Food insecurity affects 6 out of 10 households

The food insecurity It has become one of the main problems faced by the most vulnerable Peruvian families as a result of the high cost of living and, above all, the products that make up the basic consumer basket.

According to the latest national representation survey carried out by the Institute of Peruvian Studies (IEP), 57% of those surveyed, equivalent to 6 out of 10 peopleadmitted to having experienced a lack of food in their homes during the last 3 months due to lack of money or other resources.

The results reveal an alarming increase of 11 percentage points compared to the survey conducted six months ago, when only 46% of those interviewed answered affirmatively to this question.

But it is even more worrying when it is noted that this same consultation was carried out in 2012 in the Barometer of the Americaswhere 17% of Peruvians answered yes, which reveals that in 11 years we have risen 40 points.

The study carried out for La República reveals that households that ran out of food are mainly concentrated in rural areas, with a 75% incidence, followed by the northern (67%) and eastern (69%) macrozones.

This problem is also observed more frequently in people who are between 25 and 39 years old, with 62% of this age group reporting having experienced food shortages.

A greater lack of food was also found in the least favored families in the country, from the D/E socioeconomic levels, which affects 75% of respondents (see infographic).

Fall in consumption

70% of respondents stated that they have experienced a decrease in food consumption in the last 3 months. This figure is similar to what was recorded in March of this same year, when it stood at 66%.

Along these lines, people who stated that their household food consumption has been greatly reduced are found mostly in rural areas, with 49%, and in the eastern (51%), central (46%) macrozones. and north (42%). In the D/E socioeconomic levels, half of the respondents admitted to having greatly reduced their food consumption.

Instead, the families who have slightly reduced their food consumption belong mostly to urban areas, with 33%, and are distributed mainly in socioeconomic levels with a higher financial stabilitywith 42% in group A/B and 32% in stratum C.

On the other hand, 49% of people have managed to maintain their level of food consumption unchanged, 19% have managed to maintain it, although at the expense of sacrificing other expenses, while only 7% have maintained it without difficulties.

Lack of food is an emergency

Carolina Trivelli, former Minister of Development and Social Inclusion

The main problem of food insecurity in the country is that it seems like no one cares. The responses of the public apparatus so far have been insufficient.

We should be doing some emergency super programs to make sure people, especially children, are going to eat every day. The numbers of malnutrition, anemia and chronic malnutrition are rising like never before in 15 years.

The first thing that should be done is temporary employment programs and support all grassroots organizations—common pots, soup kitchens, Vaso de Leche, the Food Bank—anyone who is able to deliver food to vulnerable population. This is an emergency matter.

The other thing is to help farmers, because on top of the climate crisis we have a serious food problem in the rural world.

The data

Financing. The Citi Foundation delivered US$500,000 to two international organizations that operate in Peru and that have programs focused on strengthening food security and financial health of families and their community.