Causes of hunger and poverty
Fiji’s political instability and corruption is one of the major causes of poverty in Fiji. There is also the lack of education and inequality leading to workers lacking skills and resources.
“More than 250,000 people in Fiji islands live in poverty and many more live on, or just above the poverty line.”
According to worldbank.org, as of 2009, 35.2% of the population in Fiji live below the national poverty line. This is more than double the percentage of people living in poverty in the United States, which is, as of 2012 “15% for all Americans.”
The number of people living in extreme poverty has been decreasing since the 1990s. “The largest reduction has occurred in East Asia and Pacific, [(including Fiji)].”
Due to the lack of sufficient income in Fiji, more and more families are moving from rural areas to more urban areas. “A large number of these families end up in urban squatter settlements” known as shanty towns.
Hunger in Fiji.
“A 2004 report by the Food and Nutrition Committee indicated that over 40% of Fiji’s children are malnourished.” However, Fiji has made great stride to fulfill this first millennium development goal.
In 2013, Fiji, among 38 other developing countries were honored by the UN Food and Agricultural Organization for having met part of the target for the goal to eradicate hunger.
Shanty town in Fiji
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