I’VE always written about my outrage regarding hunger and poverty. Our world has an abundance of resources, yet every day, people go without basic necessities, such as food. It is so distressing even to consider. I am writing this column to share the severe instances of food insecurity.

I am sure that by now, we have all heard the word “famine” and understand its usage. However, in Guyana, it is not something we often discuss. While poverty exists in Guyana, it has not reached the levels considered a “famine.” While this sad phenomenon has not touched our borders, at least in modern times, it does not mean that it should be a discussion put on the back burner in our society.

I think it’s important for us to consider the challenges and implications famine has on the entire world, and the fact that our human brothers and sisters in other countries are currently experiencing such a crisis.

Famine is a pervasive food shortage and hunger that results in severe malnutrition and even death. It is hunger in its most extreme form.

Famine is often defined through a scale developed by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). International communities use the IPC as a universal measure of famine. Donor organisations and governments determine whether an intervention is necessary based on the scales and categories of famine as defined by IPC.

There are five phases of famine. Yes, you read that correctly—five.

According to IPC:

• Phase 1: A society has adequate supply and access to food. Food security in this phase is described as “stable”.
• Phase 2: Some social groups may experience distress over food supply, but the overall population remains in a relatively stable condition.
• Phase 3: People often rely on a specific set of food supplies for food. They do not have a diverse food supply, and at this stage, it is considered a crisis.
• Phase 4: Malnutrition rates are reported to be higher during this phase. It is at this point that humanitarian aid and relief begin to enter the community or country in order to prevent it from deteriorating further—into a descent into Phase 5.
• Phase 5: A severe shortage of food exists, accompanied by large-scale destitution, hunger, starvation, and acute malnutrition. At this point, people are simply dying due to hunger and the lack of food.

The World Food Programme described this reality as “shameful” and I agree with that description. It is indeed shameful that such a reality exists, that such a model or scale should even be generated—and to even be used until this present day and time.

We do not have to look far for a country with extreme cases of famine: our Caribbean sister nation of Haiti is described as one of the countries with the highest rates of hunger. Other countries include Mali, South Sudan, Somalia, and the Gaza Strip.

Famine is not just about food shortages; it is a complex issue. It is often caused by climate crises, such as floods or droughts, warfare, extreme economic depressions, or extreme poverty, as well as health crises like disease outbreaks and inflation of prices. The issues surrounding famine can also be exacerbated through poor policy decisions or a lack of human aid or relief.

What angers me even more is that one-third of all the food we produce is wasted while almost a billion people on Earth starve. Every time we eat a meal, we should be thankful for it because there are so many people dying—literally—to be in your position, to have a hot, healthy and satiating meal served to them.

With time, I hope that collectively and globally, there will be more solutions than challenges when it comes to feeding humanity. It is a human right and dignity to be able to eat—a human right to have access to food. It is inhumane to think or treat people otherwise.