South Asia Briefing Unit 2

Poverty

The Hunger Project Online Briefing Program
The Persistence of Hunger in South Asia
Page 12 of 29

Landlessness

Key Issue 2: Population

Population is closely linked to hunger. Where hunger has ended, birth rates decline, and where hunger persists, birth rates rise.

Parents are more likely to restrict their families if they have a reasonable assurance of the health and survival of their [first] two children.
–Indira Gandhi, late Prime Minister of India

Large and growing

South Asia is among the most densely populated regions in the world.
India, with one-third the land mass of the United States, contains roughly four times as many people.
Bangladesh, a nation the size of England or the US state of Wisconsin, contains half as many people as the entire United States.
South Asia's rate of population growth is rapid.
India’s current population of 1 billion is expected to double in the next 37 years.
Bangladesh, with 127 million people today, will have twice that number in 38 years.

Link between population and hunger

In virtually every country that has ended hunger, birth rates have declined after a period of time.
Some people mistakenly think that hunger is necessary to keep population growth down.
Actually, where hunger has ended - where infant mortality rates are low - birth rates are also usually low.
Where hunger persists - where infant mortality rates are high - birth rates are also usually high.
Hungry people give birth to high numbers of children to replace those that die of malnutrition and diseases. If parents have some assurance that their children will live, they are more likely to have fewer children.
The average woman in South Asia will give birth to between 3 and 4 children, since as many as 11% of children die before age 5.
Where population is large and growing, it is difficult for government services - for health and education - to reach the rural poor.
The efforts of people to end their own hunger are thus crucial for population growth to decrease.

Poverty

The Hunger Project Online Briefing Program
The Persistence of Hunger in South Asia
Page 12 of 29

Landlessness