Home > Outreach Ministries > Covenant World Relief > Opportunities to Learn

Hunger Glossary

Absolute Poverty. An income level at which a person cannot afford enough food to meet minimum nutritional requirements or essential non-food things such as adequate clothing and shelter.

Accompaniment. Strategy by which field workers in sustainable development build relationships with the recipients of assistance, working alongside them to learn their needs and assist them in developing the most appropriate responses for their own culture and circumstances.

Daily Calorie Requirement. The average number of calories needed to sustain normal levels of activity and health according to age, sex, body weight, and climate. Approximately 2,350 calories per person, per day.

Debt Relief. Measures to reduce the debt owed by developing country governments to banks, governments or international finance institutions (e.g., the World Bank).

Developed Countries. Countries in which most people have a high economic standard of living. Also called “industrial countries.” These countries also have segments of their population that live in poverty.

Developing Countries. Countries in which most people have a low economic standard of living. Also known as “third world” countries.

Famine. A situation of extreme scarcity of food, potentially leading to widespread starvation.

Fast. A self-imposed period during which a person goes without food, perhaps only drinking water. The purpose of a fast is often to deepen a spiritual awareness or commitment.

Food Security. Assured access, primarily by production or purchase, to enough nutritious food to sustain an active and healthy life.

Food Self-Reliance. Achieved when a country boosts yields by efficient and long-term farming practices and is able to produce food both for its population’s consumption and for export.

Food Self-Sufficiency. Achieved when a country and its communities and regions rely exclusively on their own food production.

Hunger. A condition in which people do not get enough food to provide the nutrients (carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, minerals, and water) for active and healthy lives.

Living Wage. The wage level necessary for ensuring that a person earns enough to live at an adequate standard of living.

Microcredit. Small, short-term loans to low-income people, too poor to borrow from commercial banks, to help them start their own businesses, generate income and raise their standard of living. Often referred to as microenterprise loans or microloans. Microcredit is one of the foundational features of the work of developed countries in sustainable development (see below).

Malnutrition. A condition resulting from inadequate consumption (undernutrition) or excessive consumption (overnutrition) of a nutrient to the extent that physical or mental health could be impaired.

Poverty Line. An official measure of poverty defined by national governments. In the United States, the poverty line is calculated to be 3 times the USDA’s “Thrifty Food Plan” – which provides a less-than-adequate diet. In 2003, the poverty line was $18,400 for a family of four.

Starvation. Suffering or death from extreme or prolonged lack of food. 

Sustainable Development. The reduction of hunger and poverty in economically and environmentally sound ways. Characteristics of sustainable development programs are: meeting basic human needs, expanding income opportunities, preserving the environment, and promoting open forms of government.

Undernutrition. A condition resulting from inadequate consumption of calories, protein and nutrients to meet the basic physical requirements for an active and healthy life. 

Hunger Websites 

Here are several websites that have a variety of resources and reports to assist you in updates on world hunger programs and needs.