President Luis Abinader celebrated yesterday the new achievement that the country reaches around the reduction of food insecurity and stressed that it has been possible thanks to the coordination of the zero hunger cabinet.
The president reacted that way, hearing the report presented by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which realizes that the country could be out of the hunger map by 2026, if it maintains the same work rate reached since 2020, in the reduction of food insecurity.
“This is a good achievement, one that shows that policy actions, when coordinated and planned, work,” he exclaimed.
The president mentioned, among the actions that have influenced the decrease in subordinate, the quadruplication of economic dining rooms, improvement in school feeding through the National Student Welfare Institute (INABIE), as well as increases in workers’ salaries.
The Head of State issued these considerations, during the Regional Dialogue of Food and Water Security, carried out in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), in which representatives of the FAO and the Dominican government participated.
FAO report
Dominican Republic could be out of the hunger map for 2026, if it maintains the same work rate from 2020 in the reduction of food insecurity.
This was indicated by deputy director of the Department of Economic and Social Development of the FAO, Máximo Torero.
During the Regional Food and Water Safety Dialogue, carried out in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MIREX), Torero explained that the nation is one of those that has made the greatest advances in the reduction of hunger, going from 11.6 % in 2010 and 2012, to 3.6 % from 2022 to 2024.
“If we follow that speed and that trend, through a favorable climate and the strong work that is being done, we will get out of the hunger map and next year we hope to be celebrating with all of you,” he said.
However, the economist also indicated that, despite the achievements, important challenges still persist, because, although moderate or severe food insecurity was reduced from 55 % (2018-2020) to 43.8 % (2022-2024), the current level is outlined above the average Latin America, although it is below the Caribbean. “It is an area that we have to continue working, fundamentally,” he said.
Regarding the access of healthy diets, he said that despite the increase in food prices worldwide during 2024, the nation managed to reduce the number of people who could not pay a healthy and balanced diet.
On his side, the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, highlighted the role played by the agricultural sector in the achievements.
He said that the strengthening of the field has been key to reducing hunger in the country and pointed out that productivity has also been promoted, supported by small producers, promoting sustainable practices, making the country a reference at the regional level.
