In this article, Don Hinrichsen is arguing that overpopulation is the main cause of world hunger. Specifically, Don Hinrichsen argues that in impoverished countries, especially where population growth is horrifically rising, hunger and malnutrition are one of the main problems that strike, especially among younger people such as teenagers and children. An interesting key point Don Hinrichsen presents is that an estimated two billion people suffer from malnutrition and deficiencies linked with poor diets, thus becoming limited to vital vitamins and minerals. Additionally, Don Hinrichsen illustrates that around 840 million women and female children suffer from malnutrition which can lead to chronic conditions. Another key point Don Hinrichsen displays is that the World Food Summit in 1996 centered on universal attention on the notion of food security. The argument itself is very well put together because it has so much evidence and logical analysis to back it up. I would always think that overpopulation is only bad for the community, economy, and government itself, but I now know that overpopulation also contributes to poverty and overpopulation which thus contributes to malnutrition.
Don Hinrichsen is a very credible author because he gives credit to the sources he
gathers data from for his article and also cites them as well. Don Hinrichsen passed away due to kidney cancer; however, he was the editor-in-chief of Ambio and he has contributed to the People and the Planet magazine since he wrote many issues about population. Don Hinrichsen wrote extensively about population issues--investigating issues such as the complexities of China’s one-child policy and the growing global water crisis. Don Hinrichsen has also been the head of regulatory affairs for two biotechnology directors, Plant Genetic Systems in the 1980s and Syngenta Seeds from the late 1990s to 2003.
I know how to discern a minimally credible source from a highly credible source by looking at the different sources the author used and opposing viewpoints that argue with the article. I want to praise Don Hinrichsen for giving credibility and using the data in a way in which it intertwines with his argument, giving him a win from both sides of the argument. Overall, at the end of the article, “Overpopulation Contributes to World Hunger,” Don Hinrichsen wants the community, scientists, politicians, and the younger generation to understand that world hunger is not the cause of overpopulation, but rather overpopulation contributes to world hunger, thus malnutrition within younger children is most prevalent leading to chronic conditions. Additionally, the main argument my team is making is how to reduce world hunger and this article presents world hunger due to overpopulation, contradicting my individual research question. However, this article is useful because I can take the data and add it to my research paper to support my research question. I see myself including quotes from this source when I get into the part where I am introducing how rapid population growth is making food production difficult. Furthermore, the quote that stood out to me the most from the article is when Don Hinrichsen articulated, "In many developing countries, rapid population growth makes it difficult for agricultural production to keep pace with the rising demand for food" (Hinrichsen). This practice helps because it helps me to identify the quote without accidentally plagiarizing it. Furthermore, this quote connects with my research question because it argues that overpopulation is intertwined with the increasing numbers regarding malnutrition and world hunger.
