A Call for a Strike Vs. World Hunger

This weekend, heads of state from 60-some countries will descend on Rome in anticipation of the World Summit on Food Security, which kicks off Monday.

According to press releases issued this week by host agency United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the global gathering will force the issue of worldwide hunger. The latest FAO statistics reveal that 1.02 billion worldwide are chronically hungry or undernourished, (consuming less than the minimum calories necessary to maintain minimum bodily functions), the highest number since 1970.

To put this in context, the chronically hungry make up about 17 percent of the world’s population, which presently stands at 6.8 billion.

As summit delegates settle into their respective hotels and enjoy Rome, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf will embark on a mini hunger strike. Beginning Saturday morning, writes FAO spokesperson Christopher Matthews in an e-mail, Diouf will fast for 24 hours, and is encouraging his colleagues – and the world’s well-fed — to join him.

“We are suggesting that everyone in the world who wants to show solidarity with the one hungry billion people on this planet go on hunger strike next Saturday or Sunday,” Diouf said at a press conference earlier this month.

Diouf has also spearheaded an online “End Hunger” petition, which includes the video at the top of this page.

As reported by the Daily Telegraph of London , only one G8 leader — country host and Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi — will attend the summit. Representing the U.S. is a delegation led by USAID.

Here’s your chance to weigh in: Is Diouf’s hunger strike an effective way to bring attention to world hunger? Should we, average Joe and Jane citizen of the developing world, be joining him? Is anyone else stunned by the 1 billion chronically hungry? Food for thought indeed.