They are mostly the rural poor living in developing countries – like villages in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean – who are mostly dependent on raising animals or cultivating crops on small pieces of land for basic nutrition needs. Those without land can be even hungrier: widows, orphans, the elderly, casual labourers, refugees. These rural poor don’t have access to steady income, so they can’t supplement their nutrition needs by buying enough food. They often move to the city in search of work, which can be scarce and poorly paid. Little income means little means to buy food at local markets. Women are often most affected, and women who are undernourished during pregnancy are more likely to give birth to undernourished children. When catastrophes like floods, earthquakes and droughts hit vulnerable countries, the poor are forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods, creating even more victims of hunger.
