Final answer:
c) unequal distribution of food due to poverty The primary cause of global undernutrition is the unequal distribution of food due to poverty, exacerbated by over-reliance on single food sources and failures in macroeconomic policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The primary cause of global undernutrition is unequal distribution of food due to poverty. While worldwide food supplies are sufficient to feed the global population, the inability of many people, particularly in large areas of Africa and Asia, to access food is largely because of poverty. This condition creates a self-perpetuating cycle, where impoverished individuals are more likely to be undernourished, and undernutrition, in turn, makes them less productive, thereby limiting their income and perpetuating further poverty.
Malnourishment also occurs because of an over-dependence on a single food source in some countries, leading to a lack of essential nutrients. Additionally, although modern agriculture has increased food production, failures in government macroeconomic policies have often led to food distribution problems, rather than actual shortages. Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen highlights the importance of stable inflation, full employment, education, and property rights as mechanisms to improve the distribution of food and reduce hunger and undernutrition.