Vegetarianism - a symbol of solidarity with hungry people

- press release from the European Vegetarian Union (EVU) for World Food Day, 16 October 2006

Today 815 million people, equalling 17 percent of the population of developing countries, are hungry. The percentage has not changed much since 1990 (20 percent) and it is feared it will still be at an unacceptably high level (11 percent) in 2015.

This precarious situation of unsafe food supplies already results in dramatic consequences under 'normal' circumstances, but what magnitude is it going to take when harvests are bad?

And they are bad now: Difficult climatic conditions in different parts of the world, especially Australia, Argentina and Brazil, ruin present harvests. Continuing heat and droughts are also threatening upcoming crops so that a considerable fall in global food stocks is to be expected. Low supplies and high prices will bring misery to many.

That fact that the demand of grain worldwide exceeds production limits is a consequence of constantly growing meat consumption. Unfortunately a recognition of this simple truth is nowhere to be found. The only official answer to the grim scenario consists in warnings but what help do alarm bells provide when no escape to safety is indicated at the same time?

Should any organisation, international or national, have a master plan for defusing the threat, this would be an excellent moment to table it in order to prevent 'business as usual': Rich people giving grain, corn and soy to their farm animals whilst the hungry cannot afford to feed their children.

The European Vegetarian Union emphasizes that the threat of failing harvests once more demonstrates the urgency for a new approach in tackling global hunger: vegetarianism. This compassionate way of life prevents squandering resources which the production of meat involves: 6000 kilos of carrots, 4000 kilos of apples or 1000 kilos of cherries can be harvested on the same amount of land which at present produces not more than just 50 kilos of beef.

In view of this blatant waste, fundamental changes are urgently called for. Meat is an extravagance which, foremost in the light of humanity and solidarity, is not affordable any longer.

Renato Pichler
President
EVU