The Buffets have come to recognize that it's important to understanding the various challenges every country faces in addressing hunger.
October 22, 2015
Through their travels to places such as Brazil, India, Ghana, Rwanda and Congo, Howard G. Buffett and his son Howard W. Buffett have come to recognize that it's important to understand the country-, culture- and environment-specific challenges every country faces in addressing hunger.
The Buffetts spoke to an overflow audience at Nebraska Innovation Campus in the first Heuermann Lecture of the 2015-16 season.
The two co-authored the New York Times bestseller “40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World,” which examines global agriculture, hunger and food systems challenges. The discussion was moderated by Ronnie Green, University of Nebraska vice president, IANR Harlan Vice Chancellor and interim senior vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Howard W. Buffett began traveling the world with his father, Howard G. Buffett, at 13. Together, they've seen the tough issues facing many areas of the world when it comes to poverty and food security. While observing many horrific scenes at such a young age, Howard W. Buffett began to question why there is so much needless suffering around the world.
"Part of what we wanted to explore in '40 Chances' was to start digging deeper," said Howard W. Buffett. "Why are there so many people living in these conditions that really don't have to be?"
While all farmers across the world are facing similar challenges when it comes to insects, drought or flooding, not all have the same resources available to face those challenges. The solutions farmers find in the United States will not translate into solutions for farmers in countries in Africa.
"Diversity is what changes the risk profile of a small farmer and you can't take that away from them," said Howard G. Buffett. "When you go to those countries and you meet people that have experienced horrendous things in their lives, you can't go home from those experiences without saying, 'That's a place I want to work in, and those are people I want to work with.'