Hunger in China. Poverty and Hunger in China. Research Paper

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Hunger in China
Every person born in China in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s remembers The Great Leap Forward. Well, having seen the success of the First Five Year Plan, Mao Zedong thought that he could transform China into an industrialized country in five years. So, between 1958 to 1960, stringent measures were enacted and China was on track to become a competitive economy. However, instead of beating the odds and gaining a competitive advantage over their competitors, China lost close to 50 million people. A majority of the people starved to death and this memory is still fresh in the minds of some people. So, China is no stranger to hunger problems but since this period, the country has managed to do a lot to make sure that the people are no exposed to the same problem.
Poverty and Hunger in China
In the last 35 years, China has achieved tremendous economic growth and this has helped the country to make great progress in its goal to reduce poverty in the country. World Food Programme (WFP) reports that China’s economic transformations “have translated into remarkable progress in poverty reduction and social development.” The article continues to say that “by lifting millions out of hunger, the country met its Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of hungry people by 2015 and reduced the global hunger rate by two thirds” (2018). However, one problem still lingers and it is called poverty. Poverty is still a major problem in China and it is widespread in the rural or remote areas. WFP reports that “almost 150.8 million people are malnourished…9.4 percent for stunting in children,” and “19.6 percent for anemia” (2018). These numbers and percentages are reminiscent of a country still struggling to find its footing.
China has tried to reduce poverty and hunger by empowering the smallholder farmers who at the moment produce a great percentage of the food that is being consumed in the country. These farmers also “manage 95 percent of the cultivated land” in the country according to WFP and their contribution to the country is unquestionable. However, China is prone to floods and droughts which often counter the efforts of the smallholder farmers and further exacerbate the hunger problem. But what is the government doing or is prepared to do?
China’s Government and its Fight to Alleviate Hunger and Poverty
The Economist reports that “China used to have more undernourished people than anywhere in the world except India: about 300m, or 30% of the population in 1980” (2014). However, the article continues, “economic growth has pulled half of them out of poverty and hunger. But that still leaves about 150m, mainly in the countryside.” 150 million people is a big number but the Chinese government has been working diligently and in partnership with WFP, it seeks to ensure that the country is able to provide sustainable development and fulfill or achieve th...