The Scarcity Fallacy

"The Scarcity Fallacy" by Stephen J. Scanlan, J. Craig Jenkins, and Lindsey Peterson discusses the main causes and issues concerning world hunger. Although popular perceptions of world hunger point to food scarcity being the cause of the problem, the authors argue that the less obvious issue of "food security" poses a much greater problem. The World Bank describes food security as "the inability to acquire the food necessary to sustain an active and healthy life." According to the article, the primary cause of hunger is poverty. Other causes include gender and ethnic inequality. About sixty percent of the world's hungry people consist of women. Ethnic discrimination in places such as Eritrea, Sri Lanka, Rwanda, Indonesia, and the Sudan can prevent certain people (minorities) from producing or earning money to purchase food.

International food aid was created to assist in feeding the hungry around the world. However, this seemingly beneficial solution is actually quite ineffective and misdirected. Corruption and problems in delivery prevents food aid from helping those who need it most and benefit US shipping companies and agri-business more than those people who the program is supposed to help.

Some possible major solutions to this problem include: a global recognition that food is a fundamental human right, overcoming the corruption and inefficiency of international food aid, and promoting sustainable agriculture emphasizing local food systems. Food scarcity is an issue; however, major societal changes are needed to combat the problem of world hunger and to ensure that all people receive food.

Questions:
If significant societal changes are needed to decrease world hunger, what kinds of costs and societal problems might come about do to these changes? Are there downsides to the suggestions that the article made to solve the global hunger issue?