Myth 4: The Environment Vs. more food

Reality: We should be alarmed that an environmental crisis is undercutting our food-production resources, but a trade-off between our environment and the world's need for food is not inevitable. Efforts to feed the hungry are not causing the environmental crisis.

Multinationals are mainly responsible for deforestation and most pesticides used in the Developing World are applied to export crops, playing little role in feeding the hungry.

Alternatives exist now and many more are possible. The success of organic farmers in rich countries gives a glimpse of the possibilities. Cuba's success in overcoming a food crisis through self-reliance and sustainable, virtually pesticide-free agriculture is another good example. Indeed, environmentally sound agricultural alternatives can be more productive than environmentally destructive ones.

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Additional Resources

What We Do - Gorta

Hunger Task Force - Irish Aid

World Hunger - WFP

Special programme for food security - FAO

World Hunger Facts 2009 - Hunger Notes

World Hunger and Poverty - Global Issues

Hunger Fact File - DevelopmentEducation.ie

Food Crisis - World Bank

Millennium Development Goals - United Nations