The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) ranked Nicaragua among the Mesoamerican countries with the highest hunger rate.
The report on food security in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean reveals that in the period 2019-2021, the Central American nation had the highest prevalence of “undernourishment” with 18.6%, followed by Guatemala (16%) and Honduras (15.3%). “Which is equivalent to almost 5 million hungry people in these three smallest countries,” says the FAO.
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Regarding the cost and affordability of a healthy diet, the report points out that in Mesoamerica, more than a third of the inhabitants of Nicaragua (35.7%) cannot afford a healthy diet.
«The prevalence of food insecurity is higher in Latin America and the Caribbean than in the world. Thus, 40.6% of the region’s population faced moderate or severe food insecurity in 2021, compared to the world average of 29.3%. In addition, the countries of the region currently face fiscal deficits and significant budget constraints. This affects the fact that they limit their ability to implement policies and programs aimed at mitigating the effects of rising food prices and difficulties in accessing a healthy diet,” the report added.
The FAO ensures that this situation also violates women who are among the group with the highest risk of food insecurity, unhealthy diets and malnutrition in all its forms.
“Women are more likely than men to be food insecure in the world. And women living in rural areas, as producers, face even greater limitations than male producers in accessing productive resources and services, technologies, markets and financial assets,” the organization states.
On the other hand, it points out that the Covid-19 pandemic also negatively affected women with respect to employment opportunities and access to nutritious food.
“Consequently, in recent years the gender gap in the prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity has widened,” highlights the FAO.
Currently, the 53 products of the basic basket in Nicaragua reached 18,981.55 córdobas. The food basket has maintained a growing trend, while the purchasing power of Nicaraguans is reduced every day.
In this contrast, salaries range between 4,723.95 córdobas and a maximum of 10,571.78 córdobas, not enough to even purchase the food component that includes 23 products, the cost of which is 13,542.55 córdobas.
