Can’t read or write

While it may not seem obvious, the Worldwatch Institute project director said malnutrition and illiteracy are closely linked.

“When people, especially farmers, don’t have the education that they need to live productive lives, they can’t learn new skills. And in sub-Saharan Africa, women farmers, especially, don’t have access to education. This prevents them from not only learning new cropping techniques and learning new technologies, it also prevents them from being able to access financial and banking services. They can’t have bank accounts. They can’t buy land. They can’t buy the inputs that they need to make their crops more productive,” she said.

Nierenberg said despite the many challenges, Worldwatch is hopeful for the future. She says there are a growing number of innovative projects to address hunger and poverty, while at the same time protecting the environment. These include the World Food Program’s homegrown school feeding initiatives underway in Kenya, Brazil, India, Thailand and other countries. The programs put local food producers in direct contact with schools.