Harvest Of Want: Hunger And Food Security In Central America And Mexico

by Scott Whiteford

Malnutrition continues to be a major problem in Central America, despite abundant arable land, skilled farmers and a reasonable climate. Three out of every four children in the region are malnourished, and the number of people without adequate food is growing faster than the population as a whole. This book explores the broad range of social factors that play a role in creating hunger and malnutrition on such a large scale, focusing on national social and economic structures and power relationships, many of which originated during the colonial period. The contributors set out to demonstrate how hunger and malnutrition may exist simultaneously with growth in agricultural production, especially if the goods produced are destined for the export market. The key to the problem is not technical - related to agricultural production practices - but rather a fundamental question of the allocation of resources and the political will to provide for all groups in society.

264 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1991