In the Dominican Republicnearly 2.6 million people They cannot be paid daily by a healthy dietfor 23.0 % of the population, according to the most recent report of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on food security in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The daily cost of a healthy diet In the country he reached $ 5.40 per person in 2024which is equivalent to 162 dollars per month (10,116.9 pesos at the current rate) for a single -person home.
According to the document of the FAOprices of food They increased during 2023 and 2024which has raised the world’s average cost of a healthy diet at 4.46 dollars of purchasing power parity (PPA) daily per person with respect to the 4.30 PPA dollars of 2023 and the 4.01 PPA dollars of 2022.
The Dominican situation is part of a regional challenge: in Latin America and the Caribbeana healthy diet It cost on average 5.16 dollars By person a day in 2024the highest value among all regions of the developing world.
According to the criteria of the FAOa healthy diet covers Energy needs and nutrients with varied foods and not very processed (fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, quality proteins and unsaturated oils). It must limit free sugars, salt and saturated/trans fats, and be safe, affordable, culturally relevant and sustainable.
Although the region produces enough foodhigh prices of Fruits, vegetables, dairyfish and meats limit their access, forcing many families to resort to less nutritious and cheaper options, such as ultraprocessed products and high in carbohydrates.
Population with hunger
It is estimated that between 638 and 720 million peoplewhich are respectively between 7.8 and 8.8 % of the world’s population, suffered hunger in it 2024. Taking as a reference the punctual estimate (673 million), this would mean a decrease of 22 million people compared to 2022.
While the descent is positive, indicates the FAOthe most recent estimates remain above the levels prior to the pandemic, and the high inflation of the prices of the prices of the food of recent years contributes to slow recovery of food security.
Notable improvements in South Asia and Latin America are observed. In it 2024according to the report, the hunger affected about 307 million people in Africa, 34 million in Latin America and the Caribbean and 323 million in Asia, which meant 20.2 %, 5.1 % and 6.7 % of the population, respectively.
It is expected that the number of people undernourishing worldwide decreases, but it is still expected that 512 million of people will continue to suffer hunger In 2030, of which almost 60 % will live in Africa.
Despite the increase in prices of food during 2024the number of people who could not have a healthy diet In the world he got off 2,760 million In 2019 to 2,600 million in it 2024.
