Hunger in Developing Nations
Mercy Ships recognizes that people need more than just access to healthcare – they need access to food and nutrition. To help address these issues in Africa, Mercy Ships has been implementing Food for Life programs since 1997. Food for Life projects have been impacting lives and training people how to produce nutritional food and crops sustainably.
Our projects help others discover significantly improved methods of food production and preparation – working with them to rebuild, restore and renew their lives, land, communities and nations through holistic, organic agricultural development.
Farming practices in much of Africa do more harm than good. Slash and burn, pesticides, herbicides and other methods lead to the production of poor harvests and deplete the soil’s nutrient levels, leaving behind infertile ground.
Statistics (source: World Hunger)
- An estimated one in four people remain undernourished in sub-Saharan Africa; 239 million people are hungry (have insufficient access to food).
- Children who are poorly nourished suffer up to 160 days of illness each year. Poor nutrition plays a role in at least five million child deaths each year.