Root Causes of Hunger
Hunger doesn’t just “happen.”
It’s a symptom—a product of intertwined circumstances and underlying causes that perpetuate poverty. We can never find a lasting long-term solution for hunger without also addressing these root causes, or without following the leadership of people with firsthand lived experience of poverty and hunger.
Low wages, unemployment and poverty all lead to food insecurity. Extreme weather and pests can destroy crops and reduce food production. Conflict destroys crops and markets, forces people to leave their homes and jobs, and prevents children from getting the nutrition they need.
We work to ending hunger through focusing on its root causes including economic factors, social and environmental issues, and conflict.
Leland Fellow Peter Bowman created a strategy to connect dairy farmers in Kenya use digital tools to expand their yields and improve their livelihods.
Emerson Fellow Maria Cristina Chicuen researched the link between lack of transportation options and job access for able-bodied adults without dependents in Chicago.
Participants in Zero Hunger Academy learn about the root causes of food insecurity in the U.S., as well as the most effective anti-hunger policies and tools for effective advocacy.
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Sign Up for 2025 Martin Luther King Jr Day of Service Learning Challenge
Over the past two years, more than 800 people have volunteered their time with the Hunger Center to learn about food insecurity, the root causes of hunger, and effective solutions throughout the U.S. through the Martin Luther King Day of...
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Bailey Adams unpacks how social and behavior change approaches can be used to improve nutrition in Cambodia....
Fighting Poverty With the Tax Code: EITC, CTC, and Building Financial Stability
Emerson Fellow Blake Turpin on the connections between housing security, hunger, and the Earned Income Tax Credit....
Keeping the Yam Intact: Land Justice & Cocoa in Côte d’Ivoire
The open question of land tenure has held back agricultural production in Côte D’Ivoire. Leland Fellow Dan Myers writes about his work in Abidjan with World Cocoa Foundation....
Field Site Spotlight: Anthony Slaton
Leland Fellow Anthony Slaton’s work with Adonai Partners in Uganda supported agricultural resilience livelihoods in communities still rebuilding after conflict....
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