Why hunger is persistent in the US

The world produces enough to feed its entire population. But hunger continues to haunt a significant section of humanity. In 2023, “nearly one in 11 people around the world went to bed hungry each night” according to the World Health Organization (WHO). This number potentially will go up in 2024. “In 2023, around 2.33 billion people globally faced moderate or severe food insecurity, a number that has not changed significantly since the sharp upturn in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said WHO. The bulk of this hunger-stricken population is in Africa and Asia. The rising and persistent hunger is largely attributed to conflict, climate change and chronic inequality.

Outside the usual landscape of poverty and hunger in the world, the case of the United States stands out. One doesn’t usually identify the US with persistent, and even widespread, food insecurity and hunger. The US has been the world’s largest economy (in terms of Gross Domestic Product) for the last 134 years. It is the oldest democracy, with a wide network of welfare programmes focusing on poverty and hunger eradication. Its development policies have been founded on principles of equality and justice. The rest of the world chases the ‘American Dream’, even though it come with persistent nightmares.

Hunger and food insecurity in the US indicates what goes wrong in policy and programmes targeted at their elimination.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 report says that in 2023, one in seven households in the country endured food insecurity. In absolute population numbers, it comes to 47.4 million US citizens (including 13.8 million children) facing food insecurity (more than the population of Odisha, among India’s poorest states, as per the 2011 Census). USDA defines food security as “access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life”. It means the food insecure population doesn’t have access to or the capacity for purchasing adequate food. The USDA’s report says, “5.1 per cent of U.S. households (1 in 20) experienced very low food security, a more severe form of food insecurity, where households report regularly skipping meals or reducing intake because they could not afford more food”. In the survey of USDA, 98 per cent of respondents admitted to “having worried that their food would run out before they got money to buy more”. The country’s poverty level seems to be persistent as well. In 2023, 36.8 million people (11.1 per cent) lived below the poverty line, as in 2022.

What causes this level of food insecurity when the US produces plenty to feed all? More than the usual conflict and climate change, systemic inequality is attributed the most for this persistent development challenge. Among the food insecure populations, the rate is highest among Black households at 23.3 per cent; followed by Latinx (21.9 per cent). Compared to White households, these rates are double the level: 9.9 per cent White households are food insecure. Geographically, the southern region has much more food insecurity than the rest of the country. In the US, hunger and lack of nutrition are regarded as leading causes of death and disability. In 2022, the White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health gave the call to “end hunger in America and increase healthy eating and physical activity by 2030 so fewer Americans experience diet-related disease”. It is the latest national call recognising chronic poverty.

Low paying jobs, underemployment and also non-accessibility of government benefits are primary reasons that lead to overall economic hardship. Often, households subsist on food while budgeting for rent, education and health. It is said that 40 per cent of Americans are “living just one paycheck away from poverty, making impossible decisions between feeding their families and paying for other necessities”. The food insecurity and poverty are more pronounced among Black and other socially disadvantaged groups.  This is where structural barriers and racism come into play. These excluded groups are yet to benefit from programmes designed for them. This further perpetuates the poverty trap.