The city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil has accomplished what few have done elsewhere. It is feeding all its people. As Frances Moore Lappe has discovered hunger is not caused by a scarcity of food but a scarcity of democracy.
Belo Horizonte, a city of 2.5 million, with citizens groups has managed to feed all its citizens through democracy and careful planning. In 1993, a newly elected administration declared food a right of citizenship. The officials said, in effect: If you are too poor to buy food in the market-you are no less a citizen. I am still accountable to you.
The coalition proceeded to set up markets, restaurants and other innovations to make sure that all citizens could access food as a right. "People's Restaurants" plus a few smaller venues daily serve 12,000 or more people using mostly locally grown food for the equivalent of 50 cents a meal. People of all economic strata eat at these establishments.
"I knew we had so much hunger in the world, but what is so upsetting, what I didn't know when I started this, is it's so easy. It is so easy to end it. What a wonderful thought that hunger can be conquered.
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I was heartened to read this "blog," even so long after you posted it. I love that you remember Francis More Lappe and what she said about food, hunger and democracy. This essay calls to mind the high school discussions we shared about justice and equality. It's good to know you still thought about these issues, even 39 years after graduating.
Z.
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