the Sustainable Development Goals which taken together can end hunger. These Zero Hunger solutions can massively transform agriculture and food systems. In addition to these five solutions, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) knows the majority of the world’s hungriest people live in conflict-affected areas. For this reason, we include a sixth Zero Hunger solution: break the cycle of conflict and hunger.

Here is how the U.N. World Food Programme works tirelessly to execute these solutions and end world hunger.

1. Break the Cycle of Conflict and Hunger

With almost 60% of the world’s hungriest people living in conflict affected zones , conflict is the greatest challenge to Zero Hunger .

Conflict and hunger create a vicious cycle. When war erupts, instability forces people to find illicit and sometimes violent means of acquiring their necessities. In this unstable period where access to food is fought over, the risk of social unrest heightens.

The U.N. World Food Programme is on the frontlines of the world’s worst conflicts, going where others can’t to deliver lifesaving food in the hardest-to-reach areas. The agency’s work to solve hunger has contributed to improving prospects for peace – effectively breaking the conflict and hunger cycle. In conflict zones, the U.N. World Food Programme is there to provide food and cash assistance, keep kids in classrooms with school meals and rebuild infrastructure through community projects.

In 2020, the U.N. World Food Programme became the Nobel Peace Prize laureate and was recognized by the Nobel Committee “for its efforts to combat hunger, for its contribution to bettering conditions for peace in conflict affected areas and for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.” The U.N. World Food Programme’s Nobel Peace Prize is a powerful call to action, recognizing the important link between conflict and hunger and the critical role of food assistance as a building block to peace and stability.

How Much Would It Cost to End World Hunger?

2. Increase Sustainability and Build Resilience to Climate Change

Adak Nyuol Bol stands outside her farm which has been submerged by floodwaters. South Sudan is on the frontlines of the climate crisis and currently experiencing a fourth consecutive year of flooding.

Climate extremes are one of the main drivers of severe hunger . We have entered a ‘new normal’ where consecutive and extreme weather events – like droughts, flooding, hurricanes and cyclones – decimate farming and drive displacement. As a result, communities constantly operate in recovery mode: Diminished economies, destroyed infrastructure and disrupted access to food significantly reduce people’s capacity to rebuild their livelihoods and prepare for the next imminent disaster.

The U.N. World Food Programme helps communities build resilience to climate change through long-term solutions including:

Reforestation and land rehabilitation projects
Climate insurance for small-scale farmers
Providing local institutions with access to sustainable energy solutions

To tackle the challenges of climate change, food availability and food access, we must also help farmers grow a more diverse range of crops and livestock. That’s why the U.N. World Food Programme teaches farmers new techniques, equips them with tools and educates their communities about the nutritional importance of eating a wide range of foods.

3. Address Poverty & Inequality Through Social Safety Nets

Poverty and inequality are the root causes of global hunger. Imagine being a mother who must forgo her daily meals to feed her children, or a farmer who must sell food rations in exchange for farming equipment.

The U.N. World Food Programme helps governments strengthen national safety nets that safeguard their citizens from poverty, inequality and hunger. By 2030, the U.N. World Food Programme aims to substantially increase people’s access to their national social protection systems – thereby promoting equitable economic growth.

The U.N. World Food Programme is the world’s largest provider of humanitarian cash, distributing cash to over 40 million people across 70 countries . The global food crisis is mainly one of access where record-high prices mean people cannot buy what they need. Where markets are functioning, the U.N. World Food Programme can provide cash-based assistance in the form of bank notes, vouchers, debit cards, e-money or mobile money. Cash transfers empower families to decide how to spend their money while supporting local markets and economies.

Through Food for Assets projects, the U.N. World Food Programme offers food or cash assistance while participants work on community assets like roads, dams and irrigation systems. The community-centered approach of coming together to reinvigorate participants’ environment has extra benefits like promoting nutrition, gender equality and social protection. For example, in Mozambique, the Food For Assets program provides female farmers with opportunities to test out innovative farming techniques designed to build their harvests’ resilience to climate change. Participants may also receive agricultural training, which boosts their income and access to food.

4. Help Rural Farmers Connect to Markets

Francisca selling her vegetables at the local market in the community of Plan de Jocote, Chiquimula department.

One of the cruelest ironies of hunger is its disproportionate impact on small-scale farmers—the very people who grow food for a living. Small-scale farmers make up the majority of people living in poverty. Their economic losses come from lack of access to production inputs like proper storage, fertilizer and farming equipment as well as constant challenges from climate extremes.

The U.N. World Food Programme works to connect small-scale farmers to local economies while providing them with the resources to improve production, reduce their post-harvest losses, develop business skills and gain access to financial tools.

In over 40 countries the U.N. World Food Programme connects small-scale farmers to markets so that they can supply their own communities with lifesaving food. The program Purchase for Progress (P4P) partners farmers with the private sector, encouraging investments that diversify their crops and expand their business prospects.

5. Reduce Food Waste & Food Loss

The world produces more than enough food to feed everyone, and yet 828 million people still go to bed hungry each night. In high-income countries, 40% of food is wasted because people buy more food than they can consume. In low-income countries, where the vast majority of the world’s hungriest people live, most food loss occurs during the early stages of growth, harvest and storage.

The U.N. World Food Programme is working to eliminate food loss and waste by:

Providing farmers with modern storage equipment like silos and air-tight bags
Offering long-lasting foods like flour, dried beans and salt – all properly packaged in sturdy containers
Investing in innovations like hydroponics that allow communities to grow, sell and store food in the harshest conditions
Selling and storing food in impossible places due to exposure of extreme temperatures, excess dust and general pollution
Advocating for policy that distributes American-grown crops to people in need – like the U.S. Farm Bill which supplies the U.N. World Food Programme with U.S. agricultural commodities like rice, corn, wheat and soybeans for people abroad

6. Eliminate Malnutrition in Mothers & Children

Ade Hassen Ali, 35, is a mother of seven. She gives her young daughter Plumpy’Sup, a nutritional peanut paste that helps prevent malnutrition.

45% of deaths among children under age 5 are caused by malnutrition. The first two years of a baby’s life are critical when it comes to receiving the nourishment they need to grow into a healthy adult. From Fortified Blended Foods to High Energy Biscuits, the U.N. World Food Programme ensures millions of children and pregnant and nursing women have access to specialized nutritious food. Last year, the U.N. World Food Programme reached more than 17 million mothers and children with programs to prevent and treat malnutrition.

What You Can Do to End World Hunger

Zero Hunger may seem like an impossible goal, but through these six solutions we can make this dream a reality. The U.N. World Food Programme plays a vital role in that work by:

Ensuring people in conflict-affected areas will not have food weaponized against them
Anticipating, responding to and building resilience against the shocks and stresses of climate extremes
Leveraging social safety nets, cash assistance and infrastructure to financially empower communities and local markets
Connecting small-scale farmers with the tools they need to maintain sustainable agriculture for their country’s food security
Making sure that the ample food that is grown across the world does not go to waste due to improper management or redistribution
Protecting groups affected by or at risk of malnutrition (primarily mothers and children) by supplying them with specialized nutritious foods

You also play a vital role in ending world hunger. There are a lot of ways you can be part of creating a Zero Hunger world like playing the Freerice game, signing advocacy petitions or starting a fundraising campaign. Discover how you can be part of the solution for global hunger.

Unless action is taken now, millions of people have the potential to fall into deeper levels of hunger. We can respond to this global emergency by addressing hunger at its root causes. We all have an obligation to build a future that better serves our planet and all the people that live on it.

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Recognizing and tackling a global food crisis

Globally, over 200 million people are facing emergency and famine conditions.

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This year, acute food insecurity is projected to reach a new peak, surpassing the food crisis experienced in 2007-2008. A combination of factors—including greater poverty and supply chain disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, and high commodity prices—has increased food and nutrition insecurity. This is a multifaceted crisis, affecting access to and availability of food, with long-term consequences for health and productivity. The World Bank has scaled up its efforts to bolster food security, reduce risks, and strengthen food systems over the short and long term. Urgent action is needed across governments and multilateral partners to avert a severe and prolonged food crisis.

Declining food access and availability, with high risks

For most countries, domestic food prices have risen sharply in 2022, compromising access to food—particularly for low-income households, who spend the majority of their incomes on food and are especially vulnerable to food price increases. Higher food inflation followed a sharp spike in global food commodity prices, exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Average global wheat, maize, and rice prices were respectively 18 percent, 27 percent, and 10 percent higher in October 2022 relative to October 2021.

At the same time, food availability is declining. For the first time in a decade, global cereal production will fall in 2022 relative to 2021. More countries are relying on existing food stocks and reserves to fill the gap, raising the risk if the current crisis persists. And rising energy and fertilizer prices—key inputs to produce food—threaten production for the next season, especially in net fertilizer-importing countries and regions like East Africa.

These trends are already affecting health. Stunting and wasting in children, and anaemia in pregnant women, are increasing as households are less able to include sufficient nutrition in their diets. A recent World Bank survey indicated that 42 percent of households across all countries covered were unable to eat healthy or nutritious food in the previous 30 days. These health effects carry long-term consequences for the ability to learn and work, and therefore escape poverty.

Globally, food security is under threat beyond just the immediate crisis. Growing public debt burdens, currency depreciation, higher inflation, increasing interest rates, and the rising risk of a global recession may compound access to and availability of food, especially for importing countries. At the same time, the agricultural food sector is both vulnerable and a contributor to climate change, responsible for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions. And agricultural productivity growth is not staying ahead of the impacts of climate change, contributing to more food-related shocks. For example, an unprecedented multi-season drought has worsened food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, with Somalia on the verge of famine.

Managing the crisis and preparing for the future

The World Bank is responding to this escalating crisis with four areas of actions: (i) supporting production and producers, (ii) facilitating increased trade in food and production inputs, (iii) supporting vulnerable households, and (iv) investing in sustainable food security. It has made over $26 billion available for short- and long-term food security interventions in 69 countries, including active interventions in 22 of the 24 hunger hotspots identified as countries with the most pressing needs by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Programme. Since April 2022, the World Bank has disbursed $8.1 billion, approximately evenly split between crisis response and long-term resilience projects. In the short term, projects like the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis in Cameroon will provide 98,490 beneficiaries with emergency food and nutrition assistance with support from the World Food Programme. In addition to supporting vulnerable households, governments of food-exporting countries can improve global food security by limiting measures like export bans and stockpiling of food. In the longer term, governments can make an enormous difference by repurposing public spending on agricultural policies and support for a more resilient and sustainable food system that directly improves health, economies, and the planet.

These actions and newly released funding underline the scale of the crisis. Timely, coordinated, and sustained action through partnerships such as the Global Alliance on Food Security can maximize the impact of new policies and funding, and mitigate the scale of the crisis. The time to act is now.

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Causes of Food Shortage: Identified and Explained

Food security is essential to economic growth and the national interest of a particular country. The Committee on World Food Security of the United Nations defines it as a situation in which all people have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

The importance of access to quality food has also made food shortage a serious concern among national leaders and world leaders, including policymakers, researchers and research institutions, and intergovernmental and supranational organizations.

However, it is important to note that food shortage is different from food insecurity . The latter represents all problems resulting to inaccessibility of adequate and preferred food products. These problems can arise from different factors to include micro-level conditions such as household poverty and macro-level conditions such as economic downturns or sociopolitical issues.

Food shortage, on the other hand, is a situation in which current and projected food supplies are unable to meet existing and future demand for food. This is sometimes called food scarcity if food itself is seen as a finite resource or if food demand cannot be met due to scarce resources.

There are different causes of food shortage. Each can lead to widespread food security or represent a greater problem with food scarcity. Some can also lead to serious socioeconomic conditions including widespread famine, malnutrition, and even internal or cross-border conflicts. Understanding these causes is essential to promoting food security.

The Major Causes of Food Shortage: The Factors Leading to Low Food Production Output and Unsustainable Food Demand

Economics describes “shortage” as a situation in which the supply for a particular product is unable to meet the demand or that the demand for a particular product exceeds the available supply. The phenomenon stems from either failures and shortcomings in production or the unsustainability of present and future demand. Food shortage is fundamentally either a production problem or a sustainability problem. There are different reasons why food production fails or why demand for food has reached unsustainable levels.

1. Natural Calamities and Disturbances

One of the common causes of food shortage is the impact of natural calamities such as weather disturbances or seismic activities including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. These events can either disturb food production or disrupt relevant supply chains needed for the transportation or distribution of raw materials and end-use food products.

Areas that regularly experience severe weather disturbances such as tropical cyclones and monsoon rains are prone to experiencing shortages in their food supply.

Consider typhoon-frequented countries in Asia as examples. Researchers M. Gatto et al. noted that typhoons contribute to shortages and greater food insecurity in countries like the Philippines because the quantities and quality of food produced for household consumption are reduced.

The ongoing climate emergency has also sparked concerns about the future of food security because of the impacts of changing weather patterns on agriculture.

Changes in precipitation patterns and more frequent extreme weather events have affected both food production and distribution systems around the world according to researchers P. Brenton, V. Chemutai, and M. Pangestu. Data showed that climate change has reduced global agricultural productivity by about 21 percent since 1961.

The impacts of climate change renders existing food production capabilities and relevant systems unsustainable in the face of growing demand for food.

It is also worth mentioning that the impacts of pestilence in food production systems fall under the natural cause of food shortage. Pests and diseases can ravage farmlands and livestocks. Note that changing weather patterns cause ecological disturbances and induce pestilence

2. Macroeconomic Crises Situations

Several macroeconomic situations or events involving national and global economies can also result in food shortages. These can range from unfavorable macroeconomic indicators such as high inflation rates and crises including recession or depression. They affect either food production output or the efficient distribution of production inputs and end-use food products.

One example of how economic events can have far-reaching effects on the supply of food is the specific global economic crisis arising from the COVID-19 pandemic which started in late 2019 and worsened in 2020 and throughout the first and second quarters of 2021.

Economic activities across different industries and sectors around the world slowed down after businesses were forced to cease operations to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus. The pandemic-triggered economic slowdown was one of the main causes of the 2021-2022 Global Supply Chain Crisis which disrupted the global food production systems .

Another example is the impact of the 2021-2023 Global Inflation Surge which was an offshoot of major global events such as the coronavirus pandemic, the escalation of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict , and oil and gas price hikes in the global market.

Inflation influences the prices of food production inputs such as fertilizers and fuel. Producers that are unable to keep up with the cost resort to cutting their production output. It also leads to high interest rates which discourage farmers from accessing credit. This can further hinder their capabilities to produce food at maximum output.

Note that the depreciation of a particular currency due to enduring high inflation rates can leave a country struggling to import food from other countries. This can lead to shortages of certain types of food that are not produced domestically.

Factors affecting demand , including demand shifters , as well as supply shifters can also result in food shortages. Examples of demand shifters include number of consumers, consumer income, price of complements and substitutes , and expectations. Supply shifters include production costs, seller expectations, technology and innovation, and government intervention.

3. Negative Impacts of Globalization

The examples above also exhibit how economic globalization can contribute to food shortage due to the exposure of countries to global and even localized economic downturns. It also illustrates the offshoots from dependence on international food markets.

Globalization and shortages in food are linked in several ways. The first is through the globalization of activities related to food production

Countries have become more interconnected. This translates to reliance on international markets due to trade policies and trade agreements. Other countries also forego food self-sufficiency to focus on their comparative advantages.

Globalization also concentrates food production in certain regions or countries. This can increase the risk of food shortages if there are disruptions in those areas.

A major food-producing region that experiences a drought or other natural disaster could have a ripple effect on global food supplies and prices. Countries that are extremely dependent on this producer would certainly experience shortages in food.

Food shortage becomes a demand-driven and sustainability problem if an affected country becomes too dependent on food imports or has lost its food self-sufficiency.

4. Food Shortage Due to Market Failure

The economic theory of market failure can also explain instances of food shortage and general incidents food insecurity in specific areas of the world.

Market failure is a theory from neoclassical economics defined as a situation characterized by an inefficient distribution of goods and services in the free market. It is more specifically defined as the inefficient allocation of resources in the free market occurring when individuals acting in rational self-interest produce a less-than-optimal outcome.

Economist Cecilia Rocha viewed food insecurity as a market failure. Her paper argued and concluded that specific market failure concepts such as public goods and externalities can be used for analyzing and criticizing the present food system.

Food security is a public good according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Failure in the food market emerges when individuals or groups consume resources needed for food production without providing payment or some sort of economic value in return.

Processes in the production and consumption of food also produce externalities or external costs. These costs include environmental degradation resulting from agricultural activities, unsustainable farming practices that result in faster resource depletion, and pollution and waste generation arising from both production and consumption.

Information asymmetry can cause food shortage. This happens when food producers do not have enough market information needed to time and match production with demand.

5. Government Regulations and Policies

Another possible cause of food shortage is the specific misdirected regulations and policies of a particular government and the economic agreements between countries or among members of a supranational organization. These initiatives can affect either domestic food production or the capability of a particular country to access and secure food supplies.

Numerous instances in the past have proven how well-meaning government initiatives can have a negative impact on food security.

A prime example is the 2007-2008 World Food Price Crisis. Several theorists across different fields and disciplines partly blamed this incident on the economic and environmental policies developed and implemented in several countries.

One prevailing theory is the effects of trade liberalization. For example, in his book, economist and journalist Martin Khor highlighted how several developing countries switched from self-sufficient agricultural economies to net food importing countries since the 1970s and 1970s due to the liberalization of trade with developed countries in the West.

Another theorized systemic cause of the aforesaid food price crisis was the diversion of agricultural resources from food production to biofuel production after several countries rolled out programs intended to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.

Food and biofuels are dependent on the same albeit limited production inputs: land, water, and energy. Promoting biofuel production means reducing food production activities.

The food shortage in Sri Lanka during the 2021 Sri Lankan Economic Crisis also stemmed from the ill-conceived agricultural reforms under the administration of then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa. These reforms centered on shifting to organic farming. It included specific policies that banned the importation of inorganic fertilizers and other chemicals.

Sri Lanka had a productive and stable agricultural sector prior to 2021. It is even a food exporter. However, because of the abrupt shift to organic farming, food production output collapsed within the first six months since the reforms were enacted. Rice production dropped by 20 percent alongside the production of agricultural exports such as tea and spices.

6. Localized and Cross-Border Conflicts

Conflicts can also have a significant impact on food security and result in food shortages. Food production, distribution, and access can all be disrupted during times of conflict.

One way that conflicts can affect food security is through the destruction of assets relevant to food production. These include farmlands and irrigation infrastructure. Furthermore, during armed conflicts, roads, bridges, and other transportation systems may be damaged or destroyed, making it difficult to transport food production inputs and production outputs.

Another way conflicts shape food security is through the displacement of people. When people are forced to flee their homes due to conflict, they may leave behind their farms, livestock, and other sources of food.

Displacement also upsets the ability of individuals to generate income. This renders them unable to afford food. The migration and concentration of displaced people to a particular area can also create an unbalanced and unsustainable demand for food supplies.

The escalation of the Russian-Ukraine Conflict in February 2022 and the longstanding Israel-Palestine Conflict have demonstrated how conflicts can result in food shortages.

Ukraine is one of the biggest producers and exporters of some of the most important food products in the world. These include grains such as corn and wheat, sunflower oil used in cooking, beet sugar and cane sugar, and meat and dairy products.

The invasion of the Russian Armed Forces in several Ukrainian territories forced affected farmers to abandon their farmlands. Some farms have also been damaged. Logistics within and outside the country have also been disrupted and have delayed the transportation of production inputs and end-use production outputs.

7. Overpopulation and Unsustainable Growth

The unsustainable rate at which the human population grows can also be a cause of food shortage. Overpopulation strains the resources needed to produce food. These include land, water, and other food production inputs.

A growing population equates to a growing demand for food. However, because production inputs or resources are limited, and in considering the fact that food production requires recuperation time, current and future supplies would be insufficient if existing and projected demands grow at an unsustainable rate.

Overpopulation also means increased human settlements and activities. Both require the exploitation of natural resources. Lands are converted to real estate for residential, commercial, and industrial developments while the demand for water increases as the population grows.

Remember that land and water are critical resources needed for producing food. Human population strains and pollutes water resources while also degrading land resources.

The present leaning toward a linear economic system creates numerous environmental problems due to pollutions and wastes. These factors can degrade a particular environment and its capability to produce and provide food or relevant resources.

Overpopulation also disturbs economic and social systems. A country with a rapidly growing population might not be able to keep up with the demand for food if it lacks the infrastructure, technology, capabilities, and other resources or the means to acquire these resources needed for adequate production and distribution of food.

World Food Problems

The world produces enough food and agricultural products that are more than sufficient to satisfy the great demand, at least for many decades ahead of it. However, the world is still faced with a serious crisis for food. People worldwide have been affected in one way or another by a shortage of food, especially caused by climate change. The main objective of this essay is to explore the food situation in the world and critically analyze the root causes of food insecurity worldwide and the efforts made to deal with food shortages and issues arising from poor food management.

Current World Food Situation

Currently, the world food situation is being defined by some new driving forces. These include climate change, globalization, urbanization, energy prices, and income growth, as they are responsible for transforming food production, consumption, and markets. According to FAO, there is a possible “food price shock” if the current prices continue to soar. Food shortage and high prices led to riots in more than 30 countries in 2008. The current food situation does not look very promising in several countries, especially caused by floods or droughts (Environment News Service and Maffeo).

The security of food in the world depends on the available food supply, the income of the targeted population, accessibility of food, food consumption rate, as well as the amount that can be stocked for future use. Data from a recent conference show that about nine hundred million people lack enough food and some literary starving, with those malnourished approximated at two billion. There is a call for continuous innovation in the food production industry to meet the rising global demand for food. If the crop area and traditional methods remain the same, then food production will be deficient compared to the needs by 2050. There must be a strategy to increase global food production by about 25% and more to feed nine billion people by 2050 using the same land area.

There has been a decreasing trend of consumer confidence in safety based on consuming foods that have been genetically modified. Extensive legislation meant to monitor marketing tactics since biotechnology became prominent. This is because of claims that resistant or tolerant genetically modified maize causes many health problems. However, some criticize this claim, arguing that those associating health and environmental problems with GM technology base their claims on poor science. Moreover, the lack of adequate nutrition in large cities has led to the deaths of children from diseases like diarrhea. It also hinders proper brain and body development, which irreversibly limits children’s ability to grow, learn, and become productive adults (Maffeo).

Causes of World Food Problem

The available water currently decreases at an alarming rate. This warns that there will not be enough water on the agricultural land needed to produce enough food to feed the population of 9 billion people by 2050. Also, food prices have skyrocketed in the past few years, making it difficult for average earners to afford a three-course meal. These effects are witnessed in developing countries that rely heavily on imported food, such as North Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East. Biotechnology, which has been identified to be a major solution to the food crisis, is also a major cause of the looming problem. Rising demand for protein-heavy food will lead to 505 increases in food demand by 2030 due to supply constraints in developing countries.

Despite laying the blame for health problems on biotechnology, there are also many disadvantages associated with the lack of technology. This can be food loss and waste especially in undeveloped countries which cannot afford the resources to acquire proper or adequate harvesting techniques. The food practices in developing and undeveloped countries show a loss or a waste of almost one-third of food meant for human consumption. It is evident in the U.S. that allowing GM use will benefit massive food production, although public health will be at stake. For instance, GMOs have been relentlessly blamed for $190 billion in medical expenditure for obesity (Maffeo). In addition, the diversion of grains for other purposes, such as biofuel, which is non-food, is on the increase. This reduces both the amount of food and also drives increased price volatility.

Technology in Food Production

Many assumptions that increased agricultural and food production can remedy world food shortages. However, with the introduction of agricultural technology, there is greater production if land and financial resources are available. The latest issue of the American Medical Association (AMA) resolution denies scientific justification for bioengineered food’s special labeling. AMA argues that genetically engineered (GE) species of crops developed from recombinant DNA are not more dangerous than traditional plant crops. This view has been supported by the World Health Organization, European Commission, and Food and Agricultural Organization of the U.N., among many other non-governmental organizations and National Science Academies. In November 2012, Californians will go on the ballot concerning the law to mandate labeling cigarette-like food derived from genetically engineered plants. Proponents demand consumers make informed choices on the food they eat. To drum up support, they promise a technology subject to “Frankenfoods” demagoguery, provoking fear (Sexton).

In 2003, it was declared inquiry by a research academy representing 140 countries that during that time, genetically modified foods (GMOs) were not safe for consumption. California can tolerate only about 0.5% of the genetically modified composition in a GE-free food. With this high standard of purity, farmers will have to incur a greater cost for separate equipment to produce GE plant crops to avoid contamination of other operations that are non-GE. With the high cost of contamination, farmers will stop production of GE crops, discouraging scientists’ efforts in agricultural biotechnology research. If firms in GE’s most aggressive country shelve their potential innovations, which provide life-saving solutions, then there will be diminished consumer choices due to a hike in food prices (Sexton).

Introducing new technologies will only impact the increase of food and agricultural production if appropriate technology evolves within the available framework of agricultural production methods. This is achieved by analyzing the operation of traditional and social institutions and economic systems. Using modern and intensive technologies to maximize yields has one difficulty: There must be imported capital, a very scarce resource in impoverished countries. As a result, despite a registered growth in the produce from agriculture, most of it will be used to pay for the imported capital. Hence, the imported technology is insufficient, but there are costs to be met besides alleviating hunger.

Through technology, a greater volume of food produced leads to food affordability so that the masses can access it and also allow safe consumption of all kinds of food. This is an advantage, especially for remote areas where refrigeration is unimportant. Due to the sale of high-volume production, it is easier to afford processes for food preservation, such as vacuuming. Poor farmers can be helped by providing them with knowledge such as drip irrigation and soil management. This also includes working hard with researchers to provide new seed varieties to improve their yield (Maffeo).

Remedy for World Food Problems

Scientists warn of a catastrophic food shortage unless the world switches to a vegetarian diet. This will involve using technology to increase water supply in a climatically unpredictable world. Protein-rich foods from animals require a greater amount of water than vegetarian food. International Water Management Institute (IWMI) suggested that farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia invest in their agricultural sector using simple technology and small pumps instead of trying to develop expensive and large-scale irrigation projects (Sexton).

Technology has made an effort to improve the content of nutrients in stable crops, which will help eliminate malnutrition prevalent in developing countries. This technology is meant to produce extreme climate-tolerant field crops supporting life in some of the world’s poorest countries (Sexton). It is time for low-income countries to upscale their production and marketing through proper organization and diversification of their small resources. For developed countries such as the U.S., unable to produce cheap food at higher volumes to meet the food demand, companies produce versions formulated to compensate for this lack (Maffeo).

Innovations in Food Production Technology

The agricultural sector is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by the need to sustainably meet the growing global food demand. Innovations in food production technology are at the forefront of this transformation, offering solutions to increase yield, enhance nutritional value, reduce environmental impact, and improve food security. This chapter explores some of the most promising technological advancements and their potential to reshape the future of food production.

Key Technological Innovations

Precision Agriculture: Utilizes GPS technology, IoT devices, and data analytics to optimize crop yields and reduce waste. This approach allows for precise application of water, fertilizers, and pesticides, enhancing efficiency and sustainability.

Vertical Farming: Involves growing crops in stacked layers, often in controlled environments. This method significantly reduces land use and water consumption and allows for year-round production in urban settings.

CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing: Offers a revolutionary approach to crop improvement, allowing for precise genetic modifications to enhance yield, nutritional value, and resilience to pests and climate change.

Aquaponics and Hydroponics: Soil-less farming techniques that combine aquaculture with plant cultivation, using less water and space than traditional farming methods and enabling local food production in non-arable regions.

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics: AI and robotics are being used to automate harvesting, weeding, and planting tasks. These technologies improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, and can operate in challenging conditions for human workers.

Blockchain technology is being applied to enhance transparency and traceability in the food supply chain, ensuring food safety and reducing fraud and waste.

The Impact of Technological Innovations

These innovations are increasing the efficiency and sustainability of food production and making farming more resilient to challenges such as climate change, pests, and diseases. By leveraging technology, farmers can produce more food with fewer resources, reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint and contributing to global food security.

Global Food Security Index

The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) is a comprehensive tool developed to assess the state of food security in countries worldwide. It evaluates the core issues of affordability, availability, quality, and food safety across a spectrum of economies. By analyzing these dimensions, the GFSI provides insights into the vulnerabilities and strengths of global food systems, guiding policymakers, researchers, and stakeholders in the formulation of strategies to improve food security.

Understanding the GFSI

The GFSI is structured around three primary pillars:

Affordability: This pillar measures the ability of consumers to purchase food, the presence of policies that support consumers’ capability to buy food, and the level of price volatility.

Availability: This assesses the sufficiency of the national food supply, the risk of supply disruption, the existence of infrastructure to facilitate food transport, and the presence of policies to promote crop and livestock production.

Quality and Safety: This evaluates the variety and nutritional value of average diets, as well as the safety and wholesomeness of food.

Each of these pillars is critical for understanding the multifaceted nature of food security and provides a basis for targeted interventions to address specific challenges.

Trends and Insights

Analysis of the GFSI reveals several global trends. For instance, countries with strong economies and stable political systems generally score higher on the index, reflecting the importance of economic and political stability in ensuring food security. However, even high-scoring countries face challenges such as obesity, food waste, and the environmental impact of agricultural practices.

In contrast, countries with lower scores often struggle with issues related to economic access to food, agricultural productivity, and infrastructural deficiencies. These insights underscore the need for a holistic approach to food security, encompassing economic development, sustainable agriculture, and equitable food distribution.

The Global Food Security Index offers valuable insights into the complex issue of food security. By dissecting the components of affordability, availability, quality, and safety, the GFSI highlights areas where countries can focus their efforts to improve. It is a call to action for governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to collaborate in addressing the root causes of food insecurity. Achieving global food security requires a concerted, multifaceted approach that simultaneously addresses economic, social, and environmental challenges.

World food problems are as diverse as their solutions. The main causes of these problems are surging population growth, decreasing land for crops, lack of resources and technology sufficient to deal with food deficit, and poor methods of consumption. The problems partly contribute to starvation, poor physical health, and poverty. To curb the current trend of these problems, scientists are working to improve technology and increase food production as well as provide solutions to the negative impacts of poor food management.

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Food Shortage Situation Overview

Food shortage refers to a situation in which the supplies within a region cannot provide sufficient energy and nutritional demands of the population within that particular region. Some factors have been pointed to as core to the problem of food shortage. These include the problem of production – the inability to produce adequate foods to meet the demands of regional needs and logistical problems associated with the inability to import enough foods. In addition to the above, food shortage is also created in instances where excess food is exported from regions of production without regard to the demands of those regions. “Historically, the great hunger of Ireland (1845-1847) and the famine of Bengal (1944) have been attributed more to British political decisions to export locally produced grain supplies without compensating imports than to production shortfalls per se” (Buchanan-Smith, Davies & Petty, p. 71).

Whereas several reasons have been advanced as the causative factors of food shortage, the global problem of population explosion remains the main factor behind food shortage. It is a natural fact that if a population of any species is uncontrolled, then it has to become burdensome on the existing resources. As the world’s population grows every year, there is increased pressure on available production factors such as arable land, energy, water, and biological resources that are critical in the supply of food while at the same time maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Statistics provided by relevant bodies are very grim and points towards a bigger food problem and acute energy and nutritional shortages in the future.

Pimentel, Huang, Cordova, and Pimentel (p. 351) illustrate that “according to the World Bank and the United Nations, from 1 to 2 billion humans are now malnourished, indicating a combination of insufficient food, low incomes, and inadequate distribution of food”. This remains a historical figure given the fact that it is the largest number hungry population recorded in the history of mankind. “In China, about 80 million are now malnourished and hungry; based on current rates of increase; the world population is projected to double from roughly 6 billion to more than 12 billion in less than 50 years” (Pimentel et al., p. 353).

The relationship between the increase in population and food shortage is very real given the connection between availability created by supply and demand which is increased by the increase in population. Pimentel et al (p. 354) proceed to point out that “As the world population expands, the food problem will become increasingly severe, conceivably with the numbers of malnourished reaching 3 billion”. The growing imbalance between the world’s population and resources that support the lives of human beings is a major concern to governments and institutions globally. Reports available from Food and Agricultural Organization, scientific research institutions, think tanks and numerous international organizations abide in the existence of acute shortage and escalation of the problem of food security shortly. According to Pimentel et al (p. 356), “the per capita availability of world grains, which make up 80 percent of the world’s food, has been declining for the past 15 years which means that with a quarter-million people being added to the world population each day, the need for grains and all other food will reach unprecedented levels”.

A large fraction of the food supply that supports the lives of humans comes from land while a very small fraction comes from other sources. “More than 99 percent of the world’s food supply comes from the land, while less than 1 percent is from oceans and other aquatic habitats” (Pimentel et al., p. 347). The ability to provide adequate food supply to meet the rising demands, therefore, depends on the availability of ample fertile land, adequate water, energy, and biodiversity. The growth of the human population is directly proportional to the demands of these critical resources. According to Ayisi (p. 33), “Even if these resources are never depleted, on a per capita basis they will decline significantly because they must be divided among more people”.

The increasing population is not only putting pressure on the available resources but is also creating other challenges related to increasing demands for quality social demands such as healthcare. Whereas the world is experiencing a population explosion, the size of fertile land is declining at an alarming rate. The pressure put on land but man is indeed a concern. This is echoed by Barkin, Rosemary, and DeWalt (p. 12) in stating that “At present, fertile cropland is being lost at an alarming rate; for instance, nearly one-third of the world’s cropland (1.5 billion hectares) has been abandoned during the past 40 years because erosion has made it unproductive.” Rectifying the problem of soil erosion is not a simple task in that it can take up to five hundred years to form 25mm of fertile soil capable of supporting the lives of crops.

In addition to the above, the increase in population is putting a lot of pressure on water resources. Water remains critical for the survival of almost all types of crops. According to Ayisi (p. 33), “a hectare of corn will transpire more than 5 million liters of water during one growing season; this means that more than 8 million liters of water per hectare must reach the crop.” This means that the demand for water by crops exceeds that of human beings. “Specifically, about 87 percent of the world’s freshwater is consumed or used up by agriculture and, thus, is not recoverable” (Pimentel et al., p. 357). The question that we remain to ponder over is what happens next when both water and fertile land are under pressure by population explosion.

The competition for water resources transcends al all levels of society. Individuals, tribes, regions, the government have constantly come into conflict as a result of competition for water resources. This fact is buttressed by Bates (p. 334) in demonstrating that “About 40 percent of the world’s people live in regions that directly compete for shared water resources; in China where more than 300 cities already are short of water, these shortages are intensifying”. The shortages in water supply globally are reflected by the decline in the combined size of farmlands under irrigation. Water resources that are critical for irrigation and the production of food for the support of human lives are under great stress and pressure. This is because of the increase in population that has led to the birth of populous cities, states and regions.

The increase in population is so intertwined with other factors that all arrive at food shortage. On energy, an increase in the number of motor vehicles and industrial demands that are products of population increase is putting pressure on oil reserves. Because fossil energy is a finite resource, its depletion goes on faster with the increase in the population demands for food. The United States alone has been recorded as importing more than fifty percent of its crude oil. According to Bates (p. 337), “U.S. Department of Energy indicates that the country will exhaust all of its oil reserves within the next 15 to 20 years, oil imports will then have to increase, worsening the U.S. trade imbalance.” The dwindling supplies of fossil energy will translate to increases in the cost of fuel everywhere. Where will such a situation leave farmers in the developing countries who rely on energy to irrigate their farms?

This problem is perhaps best illustrated by Buchanan-Smith, Davies & Petty (p. 71) in stating that “The impact of this is already a serious problem for developing countries where the high price of imported fossil fuel makes it difficult, if not impossible, for poor farmers to power irrigation and provide for their other agricultural needs.” This means that farmers will lack the capacity to produce adequate foods capable of supporting the lives of humans in these regions. The biggest challenge that developing countries face includes their reliance on fossil fuels in powering their agricultural farms. In addition to the above, they have recorded the largest increase in population in comparison to the developed counties.

The concern for food imbalance in the world today is supported by two observations. “First, most of the 183 nations of the world are now to some extent, dependent on food imports” (Buchanan-Smith, Davies & Petty, p. 71). Most of these imports are come in the form of cereal surpluses from nations with low population densities and involved in large-scale agriculture. “Major producers of cereals in the world Argentina, Canada, United States and Australia that produces more than 80% percent of the total world’s cereal” (Bates, p. 339). According to Bates (p. 339) “If, as projected, the U.S. population doubles in the next 60 years then its cereal and other food resources would have to be used domestically to feed 520 million hungry Americans”. This would mean that the United States and other exporting countries will cease to be exporters and in turn produce adequate cereals for its population or even become importers in case of market uncertainties.

Malnutrition and hunger will then begin when exporting countries begin to keep their surpluses at home. Import-dependent countries such as Egypt, Jordan, parts of Asia, and Africa will lack the imports to enable their populations to survive. “As the World-Watch Institute has pointed out, if China’s population increases by 500 million and their soil erosion continue unabated, it will need to import 200-400 million tons of food each year by 2050” (Brown, p. 15). The problem is that there will be nowhere to find such a massive amount of food in the international market. Last, the availability of nutritious foods such as fish is near depletion given the demand that overweighs supply for several decades.

The connections and relationship between population and food shortage transcend all areas of human life and as such encompasses various aspects of demands that support human life. Almost all resources available for the support of human life aim at achieving food security for humans. It is therefore imperative that any form of pressure on any resource definitely threatens food security and eventually leads to food shortage.

Works Cited

Ayisi, Ruth. “Mozambique: Drought and Desperation.” Africa Report . 37.3 (1992): 33-35.
Barkin, David, Rosemary, Batt and Billie, DeWalt. Food Crops versus Feed Crops . Boulder and London: Lynne Rienner, 1990.
Bates, Robert. “Governments and Agricultural Markets in Africa”. Toward a Political Economy of Development: A Rational Choice Perspective . Berkeley: University of California Press. (1988): 331-358.
Brown, L.R. Who Will Feed China? New York: W.W. Norton. 1995.
Buchanan-Smith, Margaret, Susanna Davies, and Celia Petty. Food Security: Let Them Eat Information. IDS Bulletin 25, No. 2: (1994): 69-80.
Pimentel, David, Huang, Xuewen Cordova, Anna and Pimentel, Marcia. Natural resources and an optimum human population. Population and Environment 15: (1994): 347-369.

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Food Shortage and Society Today

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Global Report on Food Crises - 2022

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The Global Report on Food Crises 2022 | in brief

Globally, levels of hunger remain alarmingly high. In 2021, they surpassed all previous records as reported by the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC), with close to 193 million people acutely food insecure and in need of urgent assistance across 53 countries/territories, according to the findings of the GRFC 2022. This represents an increase of nearly 40 million people compared to the previous high reached in 2020 (reported in the GRFC 2021).

This increase must be interpreted with care, given that it can be attributed to both a worsening acute food insecurity situation and a substantial (22 percent) expansion in the population analysed between 2020 and 2021. However, even when considering the share of the analysed population in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent, the proportion of the population in these phases has increased since 2020.

When considering the results of the six editions of the GRFC, the number of people has risen by 80 percent since 2016, when around 108 million people across 48 countries were acutely food insecure and in need of urgent assistance (Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent.

When comparing the 39 countries/territories that were consistently in food crisis in all six editions of the GRFC, the number of people in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent almost doubled between 2016 and 2021 – up from 94 million to almost 180 million.

This increase across the six years of the GRFC – both in terms of absolute numbers and the percentage of the analysed population in these three highest acute food insecurity phases – reflects increased availability of acute food insecurity data, broader geographical coverage, revised population figures, and deteriorating food security contexts in a number of countries.

The outlook for global acute food insecurity in 2022 is expected to deteriorate further relative to 2021. In particular, the unfolding war in Ukraine is likely to exacerbate the already severe 2022 acute food insecurity forecasts included in this report, given that the repercussions of the war on global food, energy and fertilizer prices and supplies have not yet been factored into most country-level projection analyses.

The GRFC focuses on food crises where the local capacities to respond are insufficient, prompting a request for the urgent mobilization of the international community, as well as in countries/territories where there is ample evidence that the magnitude and severity of the food crisis exceed the local resources and capacities needed to respond effectively.

It provides estimates for populations in countries/territories where data are available, based on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) and Cadre Harmonisé (CH) or comparable sources. Populations in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent are in need of urgent food and livelihood assistance.

A closer look at 2021

In 2021, almost 40 million people were facing Emergency or worse (IPC/CH Phase 4 or above) conditions, across 36 countries. Of critical concern were over half a million of people (570 000) facing Catastrophe (IPC/CH Phase 5) – starvation and death – in four countries: Ethiopia, South Sudan, southern Madagascar and Yemen. The number of people facing these dire conditions is four times that observed in 2020 and seven times higher than in 2016. During the first half of 2021, localized areas in South Sudan continued to face Famine Likely (IPC Phase 5).

An additional 236 million people were in Stressed (IPC/CH Phase 2) across 41 countries/territories in 2021 and required livelihood support and assistance for disaster risk reduction to prevent them from slipping into worse levels of acute food security.

In 2021, almost 70 percent of the total number of people in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent were found in ten food crisis countries/territories: the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Yemen, northern Nigeria, the Syrian Arab Republic, the Sudan, South Sudan, Pakistan, and Haiti. In seven of these, conflict/insecurity was the primary driver of acute food insecurity.

Drivers of acute food insecurity in 2021

While the food crises profiled in the GRFC continue to be driven by multiple, integrated drivers that are often mutually reinforcing, conflict/insecurity remains the main driver. In 2021, around 139 million people were facing Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent across 24 countries/territories where conflict/insecurity was considered the primary driver.

This is a marked increase from 2020, when 99 million people in 23 conflict-affected countries/territories were in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent. It was the key driver in three of the four countries with populations in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) – Ethiopia, South Sudan and Yemen.

Economic shocks formed the main driver in 21 countries in 2021, where 30.2 million people were in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent. Global food prices rose to new heights in 2021 as a result of a combination of factors, notably an uneven global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and widespread supply chain disruptions.

Domestic food price inflation in many low-income countries rose significantly, particularly those with weak currencies and a high reliance on food imports, in those where border closures, conflict or insecurity disrupted trade flows and where weather extremes severely curtailed food production/availability. These macroeconomic factors had a major impact on the purchasing power of the poorest households, many of which were still experiencing job and income losses due to pandemic-related restrictions.

Weather extremes were the main drivers of acute food insecurity in eight African countries, with 23.5 million people in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent, including in southern Madagascar, where nearly 14 000 people were in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) in April–September 2021 due to the effects of drought.

The impact of weather-related disasters on acute food insecurity has intensified since 2020, when it was considered the primary driver for 15.7 million people across 15 countries. Weather shocks – in the form of drought, rainfall deficits, flooding and cyclones – have been particularly detrimental in key crises in East, Central and Southern Africa, and Eurasia.

Malnutrition in food-crisis countries

Malnutrition remained at critical levels in countries affected by food crises, driven by a complex interplay of factors, including low quality food due to acute food insecurity and poor child-feeding practices, a high prevalence of childhood illnesses, and poor access to sanitation, drinking water and health care.

While data is limited, according to analyses carried out in 2021, almost 26 million children under 5 years old were suffering from wasting and in need of urgent treatment in 23 of the 35 major food crises. Within this, over 5 million children were at an increased risk of death due to severe wasting. In the ten food-crisis countries with the highest number of people in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent, 17.5 million children were wasted.

Displacement in 2021

People uprooted from their homes are among the most vulnerable to acute food insecurity and malnutrition. In 2021, out of 51 million internally displaced people (IDP) globally, nearly 45 million were in 24 food-crisis countries/territories. The six countries/territories with the highest numbers of IDPs – the Syrian Arab Republic, Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yemen, Ethiopia and the Sudan – were among the ten largest food crises in 2021 by numbers of people in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent.

Out of around 21 million refugees and 4 million asylum seekers globally in 2021, over 60 percent (around 15.3 million people) were hosted in 52 food-crisis countries/territories, where a mix of conflict/insecurity, COVID-19, poverty, food insecurity and weather extremes compounded their humanitarian plight (UNHCR, November 2021).

A grim outlook for 2022

The situation is expected to worsen in 2022. In 41 out of the 53 countries/territories included in this report, as well as Cabo Verde, between 179 million and 181 million people are already forecast to be in Crisis or worse (IPC/CH Phase 3 or above) or equivalent in 2022. No forecast was available at the time of publication for 12 of the 53 countries/territories with an estimate reported in 2021.

For most of the world’s major food crises, acute food insecurity is expected to persist at similar levels to 2021 or increase. Major deteriorations are anticipated in northern Nigeria, Yemen, Burkina Faso and the Niger due to conflict, as well as in Kenya, South Sudan and Somalia, largely due to the impact of consecutive seasons of below-average rains. Though significant uncertainty exists, an estimated 2.5–4.99 million people in Ukraine will likely need humanitarian assistance in the near term (FEWS NET, April 2022).

During 2022, around 329 000 people will likely face Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) in three countries. It is expected that for the fifth consecutive year, Yemen will have populations in Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5), with 161 000 people projected to be in this phase in the second half of 2022 under the most likely scenario. In a less likely, worst-case scenario, there is a Risk of Famine in at least two districts. Another 87 000 people are projected to face Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) in South Sudan due to the cumulative effects of conflict/insecurity, weather extremes and macro-economic challenges. In Somalia, prolonged drought could push 81 000 people into Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5). Although not the most likely scenario, a Risk of Famine could emerge in Somalia by mid-2022, if the April–June Gu season rains fail, if conflict intensifies, if drought increases displacement and if food prices continue to rise. An additional factor influencing a Risk of Famine is if humanitarian assistance is not scaled up and does not reach the country's most vulnerable populations.

Our collective challenge

The alarmingly high incidence of acute food insecurity and malnutrition starkly exposes the fragility of global and local food systems that are under mounting strain from the increased frequency and severity of weather extremes, the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing conflict and insecurity and rising global food prices. The interconnectedness of drivers is further laid bare by the unfolding war in Ukraine, which not only compromises the food security of those directly affected by the war, but compounds existing challenges faced by millions of acutely food-insecure people worldwide.

Some countries facing food crises are particularly vulnerable to the risks to food markets created by the war in the Black Sea area, notably due to their high dependency on imports of food, fuel and agricultural inputs and/or vulnerability to global food price shocks.

While the international community has stepped up to calls for urgent famine mitigation action, global humanitarian and development funding for food crises is failing to match growing needs. While funding for humanitarian food assistance has been falling since 2017, the current shortfall is particularly stark due the COVID-19-induced economic slowdown and prioritization of the public health response to the pandemic.

The way forward

The international community must anticipate and act to mitigate the severe consequences of those already experiencing the highest levels of acute food insecurity, as well as of those in food stress. The situation calls more than ever for at-scale action to protect lives and livelihoods and support sustainable food systems and production where it is needed most.

In contexts where food availability is limited by reduced imports and food access curtailed by higher prices and reduced humanitarian food assistance, providing support to farmers to raise their productivity and improve their access to markets, and to rural communities to diversify their livelihoods and enhance their resilience to shocks is crucial.

The international community must mobilize the investments and political will needed to collectively address the causes and consequences of escalating food crises across humanitarian, development and peace perspectives. The urgency to do this will likely continue to grow in the coming months and years, driven by the direct and indirect effects of the war in Ukraine.

The GRFC is a powerful guide for decision-makers in the international community. Though this report demonstrates that overall quality of data has improved, further work is needed to improve coverage, quality and timeliness of data collection and analysis. High quality and timely food security and nutrition data and information are vital in ensuring a situation analysis that identifies not only outcomes, but hunger’s main drivers, for a targeted and integrated response.

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IELTS Writing Sample Questions: Task 2

On this page you will find some IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Questions that you can use when you practise your IELTS essay writing.

I’ve decided NOT to write a big long list of 100 sample questions. Nobody needs to write that many practice essays! Instead, I’ve selected a few questions, but I’ve included some comments about each question: my comments point out tricky words in the question, suggestions for how to answer each one, and potential problems.

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IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Questions #1: Two Sided Discussion

Good members of society (academic).

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the place to learn this.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

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Write at least 250 words.

Cambridge 8 (Test 1)

My Comments : This is a two-sided discussion question on the topic of how children should be brought up. Who should teach them to be “good members of society”? Parents or schools?

One difficulty with this question is the term “good members of society”. What does it mean? It’s a very general, vague term. You need to think about what it means to you before you generate your ideas. I think it includes the idea of law-abiding citizens, but if you only discuss that idea, your discussion will be a bit limited. I think it also includes ideas like contributing to society and studying hard, but this is a very personal and culturally-biased thing.

As with many of these two-sided statements, most people would probably argue that BOTH parents AND schools should play a role in bringing up children, and this a perfectly sensible position to take. It’s the position I would take.

Read My Model Essay For This Question

A Bad Situation (Academic)

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations.

Cambridge 14 Academic (Test 1)

My Comments: To me, this is a strange question! Do “some” people really believe that if things are bad, they should accept it? My instinct is to take a strong position, and argue that you should always try to make things better, but that’s just me. So this means that in BP1, I would argue that it is not a good idea to accept a bad situation, because you can usually change things for the better. I would also add that there are some things that can’t be changed, so these should be accepted (e.g. the weather).

Environmental Problems (Academic)

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems.

Cambridge 14 Academic (Test 2)

My Comments: this question addresses the issue of environmental problems. What are the most important ones, in your opinion?

This is one of those “two-sided” issues where you might think BOTH are important. It’s not one or the other. However, the question uses words like “main” and “more important”, so it’s a good idea to choose one side – it will be easier to write a clear essay.

My Position: while protecting the natural world is really important, the most important issue is global warming, because if we don’t deal with rising temperatures, all species will die out anyway.

Sharing Information (Academic)

Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or too valuable to be shared freely.

Cambridge 12 (Test 5)

This question is particularly nasty! The question is difficult to answer because it mentions information from science, business and academia in the question. Information from the business world (e.g. company accounts) is a lot different to information from scientific research (e.g. new medical drugs). So how should you address this question and structure your essay?

You could simply discuss “all” information in a very general way. But this means your essay will lack development.

A better way is to argue that while some types of information should be shared, other types of information (e.g. financial information and sensitive information) should be protected. In other words, both views are correct: you should share as much information as possible (View 1), but some information shouldn’t be shared because it’s too valuable or important (View 2).

(This is a classic example of how two views are not necessarily “opposites”.)

Boys’ And Girls’ Schools (General Training)

Some people think that it is better to educate boys and girls in

separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit

Watching Movies (General Training)

Some people say that now we can see films on our phones or tablets there is no need to go to the cinema. Others say that to be fully enjoyed, films need to be seen in a cinema.

Cambridge 13 General Training (Test 3)

My Comments: this is one of my favourite IELTS questions because there’s quite a lot you could say about this. However, it’s also dangerous, because if you have lots of ideas, you must organise them before you write.

This question is typical of many IELTS “two-sided” issues: both “sides” have their merits; it’s not an “either-or” issue. So a well developed answer would argue that both the cinema and home/cafe/etc are good places – it depends.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Questions #2: Agree – Disagree

Music (academic).

Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Cambridge 14 Academic (Test 3)

My Comments: I think this is a difficult question. This is not an issue I’ve ever really thought about! My initial thoughts are these: music often divides the generations, because teenagers like different music to older people, but there are exceptions. I think music can bring cultures together, though. Everybody likes Abba, for example! So I’d write a paragraph about dividing people of different ages, and a paragraph about uniting cultures.

Remember just to focus on the ideas of music dividing or uniting people. Don’t start discussing the effect on local cultures because the question is not asking you about that.

Living In A Foreign Country (Academic)

Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Cambridge 13 Academic (Test 1)

My Comments: this is a question about living in a foreign country, not one about foreign languages. There are a couple of tricky things about this question. First of all, it’s not clear from the statement if it’s about someone who can speak the foreign language or not: if you live in France, and can speak French fluently, your problems will be different to someone who can’t speak French! Also, the phrase “serious social problems” sounds quite dramatic! It suggests things like isolation and depression.

I think the simplest approach is to disagree with the statement, but acknowledge the problems faced by someone who doesn’t yet know the language. As an Englishman, I would be tempted to argue that I could just socialise with other people who speak English…but the statement says “have to” – i.e. I MUST speak the foreign language, not my own!

Teenagers’ Curfew in USA (General Training)

In some areas of the US, a ‘curfew’ is imposed, in which teenagers are not allowed to be out of doors after a particular time at night unless they are accompanied by an adult.

What is your opinion about this?

Cambridge 13 General Training (Test 1)

My Comments: This is a General Training essay, so you only need to present and support your opinion; you don’t need to explain “to what extent” you agree or disagree (as in the Academic Test)

The issue is quite obscure: curfews of teenagers in America . But you don’t need any specialised knowledge to answer this. You simply need to say whether you think it’s a good or bad idea – or somewhere in between – and why.

Personally, I think it’s a terrible idea! How would you enforce it? Police patrols? (The police have better things to do than arrest teenagers for being outside!) And I would argue that there are better ways to deal with teenagers behaving badly at night.

Tidiness (General Training)

Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy, with everything organised and in the correct place.

Cambridge 13 General Training (Test 4)

My Comments: personally, I find it a bit difficult to generate ideas for this question. I’m naturally tidy, so I don’t think about it much!

Remember to discuss BOTH the home AND the workplace, or you will lose marks for Task Response. I’d suggest writing one paragraph on the home, one paragraph about work. Workplace tidiness could include a discussion of safety issues.

Facts And Skills in Education (General Training)

Some people say that in all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, too much time is spent on learning facts and not enough on learning practical skills.

Do you agree or disagree?

Cambridge 11 General Training (Test 2)

My Comments: this is a straightforward “do you agree or disagree” question. You will probably draw on your personal experience of the education system in your own country.

I would find it difficult to completely agree or disagree with the statement as far as the British education system is concerned. Certainly I feel that facts are over-emphasised in schools, but not necessarily universities.

Click the button below to read my model IELTS essay for this question, along with more comments.

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Questions #3: Advantages – Disadvantages

Increased life expectancy (academic).

One of the consequences of improved medical care is that people are living longer and life expectancy is increasing.

Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Official Cambridge Guide To IELTS (Test 2)

My Comments: this question addresses the issue of increased life expectancy. You might think this is obviously a good thing, but think about it… increased life expectancy means more elderly people, who don’t work and need caring for.

If you simply argue that there are only advantages, this suggests that you haven’t thought through your ideas carefully enough.

I would tend to argue that the advantages are greater, but they need to be balanced against the problems with an ageing population.

Self-employment (Academic)

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation.

Why might this be the case?

What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

Cambridge 14 Academic (Test 4)

My Comments: this question is an advantages – disadvantages question ‘in hiding’: the word “advantages” does not appear, but the question is asking you to think about the advantages of being self employed. IELTS could have written “what are the advantages of being self-employed?” and you would write a very similar response. This shows you how IELTS question types do tend to overlap.

Driverless Vehicles (General Training)

In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles will be passengers.

Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?

Cambridge 16 Academic (Test 4)

Tourists In Extreme Conditions (General Training)

Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult, such as the Sahara desert or the Antarctic.

What are the benefits and disadvantages for tourists who visit such places?

My Comments: I think this is a difficult question to generate ideas for. It’s not an issue I’ve thought about, and I didn’t even know people visited the two places mentioned. I know some tourists visit the Himalayas and the Arctic Circle – are the conditions here difficult enough to write about though?

A good response should go beyond the obvious disadvantages (e.g. the extreme temperatures) and address issues like their remoteness and difficulty getting there, and the need to be well-prepared.

The benefits? I’m struggling to think of ideas! Just remember to focus on the benefits for the tourist, NOT the benefits for the local economy / local people.

Mobile Payments (General Training)

In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone (cellphone) apps is becoming increasingly common.

Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages?

Cambridge 15 General Training (Test 4)

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Questions #4: Problems – Solutions

Weight, health and fitness (academic).

In some countries the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing.

What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?

Cambridge 8 (Test 4)

My Comments: this question is a causes (of the problem) – solutions essay: what factors are causing people to gain weight, and poorer health and fitness? And how could we solve these problems?

Very Important! you must discuss the CAUSES, not the problem. Do NOT discuss problems associated with being overweight (e.g. diabetes and heart disease); do NOT discuss problems associated with poor health and fitness. Instead, discuss the causes of being overweight (e.g. too much sugar in diet) and the causes of poor health and fitness (e.g. not enough time to take exercise, high medical expenses).

Hunger (Academic)

In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry.

Why is this the case?

What can be done about this problem?

Cambridge Academic 13 (Test 4)

My Comments: the first question is NOT just asking you “why do many people go hungry?” It’s asking you “why do many people go hungry in spite of advances in agriculture ?” So, to get a high band score for Task Response, you need to discuss why people go hungry despite the use of of pesticides on crops and hormones in animals, increased crop yields, modern irrigation, etc. Also, “go hungry” has a fairly broad meaning; it’s not the same as “starve”, so a response that only discusses famine and why people starve to death might be seen as off-topic. This makes it a much trickier essay that it first appears.

So arguing that people go hungry because they live in areas affected by drought is not quite enough for a high band score in TR; you also need to address why “agricultural advances” haven’t been enough, so a better response would be to add that many governments have failed to implement modern irrigation techniques in remote areas. Or you could argue that while advances have led to a plentiful food supply, this has not always helped people living in extreme poverty.

Here’s an interesting article which looks at the 10 causes of world hunger .

Health And Exercise (General Training)

Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result.

Why do many working people not get enough exercise?

Cambridge General Training 13 (Test 2)

This problem-solution question relates to health and exercise in the modern world.

Note that the statement mentions “ or in their free time “, so you should try to address why working people don’t exercise after work or on their days off (e.g. their weekends). In other words, it’s not enough to argue that they can’t exercise because they’re working a lot of hours.

Lack of Sleep (General Training)

Nowadays many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep.

What problems can lack of sleep cause?

What can be done about lack of sleep?

Cambridge General Training 15 (Test 2)

Plastic and the Environment (General Training)

Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment.

What damage does plastic do to the environment?

What can be done by governments and individuals to solve this problem?

Cambridge General Training 16 (Test 1)

IELTS Writing Sample Task 2 Questions #5: Direct Questions

Technology and relationships (academic).

Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology.

In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make?

Has this become a positive or negative development?

Cambridge 8 (Test 2)

My Comments: Be careful with this essay! There are TWO questions here:

How has technology affected relationships?
Is this a positive or negative development?

Many test takers will see “positive or negative development” in the question and just write about the positives and negatives (or, if they think it’s only a negative development, only the negatives). This means they will not address the first question..and this means a maximum score of Band 5 for Task Response.

Another tricky part are the words “interact” and “relationships”: what do they mean in the context of this essay? “Interact” literally means “to act upon each other”, so it has a wider meaning than “communication”. “Relationships” also has a broad meaning: it’s not just about lovers or friends, it can also include many kinds of acquaintances, including business ones; it could even include your Facebook friends or your Instagram followers.

So you need to discuss how technology (computers, phones) has affected the way we relate to other people, and whether it’s good or bad.

By the way, one common mistake is to write about how technology has changed communication. If you do this, your response could be seen as “tangential” which means Band 4 for Task Response!

Traffic And Pollution Solutions (Academic)

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

What other measures do you think might be effective?

Cambridge 8 (Test 3)

Commentary : this question concerns how we solve traffic congestion and traffic pollution. (I assume it means “traffic” pollution rather than pollution in general because it mentions petrol.)

This is a 2 part question; it combines two other question types: the first question is an agree-disagree question, and the second question asks you for solutions to the problem. You’ll need to answer the first question more concisely than in a question that is ONLY an agree-disagree question. This is quite tricky! The second question uses the word “measures”: this is a synonym of “solutions”.

So what other measures might solve traffic congestion and traffic pollution? I would choose a couple of ideas from this list: improving public transport, limiting the number of cars per household, banning diesel-powered vehicles, introducing congestion charges in city centres, and encouraging more people to work from home. I’m sure you could add to this list!

Travel (General Training)

Today more people are travelling than ever before.

What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

Cambridge 8 (Test A)

My Comments: be careful with the first question! The statement includes the words “more people…than ever before.” Therefore, “why is the case?” does NOT mean “why do people travel?” but “why are more people travelling than at any point in human history?” So a response that discusses ideas such as “they want to visit famous cities” is not enough for a high band score. This idea does not address the “more people than ever before” issue. A better response would be to discuss ideas such as “air travel is much cheaper than it used to be”.

Owning a Home v Renting (Academic)

In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is very important for people.

Why might this be the case?

Do you think this is a positive or negative situation?

Cambridge 15 Academic (Test 1)

My Comments: I think this is a nice question, although I’m British so it’s a topic we often discuss (along with the weather), so I found it easy to generate ideas. You should probably address both owning a home AND renting a home for a high band score, so an essay that only discusses why people want to own a home risks a limited band score for Task Response. The second question – do you think this is a positive or negative situation – is a little tricky: if you argue that it is positive, then your reasons why it’s positive might simply repeat your answers to the first question. A thoughtful answer to this question should, I think, acknowledge that there are both positive and negative aspects.

Living Close To Your Birthplace (General Training)

Some people spend most of their lives living close to where they were born.

What might be the reasons for this?

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Cambridge 16 General Training (Test 3)

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IELTS Essay: Food Shortage and Solution
Those resources of food can go and should go to other people, instead of being wasted and destroyed. Solution 3: Geography and Climate Change. This is going to be one of the toughest challenges. Fertile soil naturally occurs in only some areas around the world, while other areas have scarce or non-existent.
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The reasons for food shortage are many and some of them are as under:-. Firstly, The population of the world is increasing at a very rapid rate. There are more mouths to feed than the food which is available. The result is hunger and starvation. The most densely populated countries of the world have to face hunger and starvation.
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Food insecurity has been defined as the lack of consistent access to enough food for an active and healthy life. In other words, there are millions of people all over the world who suffer from a shortage of food and cannot tell if they will be able to feed themselves the next day or at the end of the day. This is the basis of defining food insecurity.
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IELTS Essay: Food Shortage and Solution

Agree or Disagree

What is a GMF?

Food Shortage: Why?

Mass Production - gene-modified food allows mass production of one type one style "uniform" crops that can yield more than traditional crops. ( Example: Corn being mass-produced in the USA and used as anything from biofuel, sweetener, staple food, etc.)

Example Essay:

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Recognizing and tackling a global food crisis

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Causes of Food Shortage: Identified and Explained

The Major Causes of Food Shortage: The Factors Leading to Low Food Production Output and Unsustainable Food Demand

1. Natural Calamities and Disturbances

2. Macroeconomic Crises Situations

3. Negative Impacts of Globalization

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World Food Problems

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