Hunger and Poverty in the Mississippi Essay Example

supporting the welfare of the Mississippi residents as well as providing an insight of what need to be done to eliminate the problem.

Literature Review

This section involves other researches that were previously conducted and are related to the research question. The following is an overview of this section:

Poor Income and High Rate of Unemployment

According to a 2014 Gallup report, 25% of Mississippi’s population cannot afford food. This is abysmal compared to other states in America (Goldberg 2014, p. 1). According to a 2014 Gallup report, 25% of Mississippi’s population cannot afford food. This is abysmal compared to other states in America (Goldberg 2014, p. 1). For six consecutive years since 2010, Mississippi has led in cases of food shortage. More importantly, this report found that Mississippi’s residents lacked enough funds to purchase the nourishments their families needed. Also, according to a USDA report, the average SNAP an employee receives is $4 compared to Hawaii’s $7 (Goldberg 2014, p. 1). Lack of employment has elevated poverty and hunger in Mississippi. Moreover, in 2014, the unemployment state was 7.8%, and 22.0% of the Mississippi population faced hunger and food insecurity (Mississippi Report, 2014, p. 1).

Lack of Appropriate Agricultural Programs

The hunger and poverty conditions in Mississippi are the worst in the United States. These problems are attributed by lack of appropriate Agricultural programs. Mississippi’s government has failed to incorporate the improved agricultural mechanism and follow up programs that can ensure increased productivity in region, despite its stability to support high production for consumer products.

According to the 2015 Food Research & Action Centre (FRAC) report, more than 48.1 million Americans faced hunger problems and these statistics had declined from 15.8%

in 2013 to 15.4% in 2014 (Food Research & Action Centre, 2015, p. 1). The report also reveals that households in rural areas are struggling more than families living within metropolitan areas yet the rural areas have a capability of supporting increased agricultural production.

Political Factors

Duncan (2014) examines the poverty and hunger stories of real people in the Mississippi Delta, rural New England, and Appalachia and provides thorough insight on the dynamics of politics, poverty, and community and food insecurity. Politics have played a central role in the increase of poverty and hunger in Mississippi. The politicians in the region are involved with misappropriation of the public funds. In addition, poor allocation of resources has attributed to poverty and hunger in the region. . Despite various strategies and policies in Mississippi, the below-poverty-line status has caught the attention of the national government and other nongovernmental organization.

Results and Discussion

The Hunger and Poverty State and Statistics in Mississippi

From the study, it is clear that Mississippi is worst stricken by poverty and there is urgent need for appropriate measures to be undertaken to curb this problem. According to the Mississippi Food Network, Mississippi has the worst poverty and hunger problems in the United States. Approximately 690,000 people (1 in 4 Mississippians) cannot afford enough food (Mississippi Food Network, 2016, p. 1). Children (28.7%) are the worst stricken; most nights they go to bed hungry. Poverty and hunger is a problem is the United States. However, Mississippi faces a serious epidemic. It will take about $300 million to address poverty and hunger in this state (Mississippi Food Network, 2016, p. 1).

Causes of Hunger and Poverty in Mississippi

There are various reasons

that worsen the hunger and poverty state in Mississippi that ranges from dynamics of politics, poverty, and community and food insecurity. As the years pass, the state is more prone to hunger problems due to high rate of unemployment, geographical problem, and poor education system.

Solutions to Solve the Hunger and Poverty State in Mississippi

The following are the solutions and strategies that have been put in place to handle the worrying state of hunger and poverty in Mississippi;

• Various food programs need to be initiated to reduce hunger and generate economic activities.
• SNAP need to be effectively employed in Mississippi to bring the federal dollar to the community.
• Implementing laws and policies on food and jobs in Mississippi
• Implementation of better educational policies in Mississippi.

Conclusion

Poverty and hunger are very major problems facing the state of Mississippi and this worrying condition should be looked at and solutions to these problems must be found. Social and economic developments are very important aspects in addressing the poverty and hunger condition in Mississippi. There must be a collaboration of education, leaders, government sectors, religious organizations, businesses, and non-governmental organizations to ensure success is achieved in eradicating poverty and hunger in Mississippi.

References

1. Bane, M. J., and Q. R. M. Zenteno. (2009). Poverty and Poverty Alleviation Strategies in North America. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University David Rockefeller Center for Latin American Studies.
2. Berg, J. (2010). All You Can Eat: How Hungry is America? New York: Seven Stories Press.
3. Casil, A. S. (2011). Mississippi: Past and Present. New York: Rosen Central.
4. Champagne, C. M., P. H. Casey, C. L. Connell, J. E. Stuff, J. M. Gossett, D. W. Harsha, and M. L. Bogle (2007).
   

“Poverty and Food Intake in Rural America: Diet Quality Is Lower in Food Insecure Adults in the Mississippi Delta.” Journal of the American Dietetic Association 107: 1886–1894.