Nearly 800 million people, or one in nine people in the world, "do not have enough food to lead a healthy active life," according to the World Food Programme.
That's the central issue that 400 students, faculty, administrators and leaders from the private and public sectors came to the University of Missouri to address at the 11th annual Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit in February. The summit, hosted by the Deaton Institute, featured keynote speeches and numerous interactive sessions focused on best practices, innovative solutions and media coverage of hunger around the world.
Students from the Missouri School of Journalism interviewed several of the participants in the summit. Listen to the complete radio special of selected interviews here:
Or you can listen to individual interview excerpts below:
Anne Cafer, a doctoral student in rural sociology at the University of Missouri, talks about her experiences studying hunger in rural communities in Ethiopia. Interview by Luria Freeman.
Nina Furstenau teaches food and wine writing at the Missouri School of Journalism. She talks about developing an interest in food while serving in the Peace Corps in Tunisia. Interview by Danielle Lerner.
Corinne Valdivia is an associate professor of agricultural economics at the University of Missouri. Valdivia has studied world and economic development in Bolivia, Peru, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Interview by Loretta Lee.
Kody Allen and Allie Wilson work with the MEANS Database, a new organization that uses technology to connect donors with food banks across the country to avoid food waste and maximize the efficiency of emergency food systems. Interview by Emma Gambaro.
Jo Britt-Rankin is the associate dean and an extension professor in the College of Human and Environmental Sciences at the University of Missouri. Interview by Emma Gambaro.