In this episode of Walk Talk Listen, journalist and author Roger Thurow shares his decades-long commitment to addressing global hunger and malnutrition. With 30 years at The Wall Street Journal, including 20 years as a foreign correspondent in Europe and Africa, Thurow has consistently spotlighted issues of poverty, food insecurity, and the systemic injustices that perpetuate them. He reflects on his body of work, including The Last Hunger Season: A Year in an African Farm Community on the Brink of Change, The First 1,000 Days: A Crucial Time for Mothers and Children – And the World, and his most recent book, Against the Grain: A Deep Dive into Global Hunger. Through these works, Thurow examines how hunger persists in a world of plenty and highlights stories of resilience, innovation, and hope. The conversation explores Thurow’s idea of hunger as a “disease of the soul,” framing it not just as a humanitarian crisis but as a moral failing in societies with the resources to prevent it. Drawing from his extensive reporting in Africa and beyond, Thurow discusses the power of storytelling in mobilizing action and shifting narratives around hunger and poverty. He emphasizes the critical role of smallholder farmers, the importance of nutrition in the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, and the broader social consequences of malnutrition. Thurow also speaks about the urgent need for what he calls the “clamor”—the collective outrage and demand for change that has historically fueled social movements. Without this global outcry, he warns, hunger risks remaining an invisible crisis, and those most affected will continue to suffer in silence. His call to action is clear: to raise voices loud enough to shatter complacency and ignite meaningful, lasting change. Listener Engagement:

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