Food First: Beyond the Myth of Scarcity
1977
Frances Moore Lappé and Joseph Collins argue that global hunger is caused by inequitable distribution, not food scarcity.
Key Takeaways:
- Argues that global hunger persists not because the world lacks food, but because of inequitable land ownership, export-oriented agribusiness, and political power imbalances.
- Debunks the “myth of scarcity,” showing that poor people often go hungry in regions that produce plenty of food—just not for them.
- Reframes “feeding the world” as a matter of democracy, land reform, and economic justice rather than purely technological fixes or yield increases.
- Extends Lappé’s earlier work by tying personal food choices to global solidarity and structural change.