Latin America, Caribbean ‘must step up’ to tackle rising hunger: FAO

(United Nations News) Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean “can and must step up” to tackle rising levels of hunger, poverty and inequality, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, said on Wednesday. 

According to the UN agency, between 2019 and 2021, the number of people who went hungry in the region increased by 30 per cent, to 56.5 million. 

This alarming food insecurity spike happened even though Latin America and the Caribbean is the world’s largest net food exporting region. It had also outperformed other regions in reducing hunger and poverty, in the decade up to 2015.  

In an appeal for agricultural reform to prevent a decade’s worth of backsliding on tackling hunger and poverty, FAO chief Qu Dongyu urged the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States (CELAC) to expand food supply in the Caribbean, where healthy diets are expensive. 

Persistent poverty and rising inequalities impact rural populations hardest, Mr. Qu said, especially women, young people and other vulnerable individuals. 

The UN agency chief also urged greater investment in water infrastructure and food production in Central America – where droughts and migration create additional challenges to growers – and improved food exchange between Andean neighbours, through infrastructure investment in production, storage and transportation. 

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY