acts 4:32 - All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had.

My questions for debate:

What are the causes of world hunger?

What actions should be taken to improve the situation?

most countries were starvation is a big problem are poor, very poor.

the cause of world hunger is lack of money to purchase food (which there is no lack of) thus capitalism is the true cause, because the owners of the food insist on making money from it, and if they don't or can't they let the food go bad and dump it. 

As we all know, there is no silver bullet for solving these problems. However, if such a thing existed -- a bullet that would slay the monsters of hunger, poverty, ill health, lack of opportunity, and hopelessness -- it would be good governance. In fact, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan put it best when he said, "good governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development."

From now through 2003, up to 35 million people in Africa will need food aid. The Bush Administration, though USAID, is working with the World Food Program, other donors, and the private voluntary community to deliver up to 2.75 million metric tons of food to help meet this need.

Americans have a long history of charity, providing comfort to those in need both at home and abroad. Last year, Americans gave over $4 billion in private donations to help those abroad. Our official development assistance is the largest in the world, roughly $10 billion (though still smaller in per capita terms than other developed countries). We have been particularly generous in our food aid, providing over 4 million metric tons of food aid this year, more than any other country. Sadly, combined donor contributions are expected to reach only 8 million mt [metric tons], and the total global need is estimated at 12 million mt, leaving a 4 million mt shortfall -- the annual food requirement of approximately 20 million people.

The U.S. Response

Good governance, long-term growth, sustainable land and water use, trade and investment -- it is a tall list of requirements to meet our goals of reducing poverty and hunger in the world. Stepping up to this challenge, the Bush Administration has proposed the largest increase in development assistance and the most innovative steps to spur economic growth and development in the developing world in more than a generation.

The Millennium Challenge Account: In March of 2002 President Bush proposed “a new compact for global development" linking greater contributions from developed nations to greater responsibility from developing nations. That became the center of the "Monterrey Consensus". The President said we would lead by example and proposed the "Millennium Challenge Account" -- an increase of $5 billion per year in development assistance -- which would go only to those countries that "rule justly, invest in the health and education of their people, and encourage economic freedom."

The Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) draws on the best of American generosity and pragmatism, applying the lessons learned over the past 50 years. It will focus on promoting economic growth and lasting development, working only with countries that have adopted policies that enable growth. By working with the best performers, we intend to make our aid more effective and encourage other countries to adopt good policies. We will use independent indicators to measure democracy, effective governance, corruption, investments in education and health, and the environment for enterprise and entrepreneurship.

Economic Growth Key

One of the biggest challenges facing developing economies is the ability to sustain long-term economic growth, which offers the only long-run hope for reducing poverty. It's interesting to note that U.S. economic growth has been moderate, averaging only about 1.7% a year per person since 1776. And, despite a civil war and periodic recessions, it has been continual. Average annual growth of 1.7% -- over 225 years -- means a 44-fold increase in per capita income. Good governance, strong and stable economic institutions, and sound economic policies have paid off -- not in speed, but persistence.

This is something that both we -- foreign assistance donors -- and developing country governments must remember. Sustainable economic growth is a long, and sometimes arduous, process. It's particularly difficult for developing countries, because generating knowledge and creating a sophisticated workforce is dependent on a host of institutions that protect property rights, offer credit opportunities and education. There's no silver bullet; only hard work, determination, and persistence. We have proposed in the National Security Strategy published in September 2002 to begin this process with a goal to "double the size of the world's poorest economies within a decade."