European Parliamentarians with Africa

Hunger Task Force: Report of the Government of Ireland (September 2008)

Survivors of the "Great Hunger", which blighted 1840s Ireland with a million deaths, have long blamed famine on political inertia.  The Irish government brings historical insights to bear in a report that reflects on the contemporary World Food Crisis.  Ireland's Hunger Task Force looks at why 860 million people, predominantly in Africa, remain undernourished, and concludes that "ultimately, it is a matter of political priorities."

The report identifies three root causes of global hunger: a failure of governance; lack of donor resources for small holder farmers in the midst of climate stress; and policy processes that do not heed the voices of the hungry.  The study also looks at the worrying trends that face women, who constitute eighty percent of agricultural labour in developing countries.  Maternal undernutrition both stunts food productivity and has a chronic impact on children's physical and mental development. 

Gravely, the report also reveals the two-way relationship between food security and HIV/AIDS prevalence.  HIV/AIDS reduces the agricultural labour force and undermines food security.  In turn, food insecurity aggravates the HIV pandemic because the malnourished are more likely both to contract the virus and to develop full-blown AIDS.

In reaction, the report urges collective action "to build greater capacity at all levels of society" and condemns "hunger as a failure of governance." Practical prescriptions include coordinated efforts to improve nutrition and a pledge that Ireland will devote 20% of its ODA to alleviating hunger. The commendable findings and recommendations of the Hunger Task Force clearly demand broad attention.

However, the study does not offer explicit solutions where "hungry people have little voice in policy-making."  The report recommends that Ireland should  keep "recipient governments informed of commitments," and "operate genuine partnerships between governments, civil society and the wider community."  Yet, the study forgets a crucial mechanism of accountability; it overlooks the central role of strong parliaments in advocating for the hungry, legislating for remedial policies and monitoring government relief spending.  Strong parliaments serve as unique vehicles for civil society interests and policy development, which can tackle systemic causes of hunger.   If donors neglect the role of parliaments, "civil society strengthening" and "partnership" become empty concepts.   

The Hunger Task Force offers vanguard action in the battle against hunger.  But to lead as a true pioneer, the Hunger Task Force must embrace the capacity of parliaments.