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ROB: MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEAR FOR A RIDICULOUS REASON; THEY
ARE JUST TOO POOR TO STAY ALIVE.
ESTIMATES ARE AS MANY AS SEVENTEEN THOUSAND CHILDREN DIE EACH AND
EVERY DAY FROM HUNGER AND MALNUTRITION RELATED ILLNESSES.
TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO LOOK AT THE ISSUE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN THE
DEVELOPING WORLD THROUGH THE EYES OF A GROUP OF OKLAHOMANS WHO, THANKS TO
A STATE DEPARTMENT GRANT, HAVE BEEN WORKING IN UGANDA, AFRICA.
AND THIS IS WHERE SUNUP CORRESPONDENT, AUSTIN MOORE, STARTS US OFF.
THIS MORNING THE VAST MAJORITY OF US WOKE UP WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF
BREAKFAST OPTIONS.
WE KNOW DAY-TO-DAY, WHERE OUR FOOD'S GOING TO COME FROM, AND WITH A
REASONABLE AMOUNT OF CERTAINTY THAT OUR FOOD IS SAFE AND IT WON'T MAKE US
ILL.
BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE IN MUCH OF THE WORLD.
FOOD SECURITY IS A GROWING ISSUE AROUND THE GLOBE WE GROW FORTUNES OF
NUTRITIOUS FOOD HERE IN OKLAHOMA, BUT NOT EVERYONE IS SO LUCKY.
IN TOO MUCH OF THE WORLD, AGRICULTURAL PRODUCERS ARE LIMITED TO SUBSISTENCE
FARMING OR SOMETHING JUST BEYOND THAT.
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, INFRASTRUCTURE FAILINGS, AND CULTURAL PRACTICES CAN
ALL PLAY A PART.
AND WITH THE WORLD POPULATION EXPECTED TO GROW 30 PERCENT BY 2050,
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR WILL BE UNDER EVER-INCREASING PRESSURE.
AND SO THIS WEEK WE VISIT UGANDA, WHERE THE LAND IS RICH AND THE RAINS ARE
PLENTIFUL, AND YET SO MANY STRUGGLE TO GET BY.
BUT BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, LET ME EXPLAIN WHY WE ARE HERE.
WELL, THE OVERARCHING PURPOSE OF THE GRANT WAS TO ASSIST THE AFRICAN
PARTICIPANTS IN IMPROVING FOOD SECURITY IN THEIR COUNTRIES.
WELL, I THINK THE BOTTOM LINE IS HAVING FOOD IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT
TIME FOR PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED IT.
REPORTER: THE CONCEPT IS STRAIGHTFORWARD: FIND INDIVIDUALS FROM KENYA AND
UGANDA WHO CAN EFFECT CHANGE, BRING THEM TO OKLAHOMA WHERE THEY CAN
INTERN WITH PEERS FROM THEIR FIELD, THEN FOLLOW UP WITH THEM IN AFRICA TO
SEE HOW THEY'VE BEEN ABLE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
OUR FOCUS WAS ON MEDIA PROFESSIONALS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND POLICY
MAKERS.
THOSE WERE THE THREE GROUPS THAT WE FOCUSED ON IN THIS PROJECT.
AND WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THE IDEA OF DEVELOPING A COMMUNICATION NETWORK
BETWEEN THOSE THREE KEY GROUPS TO HOPEFULLY HELP INFORM FOOD SECURITY
ISSUES.
OPENING UP THOSE LINES OF DIALOGUE ARE WHAT WE WERE REALLY AFTER, TRYING TO
ALLOW PERSON "A" WHO IS OVER HERE TO KNOW PERSON "B" AND PERSON "C" SO THAT
THERE IS AN OPEN CHAIN OF COMMUNICATION THAT WILL HOPEFULLY ALLOW FOR A
BETTER DIALOGUE AND ULTIMATELY A BETTER APPROACH TO FOOD SECURITY.
REPORTER: A FIRST GROUP OF FELLOWS ARRIVED IN SPRING 2011.
A TEAM FROM OKLAHOMA STATE VISITED THEM THAT SUMMER, RECRUITING A SECOND GROUP
OF AFRICAN FELLOWS.
THOSE CAME IN THE FALL.
WHILE HERE, THEY WORKED WITH THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN GOVERNMENT, IN MEDIA, AND
IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT.
ROB: WHEN WE RETURN, I WILL SIT DOWN WITH AUSTIN TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE
WORK UNDERWAY IN UGANDA TO TRY TO SOLVE SOME AGE OLD PROBLEMS.