Since 2014 chronic hunger has been on the rise globally. The situation seriously deteriorated in 2020 due to COVID-19. It is estimated that there are currently 345 million people who go to sleep at night with only one meal or without having eaten, according to the World Food Program (WFP).
In Ecuador, the situation is also complex and it is estimated that 13% of the population (2.5 million) do not eat or do so only once a day, reveals Matteo Perrone, WFP representative in Ecuador in an interview with EL UNIVERSO. Hunger figures in the country and worldwide could worsen due to the political, economic and social “cocktail” that is currently taking place: war between Russia and Ukraine, the escalation of food and fertilizer prices and the deepening economic crisis for the pandemic.
Ecuador has the second highest level of chronic malnutrition in the region and 30% of respondents have suffered a decrease in income
Hunger and lack of access to quality food are on the rise worldwide and are at historic levels. Different nations and international organizations have tried to implement programs, but the numbers are not reduced. What has gone wrong?
We are in a period of conjunction of several factors. The number of conflicts has increased. The latest is Russia and Ukraine, which has had a serious impact on us because it has caused the rise in fuel, gas and food prices. We cannot forget that Ukraine fed more than 600 million people globally.
Then we have the problem of fertilizers and we are going to feel this a lot next year, in January or February. We are going to see a decrease in agricultural products due to the lack of fertilizers. We also have COVID-19, which has caused part of the population to fall into extreme poverty.
Five years ago we had 80 million hungry people, but the number skyrocketed to 276 million during the pandemic. Today there are 345 million people who go to sleep at night with only one meal or without having eaten. For example, Somalia (Africa) is on the brink of famine.
‘In Ecuador there is hunger and chronic malnutrition; children are the most affected,’ says Vice President
The current situation also makes the countries, several of which are part of our donors, decide which emergency they should prioritize. So, the lack of resources caused by the downturn in the economy has made it impossible for us to mitigate this problem.
In this complex context, what should the nations affected by hunger do?
I have been working in humanitarian assistance for more than 20 years and what I have seen that must be done to prevent the most vulnerable people from falling into despair is that governments must invest in social protection. It is not the definitive solution, but this contributes to people falling into serious food insecurity that generates social confrontations like what is happening in Sri Lanka.
In Ecuador there are entire families that only eat a banana, a corn a day. In fact, we have the second highest rate of chronic child malnutrition in South America. How is the access to food in the country?
We have carried out a study that determines that almost 2.5 million are in severe food insecurity, that is, they eat once a day or do not eat at all. This is 13% of the population and it is a situation that worries us a lot, because if we look at the data on chronic child malnutrition they confirm our alert and we have to look at how we solve this situation, and as an LDC we are willing to help the Government in its task of protecting and assisting Ecuadorians.
What kind of support is WFP giving the country to face hunger?
It must be said that in a global situation like the one we are experiencing today, there has been solidarity from multilateralism, from the donor countries that have invested heavily in Ecuador. As an LDC we have seen a drop in support from our donors, but it has not been as strong as we had hoped.
Ecuador continues to be a priority country in Latin America. We must continue to invest in social policies, to support the most vulnerable populations. I think there are very positive points such as the announcement (from the Government) to fight against chronic child malnutrition, since there is the will to do something.
Ecuador is the second country most affected by the rise in food prices after Costa Rica, due to a greater dependence on fertilizers whose cost has increased by 60%.
Subsidies are important so as not to leave anyone behind. The issue of the fertilizer subsidy announced by the Government of Ecuador is very good, but in parallel there must be development policies so that the most vulnerable get out of this situation.
As a PMA, we have supported almost 170,000 people with the nutritional bonus ($240 per month). Now we are about to carry out the fourth phase of this aid and we hope to reach some 220,000 people, who are pregnant women or with children under 3 years of age.
How do you choose the beneficiaries of the nutritional bonus?
We give a voucher worth $240 to pregnant women or women who have children under 3 years of age. We do this so that they can buy a nutritious meal and it is an item that is almost 50% of the value of the basic family basket. We have done this since 2020 and our focus is in collaboration with the Ministries of Economic and Social Inclusion. They share with us a list of users who are not beneficiaries of other State bonds, who have been left out of the State’s social protection.
In addition, we ourselves found these vulnerable families in various provinces of the country. It should be noted that there is a social registry that has weaknesses, since it is not updated to date, since many families, due to COVID-19, have fallen into a state of extreme vulnerability and are not included in this list.
How do you really verify that the families that receive this bonus use it to buy nutritious food?
We have a real-time monitoring system in the sense that the voucher is redeemable in some supermarkets throughout the country. They are electronic vouchers and can only buy nutritious food and cannot buy, for example, soft drinks or hygiene products. They can only buy fresh and nutritious products.
We can also see if there is an increase in product prices or if purchases are being made that do not fit our criteria, for example, someone who buys all $240 worth of rice (and then sells it). This is a red flag that we investigate immediately.
What provinces or areas are the ones that you have detected that have the greatest problem with hunger and access to food?
The zones, unfortunately, are everywhere in the country. However, the central Sierra, the north of the Coast, the south of Guayaquil and the Amazon are the sectors with very high needs.
You have pointed out the issue of nutritious food. When you walk through poor or peripheral neighborhoods, it’s normal, quote unquote, to see children and their families drinking sodas and eating processed foods. Many justify their consumption by their low prices, a bag of chips costs 0.25 cents. And here comes the problem of having malnourished children, but at the same time overweight or obese…
Malnutrition is a multisectoral problem. It is not just food but also access to clean water, proper sanitation and cultural issues. Obesity is due to cultural factors, a lack of knowledge of products in Ecuador and a lack of resources to buy healthy food.
The ‘Full Belly’ Law will guarantee tax incentives, certifications and training for industries that donate food
It’s much cheaper to eat junk food. When I go to my missions I have seen children drinking soft drinks with high levels of sugar and this has to be changed at a cultural level. With other partners we are working on campaigns to change habits and have a healthy diet.
What is the co-responsibility of the private company to produce food with high nutritional value, but at low cost?
It’s a dilemma. The private sector can play a very important role in this fight and I think they are. The Government of Ecuador has launched an advisory council to address chronic child malnutrition and where we are, the academy, the private sector, and it is precisely in these work tables where we can influence so that the private sector makes its maximum effort . (YO)
Source: Eluniverso
Paul is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment and general news. He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established herself as a respected voice in the industry.
