ZERO hunger may sound metaphorical. However, as one of the seventeen targeted Sustainable Development Goals (‘SDG’) declared in 2015 by the General Assembly of the United Nations ‘Zero Hunger’ conveys the seriousness with which the global community has sought to address global food security and eliminate hunger by 2030. But where are we in 2025?
Let's explore the concept and its achievability.
Hunger is a primary economic problem. Amartya Sen, the welfare economist, views hunger primarily as a failure of entitlement rather than a lack of food. By saying that hunger is an entitlement failure, Sen has placed primary responsibility for providing food and the blame for its scarcity on the State. In India, it is said colloquially—“Mai-baap sarkar”! However, on a serious note, what Sen’s idea advocates is the rights-based approach as a preventive measure for achieving ‘Zero Hunger’.
