Hunger, Food and Self-Employment: Exploring the Interconnectedness with Reference to the Brandt Report

The Brandt Commission was established in 1977 chaired by the former Berlin mayor and German Chancellor Willy Brandt. The commission was concerned about the North-South divide and perceived the development of the so-called South as an important if not crucial pre-condition for overcoming economic and social disparities worldwide and for avoiding humanitarian catastrophes in the future. This paper will offer a theoretical discussion about the major causes of hunger resulting in increased forced migration in the last years grounded in the Brandt report. The Brandt report offers innovative ideas, recommendations and thoughts about the causes and consequences of poverty and hunger which are of high topicality 40 years after its publication. One chapter of the Brandt report is dedicated to the interconnectedness between hunger and food supply. It is emphasized that food aid should be increased and linked to employment promotion and agricultural programs and projects without weakening incentives to food production. This paper emphasizes the importance of this standpoint and hypothesizes that food supply and security is not only guaranteed through the liberalization of trade in food and other agricultural products within and between North and South as stated in the Brandt report but also through the promotion of self-employment and entrepreneurial activity. Such professionalization of entrepreneurial activity also labeled as “agropreneurship” contributes to increase food production and improve living conditions of farmers and citizens alike. “Agropreneurship” is understood as entrepreneurial and managerial skills to start and successfully run a farm and business. The paper will pinpoint to selected cases of “agropreneurship” in African regions randomly selected from various sources, among them, from examples highlighted by the non-profit organization Kickstart (kickstart.org/story/agropreneurship/), other online sources as well as refereed articles.