Eko Skola: But surely we have enough?

As part of his participation in the Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) competition, Julian Agius Scicluna explored the issue of food scarcity and food security. His article highlights how hunger is not caused by a lack of food globally, but by unequal distribution, conflict, climate change, and food waste. He also explains how global events such as the war in Ukraine affect food supply chains and make achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Zero Hunger, more challenging. Julian emphasises the important role of international organisations and the need for greater awareness and action to ensure a more sustainable and food-secure future for all.

Food security is a problem that shouldn’t exist. The world has more than enough food, yet 673 million people still face this issue, with around 9 million dying from hunger. Food scarcity isn’t about producing more food; it is about allocating it correctly to those in need. It is about ensuring that people can consistently provide food for themselves, both the working class and those unable to work.

As the world changes, we constantly aim to become more connected. The rise in globalization and interconnectedness is key to this change; however, we seem to want everything while being unwilling to give anything up. In the last decade, foreign trade growth has become stagnant and less resilient than it was pre-COVID. In developing countries such as Nigeria, foreign trade has increased by 68%, largely due to its rich crude oil resources. However, these countries still face intense poverty, and up to 1,000,000 people have fled Nigeria in the last year alone. But why? Shouldn’t more resources lead to a better quality of life?

At the UN Summit of 2015, 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were agreed upon by 193 UN member states. The initial target was to achieve these goals by the year 2030. These goals were based on sustainability and development that meets present needs while also protecting future generations. With that deadline approaching, seemingly achievable goals such as zero poverty and zero hunger now appear increasingly unrealistic. Although action has been taken, ongoing conflicts in regions such as Gaza, the Middle East, and Ukraine have made these goals harder than ever to reach. In these areas, there are little to no safety nets for food supply, leaving many people vulnerable to starvation.

The issue with food scarcity is that resources are unevenly distributed. Countries do not always have access to everything they need. Some may have an abundance of wheat, while others have access to fish. This interdependence increases the need for international trade. However, the ongoing war in Ukraine has disrupted this balance. Both Russia and Ukraine, which are major exporters of wheat, have faced setbacks in exporting. In addition, farmland has been severely damaged, weakening their economies. This example shows that food security relies heavily on global cooperation and stable trade agreements. As a result, many Europeans who were already struggling now face even harsher choices, such as choosing between housing and food.

Food scarcity is not only an international issue but also a local one. Many communities have weak self-sustaining systems, making them vulnerable to environmental threats such as unpredictable rainfall or drought. This heavy reliance on agriculture is one of the main reasons why such problems arise in regions like Africa. Without backup systems and emergency food supply chains, these communities remain highly vulnerable. Access to modern jobs is also essential, as a lack of opportunities can cause fragile economies to collapse under sudden changes.

In Europe and the wider Western world, large amounts of food are wasted. Each year, approximately 132 kg of food is wasted per person. This highlights the imbalance in global food systems, where some regions experience abundance while others lack basic necessities. Our scarcity is not caused by a lack of resources, but by poor management and insufficient regulation of food waste.

There is hope, however, through organizations such as the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization. These organizations work to provide food to areas where supply chains have collapsed, while also educating communities on how to improve food security. A lack of education can leave individuals vulnerable during economic or environmental changes. Around 60–70% of people affected by food insecurity live in rural areas, where there is a strong dependence on agriculture. This makes them especially vulnerable to changing weather patterns. Organizations such as Heifer International help by teaching farmers essential skills to succeed in the commercial world, ensuring they have sustainable ways to provide food for themselves. This represents a key step forward in addressing food security issues.