Famine

DO YOU KNOW why the world experiences famine? In you still recall, in the 1980’s, a great famine came to Ethiopia, which led to the death of thousands of people. That was not the first famine ever. According to the Bible, during the time of Joseph, son of Jacob, a great famine had come, and this lasted for seven years. Genesis 45:6 says—

“For these two years hath the famine been in the land: and yet there are five years, in the which there shall neither be caring nor harvest.”

Still based on records, in 1870’s, there also came a famine in South India and in China. There was also the so-called “The Great Bengal Famine” in Eastern India. These events are no longer surprising because, they had all been foretold by our Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 24:7—

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines and pestilence, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

According to studies, famine can be triggered by different cause. The Second World War had caused a great famine and an extensive food shortage. In addition to that, man had become abusive of the earth’s resources. Sometimes, in favor of some recreational activities, an agricultural land is being converted into golf courses and other recreational amenities. A golf course alone can consume hectares of land. There are also instances that, instead of using the world’s resources to development, they are even spent in producing deadly weapons, like chemical and nuclear weapons, meant for mass killings and destruction.

Another reason behind famine is drought. Just like what happened in India and in China in 1870’s, and in Africa and in Ethiopia in the late 1960’s to 1970’s. But do you know that there is also an account on famine in the Bible? This happened at the time of Prophet Elijah. It did not rain for three years and six months. This could be read in Luke 4:25.

The earth has enough for everyone’s needs. This was what the nationalist Mahatma Gandhi said. Do you know that, in its natural state, the resources of the earth can sustain the need for food of its inhabitants? Nobody shall be short of food; nobody shall be denied of it, either. When God created the world, its resources were sufficient to the needs of all. As Buckmister Fuller said, “There is enough resources to feed, clothe, house, and educate every human being on the planet at American middle class standard.”

At present, it is estimated that the biggest industries in the world deal with foods, which are owned by a few gigantic multinational corporations. They are the ones who practically control the supply of food in the world. And because of their superiority and powers, they are able to control the economy of many poor countries.

But do you know that others ascribe the blame to modernization? They said that, there is famine because the parcels of land that should have been utilized to grow grains and crops are being occupied by storehouses/warehouses, manufacturing companies, and commercial establishments, etc.

Jean Mayer, a Harvard nutritionist, claimed that, if we will only reduce our meat production by at least 10%, we will be able to save grains, that is enough to feed 60 million people.

Don’t you think it’s high time for us to lessen our meat consumption?