When was your last meal? Chances are, you didn’t have to think too hard to answer that question. However for the 795 million who suffer from hunger and malnutrition, the question of their last, or next meal, has no simple answer.

Hunger and poverty go hand in hand. To solve this problem, G7 leaders have pledged to lift 500 million people out of hunger and malnutrition by 2030. This commitment could potentially transform the world, and it is our job as global citizens to make sure this promise is fulfilled. 

Lifting 500 million people out of hunger will mean a brighter future for everyone; a world with healthier kids, and an increase in economic productivity (think of how hard it is to work when you’re hungry). But most importantly, it means millions of lives saved.

Ending hunger is the foundation of ending poverty; once an individual's basic needs are met (i.e. food, shelter), then they can focus and invest in things like education and a small enterprise -- endeavors which will continually improve their livelihood long term, lifting themselves out of poverty.

To reach the G7’s goal, the individual leaders need to commit to the concrete steps needed to make this political promise a global reality.

Critics may say this will cost a lot of money but it’s important to remember that for every $1 USD invested to fight chronic malnutrition, the global economy gets $30 in return through higher productivity. 

These steps are more than just investing money. To accomplish the goal of lifting 500 million people out of hunger, the G7 will also have to change behaviors. G7 leaders will need to empower small farmers (especially female farmers) and promote sustainable agriculture. And once the food is able to be grown, it will need to be distributed to people in need. In this case, the G7 accomplishing its goal of ending hunger will require investing in better food, increasing food production, and increasing food security by creating the infrastructure (legal and physical) to stop postharvest food loss-one of the main problems facing developing countries.

The 2015 Global Citizen Festival, is an opportunity to hold these leaders to account for their promises and get them to announce the concrete steps they are taking to accomplish their goal of lifting 500 million out of hunger by 2030. It is only through concrete, measurable steps that lofty ambitions can be accomplished and lives can be saved. 

You can make this happen by sending a tweet to German, Italian, and US leaders to come to the Festival and make definitive funding commitments to ensure that global food security becomes a reality.

Go to TAKE ACTION NOW and get these leaders to commit to changing the future of humanity.

Editorial

Defeat Poverty

You can get the world to feed 500 million more people by 2030

By Ryan Nardi  and  Lewit Gemeda