Today, I want to introduce a book titled <World Hunger: Twelve Myths> by Frances Moore Lappé and several researchers from the Institute for Food and Development Policy. It was the last of the four books I borrowed from the library, but it was the one that raised the most profound questions for me.
At one point, I dreamed of solving the world's food crisis by developing new plant varieties as a horticulture major. My mind was filled with ideas, and I was captivated by the thought that new crop varieties alone could solve all the hunger issues. Looking back, it was a naive belief. Even back then, I had heard that the real issue was not the development of new varieties but the distribution process, though I didn’t fully grasp what that meant.
<World Hunger> was first published in 1986, and it served as a reality check for my idealistic visions. This book made me realize that the issue of hunger is deeply intertwined with politics. The reason so many people are starving in the world is not due to a lack of food, but because fair compensation and just policies do not reach small-scale farmers. Instead, these issues often exacerbate the gap between the rich and the poor.
One part that particularly stood out to me was the criticism of the Green Revolution. The Green Revolution refers to the idea of solving hunger through scientific advancements, like creating new crop varieties. However, the book argues that its impact is limited. It benefits large landowners who can quickly adopt these new varieties, further widening the gap between them and small farmers. Moreover, I learned that in some countries, people who attempt to live independently outside large farms may even face threats to their lives—something unimaginable in South Korea.
How has the world changed since this book was published? As I continue my studies in horticulture, I may end up working in the field of breeding and developing new plant varieties. However, I no longer believe that these efforts alone can solve all the world’s problems. Still, I hope to keep these issues in mind as I pursue my work and contribute to solutions in other ways.
If I could say something to my past self, it would be that rather than dismissing my dreams as naive, I should see them as part of a journey toward understanding the world better. After all, I read this book because I chose to study horticulture, right?
It's already Saturday night. I hope you have a good night’s sleep and a wonderful day tomorrow.
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