Archive for category: Food Security

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Fighting Poverty and Supporting Rural Livelihoods in Angola

Rural Livelihoods in Angola
The southwestern African nation of Angola is home to a population of more than 39 million and a wealth of natural resources in the form of oil and minerals. Despite this potential, Angola battles poverty and inequality. World Bank data from 2018 indicate that 39.3% of Angolans live on the equivalent of less than $3 per day, and the country’s inequality index of 51.3 from the same year is among the highest in the world. Rural communities often struggle the most, but significant efforts have emerged to support families financially and foster sustainable rural livelihoods in Angola. The government and other organizations have responded with financial support programs, loans and grants and agricultural skills training, all of which encourage agri-entrepreneurship and combat poverty in both the short and long term.

Communities Left Behind

Angola is highly urbanized compared to its neighbors, with approximately 32% of its population living outside urban areas. World Bank estimates from the 2018-19 household survey show poverty at 17.8% in urban areas and 54.7% in rural areas, demonstrating significant regional inequality. While oil contributes to almost 30% of GDP and 95% of exports, this industry is less accessible to communities whose livelihoods have historically had ties to agriculture. According to the IPC in 2022, 1.32 million people across 17 municipalities in the south are vulnerable to high acute food insecurity. As this issue persists, effective and sustainable agri-farming remains vital.

Financial Support Through Kwenda

To support households vulnerable to poverty and enhance rural livelihoods in Angola, the Institute for Local Development, in partnership with the Angolan government and World Bank, rolled out a targeted, quarterly cash transfer program known as Kwenda. By May 2025, more than 1.3 million households had benefited from Kwenda’s direct cash transfers, while approximately 53,000 households had received support through its Productive Inclusion component. This assistance helped many financially support their families, while others were able to invest in food and agricultural production, a step toward more sustainable economic futures. Increased production among Kwenda-supported households helped the Catanha Bandi cooperative purchase a mill, creating a local job and making grain processing easier for members and nearby residents. Kwenda also funded an improved seed bank for the Cusseteca cooperative, from which 1,000 loaves of bread are produced every day to feed the community.

The program also includes a Productive Inclusion element, focusing on supporting income generation and rural livelihoods in Angola. Launched in 2021, this initiative saw the creation of integrated social action centers aimed at supporting families to improve income, as well as community-based credit banks and seed multiplication initiatives. For example, FAS invested 400 kg of beans in Chiombo, where approximately 50 community members harvested close to 1.5 tons of food, reimbursing this support to thrive independently. By 2024, 25,324 people participated in IP activities, with more than 126,000 indirect beneficiaries.

Angola Commercial Agriculture Development Project (PDAC)

The Angola Commercial Agriculture Development Project (PDAC) provides further support for rural livelihoods in Angola. The project promotes agri-business development through the sharing of skills and a grant program, as well as financing infrastructure for production and further development. Rebeca Rocha, an agri-entrepreneur, received training through PDAC on skills such as crop rotation to improve her agricultural activities. She revitalized her small farming business with a $4,000 grant, using this to improve infrastructure and expand, which created six jobs and increased output. Rocha now also supplies food to a pediatric hospital. The program fosters innovation in the agricultural industry, and the World Bank reports that it has directly invested around $2.12 million into 308 business plans, 75 of which women submitted.

Local Projects and ADRA Angola

ADRA is another organization sharing skills within communities that directly support rural livelihoods in Angola. It promotes fair and sustainable development at a community level and operates across 46 municipalities to improve local agri-production and food security. The organization has helped organize workshops on valuable industry skills such as finance and tax management, setting farmers and small business owners up for success, as well as crop multiplication training, which was shared with 50 residents in the Oshauyu community. While promoting the School in the Farmer’s Field initiative, its workshop on sweet potato multiplication and seed bank development benefited 35 community members, of whom 29 were women. As of September 2026, ADRA has reached 34,902 families with its initiatives focused on sustainable development and citizenship.

Looking Forward

These projects targeting rural communities and supporting agricultural development represent a hopeful future for Angola’s poor on two accounts. While increased agricultural efficiency will improve production and increase food security, training and investment also greatly benefit rural livelihoods in Angola, encouraging entrepreneurship and better long-term financial stability for community members.

– Hannah Rix

Hannah is based in London, United Kingdom and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Organizations Helping Nigeria

Organizations Helping Nigeria
Nigeria is known for its beautiful plants and animals; however, it is currently better known for tackling severe poverty. In 2022, 41.8% of Nigerians reportedly lived below the $3-a-day international extreme-poverty line, and 28.91% used safely managed drinking water services. In 2018, 28% of primary-school-age children were out of school.

Poverty is a difficult problem for any country to solve. Many nonprofit organizations and government-funded foundations have stepped in to aid Nigeria while the country’s clean water is limited and the number of Nigerians living under the international extreme-poverty line remains high. These organizations address different parts of Nigeria’s poverty crisis. Here is some information about the organizations helping Nigeria address issues pertaining to poverty.

International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee is a humanitarian organization located in 40 countries, focusing on providing safety, education and power to countries that struggle to have it. Currently, the organization helps Nigeria by:

  • Providing support and aid to Nigerians who fled from the states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe due to conflict
  • Distributing mosquito nets to homes to reduce malaria, which caused 84 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021
  • Establishing IRC offices in poverty-stricken states to work more closely with health facilities to make water and sanitation stations more accessible

World Food Programme (WFP)

The second initiative in this list of organizations helping Nigeria is the World Food Programme (WFP). The World Food Programme is a nonprofit organization that works to bring food to about 120 countries and territories, specifically those that are victims of weather extremes, wars and natural disasters. In August 2025, the WFP reopened 150 nutrition clinics after they were suspended due to funding shortages, providing Nigerians locally sourced nutritional meals called Tom Brown to fight the country’s malnutrition. Tom Brown is blended flour made with millet, sorghum, soybeans and groundnuts. Currently, the organization helps Nigeria by:

  • Strengthening nutritional social safety nets, ensuring people will have enough to eat in case of a sudden catastrophic event
  • Working with the Nigerian government on climate-smart agriculture and solar boreholes
  • Aiming to sustain at least 700,000 people with food and nutrition assistance each month, prioritizing children and pregnant or breastfeeding women and girls

Helpers Social Development Foundation (HSDF)

The Helpers Social Development Foundation is a nonprofit organization located in Enugu, Nigeria, focusing on eradicating one of the most crucial causes of poverty in Nigeria and other African countries: lack of education and childcare. In 2021, the foundation opened a nursery and free education school in Enugu. Currently, the organization helps Nigeria by:

  • Distributing school supplies to underprivileged children for free
  • Operating a free nursery and primary school for underprivileged children
  • Empowering youth and women through skills training

Concluding Thoughts

These organizations that are helping Nigeria address different parts of Nigeria’s poverty crisis through health, nutrition, water, sanitation and education support. No single organization can solve poverty alone, but their work shows how targeted programs can help vulnerable communities access essential services and opportunities.

– Ares Bryant

Ares is based in Portland, OR, United States and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Getting Dinner on the Table: Hunger in Yemen

Hunger in YemenSince the outbreak of the Israel-Palestine war in 2023, many people have become familiar with Hamas, a condemned militant wing that launched the Oct. 7 cross-border attack. However, fewer people are familiar with another allied political force making waves just 1,500 miles away in Yemen.

Houthi Influence in Yemen

An Iran-backed armed movement known as the Houthis utilizes military force, coercion and propaganda to win support and gain governmental control. They seized Yemen’s capital city of Sanaa with Iranian support, and today, Yemen’s national government remains in contention with Houthi-controlled regions of the country.

Beyond lingering political tension, a severe humanitarian crisis has unfolded for ordinary Yemenis. Nearly three-quarters of Yemen’s population lives below the poverty line. Houthi militia are positioned near Yemen’s Red Sea Bab el-Mandeb Strait, causing blockages, trade and import delays, maritime attacks and embargoes that mirror the Strait of Hormuz situation in Iran. Separately, flooding and changing weather patterns have endangered home-grown crops and exacerbated waterborne illnesses. These economic pressures have led more than 60% of Yemeni families to report insufficient food consumption.

NGO Efforts

While economic reform efforts progress slowly, a few notable nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) lead hunger relief on the ground. UMMA Foundation, an American-based nonprofit aiding 23 countries, plays the long game by distributing food baskets packed with nutritional basics. With staples including lentils, rice, oil and seasoning, these baskets can sustain a family for one month, providing continued nourishment during a precarious time, according to the UMMA Foundation. Save the Children, which has worked in Yemen since 1963, operates similar food basket distributions and also supports 200 health clinics, providing life-saving care to 5 million children across the country.

Funding Challenges

Yet hunger in Yemen often persists due to funding gaps. While several organizations have launched coordinated response plans to scale relief efforts, the 2026 United Nations (U.N.) Yemen Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan reveals a tough reality. The plan seeks $2.16 billion to reach 12 million people across Yemen. According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of May 2026, only about 13% of that funding had been committed by donor governments — one of the lowest funding levels the response has seen in more than a decade — posing a continued hindrance to food, hygiene, water, medical and basic goods for those 12 million people.

Although hunger in Yemen may no longer dominate major media stories, the country’s struggle remains one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises. Whether millions of families receive the attention needed will depend on sustained international funding toward organizations already working around the clock. The work already underway shows that food baskets, nutritional support and sustained aid investment can put dinner back on the table when families need it the most.

– Natasha Agarwal

Natasha is based in Philadelphia, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Fighting Food Insecurity in Somalia: New Hope for Technology

Food Insecurity in SomaliaThe recent drought is a prominent cause of food insecurity in Somalia, leading to mass displacement as citizens leave their homes in search of new water sources. Early 2026 has proven difficult as the country faces below-average rain seasons, which are depleting water sources and grazing conditions for livestock and reducing agricultural production. The World Food Program is using new technological advancements to predict a crisis, allowing organizations to prepare assistance to curtail its impact in remote regions.

The Drought

Without the means to sustain livestock or crops, farmers take a financial hit, while the remaining portion of the country suffers from insufficient food supply. Mass displacement is not the only concern; malnutrition is another major consequence of the drought as it contributes to the issue of food insecurity in Somalia. The International Organization for Migration claims that this recent drought now accounts for three out of every four new displacements, a 22% increase from last year, resulting in a total of 62,000 people displaced.

Somalia’s geography and topography make the country susceptible to natural disasters. This unfortunately means that little can be done to reduce or prevent droughts.

The long-lasting drought has forced families to travel to find water sources, worsening a poverty crisis. The informal settlements that have subsequently emerged bring their own challenges, including overcrowding with limited water or sanitation and inadequate shelter.

Current Initiatives

The World Food Program (WFP) is a major organization working to combat food insecurity in Somalia and the rest of the world. Children, unable to work or grow food, are forced to rely entirely on their parents or guardians. This increases their vulnerability to food insecurity, which the WFP focuses on.

With the help of the WFP, schools provide more than 100,000 meals to their primary school students. This not only helps immediately feed children, it also injects more than $750,000 into the economy. Local farmers or markets supply portions of these meals, even as the conflict in the Middle East has driven food prices up drastically. The WFP addresses two major areas in this program, supporting a struggling economy and its most vulnerable citizens.

Introducing AI

One of the most recent strategies the WFP has implemented is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hardest-hit region of Burhakaba. This technology previously existed in HungerMap Live as a platform that displays data on food insecurity to the general public. It tracks what areas of the world are in need as an estimate, but its ability to predict future hunger crises was limited.

As of April 2026, the program received an update that addressed these limitations, introducing new predictive AI features that allow governments and WFP field offices around the world to mobilize resources and act before a crisis worsens.

This new technology can help organizations identify where food assistance may be needed in the future, giving the WFP a chance to prepare and respond before a crisis worsens. By allowing provisions and other assistance to be prepared and deployed earlier, predictive technology could help reduce the severity of hunger and malnutrition during a crisis.

New Hope

While organizations like the WFP are dedicated to helping the world’s most vulnerable communities, sometimes their technology and infrastructure can only do so much. This new introduction of AI in Somalia provides hope for the future of technology to battle global poverty, assisting remote areas while allowing governments and organizations to act preventatively rather than in response.

– Angelica Ciaravino

Angelica is based in Toronto, Canada and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Being Poor in Madagascar: The Poverty Paradox of a Nation

Being Poor in MadagascarThe mention of Madagascar may cue images of DreamWorks Pictures’ 2005 animated comedy for many. However, far removed from this fictional imagery is the fourth largest island in the world, Madagascar, a country with one of the world’s highest poverty rates, at about 80%. For the majority of its more than 30 million people, being poor in Madagascar means surviving on less than $2.15 per day. The United Nations often describes the country’s poverty crisis as the result of a convergence of shocks.

Government Instability and Infrastructure

Since gaining independence in 1960, Madagascar has remained an impoverished nation despite a wealth of natural resources. A consistently fragile governmental system has resulted in little investment in developing the nation’s infrastructure. Accusations of corruption have been a constant issue surrounding the country’s governance, with Madagascar ranking 148th out of 180 countries on the Corruption Perceptions Index in 2025.

Frustration over failures to provide basic amenities like water led to nationwide protests in 2025, when the youth movement Gen Z Madagascar demanded the removal of President Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina fled the country and was impeached, and the military then seized power. Despite this, Madagascar remains one of the poorest countries in the world. With a gross domestic product (GDP) per capita of about $550 and inflation rates of more than 8%, the sluggish economy is reflected in the nation’s underdeveloped infrastructure.

Madagascar’s poor quality of road networks is an area where this underdevelopment is stark. Both national and local roads are mainly dirt tracks, with more than 17 million rural residents not living within two kilometers of an all-season road. This creates issues for those in rural communities accessing essentials such as water, as well as reducing Madagascar’s agricultural productivity. National electrification also remains low, with only 36% of the population connected to electricity, and those connected facing consistent issues. The consequences of this electrical instability have seen production costs rise, as well as businesses unable to expand.

Food Insecurity

In Madagascar, about three-quarters of households rely on agriculture to survive. However, recurrent climate shocks have drastically reduced agricultural production, with rural communities in the southern region experiencing the worst effects. Scarred landscapes have been further damaged by drought, destroying rain-dependent crops.

Frequent cyclones and flooding in the southeastern regions have had similarly devastating consequences. Frezina Iarina, a 30-year-old mother from a remote village in Madagascar, has felt these consequences firsthand, as the European Commission documented her struggles in 2024. Iarina had to work 10 hours a day as a laborer, being paid four cups of rice, after losing her small plot of land to Cyclone Freddy in 2023. She told of how a diet of only rice and cassava had led to three of her youngest children showing signs of malnutrition. This resulted in them having to be fed fortified peanut paste by members of Action Contre la Faim, one of the European Union’s humanitarian partners.

These events, combined with limited market access, mean that roughly 1.7 million people in Madagascar are facing high levels of food insecurity. With nearly 40% of children under five affected by malnutrition, many of them are also being denied an education, as they are required to work in fields alongside their parents.

Aid and Being Poor in Madagascar

A handful of organizations are providing humanitarian assistance to try to relieve some of the suffering that being poor in Madagascar creates.

  • The World Food Programme’s (WFP) Mission – WFP is adopting an integrated approach, identifying women and children as two vulnerable groups it feels are in critical need of nutritional support.
  • Feedback Madagascar Meets Mary’s Meals – After working with more than 500,000 people in the region for more than 30 years, Feedback Madagascar has identified the need for holistic support. By collaborating with Mary’s Meals, a school feeding program, the schoolchildren of Madagascar are able to receive one nutritious meal a day.
  • Female Focused Farming – Women-led solidarity networks are empowering women by giving them access to land and teaching them sustainable farming techniques. One of these is agro-ecology, a technique that aims to reduce dependence on chemical fertilizer and costly foreign seeds. These programs have helped to create a more climate-proof agricultural environment and enabled more than 37,000 families to grow their own food locally.

Future Outlook

Despite the current situation in Madagascar remaining bleak, with nearly 1.9 million people assisted by WFP in 2025, there is hope that the future does not have to be. Rural development, through improving both the country’s road systems and farming methods, can ease the pressure on urban labor markets. However, both internal systemic change and help from outside governments and organizations are needed.

There is evidence that these changes are already taking place, with the government promoting agro-ecology through drought-resistant seeds. Continuation of these practices can help to finally reduce poverty and potentially free Madagascar from this decades-long paradox.

– William Snow

William is based in Chepstow, Wales and focuses on Good News and Technology for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Women-led Community Kitchens in Peru Fight Hunger

Community Kitchens in PeruFood insecurity remains a serious challenge in Peru. In 2025, moderate or severe food insecurity affected 30.5% of the population, meaning about three in 10 people had difficulty accessing enough food in quantity or quality, according to Peru’s National Institute of Statistics and Informatics and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (U.N.). Against this backdrop, women-led community kitchens in Peru known as ollas comunes have become an important safety net for families facing hunger.

How Ollas Comunes Work

Women-led community kitchens in Peru, or ollas comunes, operate as neighborhood food spaces where volunteers organize, cook and distribute low-cost meals. In many cases, women lead this work, turning limited resources into daily meals for families, children, older adults, migrants and other vulnerable groups.

The model expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many Peruvians lost income and struggled to access food. Although many kitchens began as an emergency response, they continue to operate because food insecurity remains high. Their ability to adapt from a short-term crisis response into a lasting source of community support highlights the resilience of local volunteers and the important role ollas comunes continue to play in improving food access. By 2021, there were at least 2,000 operating in Lima.

Food Rescue and WFP Support

Following the rapid expansion of ollas comunes during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the World Food Program (WFP) launched a dedicated support project to strengthen the kitchens and improve food security. In Peru, WFP worked with partners such as Caritas, Banco de Alimentos Peru and local farmers to transport food that otherwise might have gone to waste, including potatoes, celery, strawberries, onions and grapes.

WFP and its partners distributed rescued fresh food to 2,000 ollas comunes in Lima alone, reaching hundreds of thousands of people. Through its ollas comunes project, WFP also distributed more than 8,000 metric tons of food and nonfood items, including kitchen kits, to nearly a quarter of a million people between July 2021 and July 2022.

This support addresses more than hunger. WFP also provided nutrition guidance, kitchen equipment, refrigerators, food containers and training in food safety and hygiene. These investments helped kitchens remain operational after the immediate pandemic emergency, allowing volunteers to continue serving vulnerable families while reducing food waste and improving nutrition.

Challenges Facing Community Kitchens

Peru’s Defensoría del Pueblo, or ombudsman’s office, supervised 991 ollas comunes and 2,616 comedores populares across the country. Together, these two types of food spaces served more than 200,000 users nationally — a separate, more targeted count than WFP’s broader Lima-area distribution figures above, since the two organizations tracked different programs and regions. Within that oversight sample, the supervised ollas comunes alone served 65,284 people, most of them older adults, while the comedores populares served 140,350 people, most of them women.

Although significant gaps remain, these findings have prompted renewed calls for stronger municipal investment and oversight, reflecting growing recognition of the kitchens’ importance in Peru’s food security system. The Defensoría del Pueblo found that many kitchens need stronger support from local governments, better food distribution and more oversight of public resources. About 72.5% of kitchens reported receiving no municipal support to improve equipment. The report called for action to improve the conditions of ollas comunes and comedores populares, noting their role in protecting the right to food and addressing hunger, anemia, malnutrition and other poverty-related challenges.

These findings show that community kitchens do not offer a complete solution on their own. They rely on volunteers, municipal support, equipment and steady access to food. Without these resources, women-led kitchens may struggle to meet the needs of the communities they serve.

A New Direct Purchasing Model

Peru’s Ministry of Development and Social Inclusion has introduced a pilot program that could give community kitchen members more control over food access. The ministry announced that more than 125,000 members of ollas comunes and comedores populares in metropolitan Lima will be able to purchase food directly, without intermediaries, to avoid overpricing.

The ministry said women members requested the initiative because they wanted a system that would allow them to better manage food purchases. This direct purchasing model could help kitchens stretch limited funds while reducing the risk that inflated prices will cut into meal supplies.

Looking Ahead

Women-led community kitchens in Peru show how local action can help reduce hunger during periods of crisis and economic hardship. By combining volunteer leadership, food rescue, government support and direct purchasing, ollas comunes offer one approach to improving food access in vulnerable communities.

However, their long-term success depends on continued investment. Stronger municipal support, reliable food distribution, better infrastructure and more accountability can help these kitchens remain a sustainable tool in Peru’s fight against hunger. As food insecurity continues to affect millions of Peruvians, ollas comunes show how women-led community organizing can help protect families and strengthen local resilience.

– Ben Jordan

Ben is based in Saint Louis, MO, USA and focuses on Technology and Solutions for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Rebuilding the Table: Fighting Food Insecurity in Peru

Food Insecurity in PeruThe COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted food security in Peru, leaving many without reliable access to nutrition. Peru ranked as one of the countries hit hardest by the pandemic. By July 2022, the country saw nearly 6,500 deaths per million people, surpassing every other country, according to the World Bank. Food insecurity following the pandemic remains a significant concern, and efforts are underway to address it.

Efforts to Combat Hunger

Initially, Peru addressed hunger through Action Against Hunger. In May 2023, 16.6 million people faced food insecurity, meaning more than half of the population could not access a healthy diet, based on the State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) 2022 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). In Metropolitan Lima, around 80% of families experienced moderate or severe food insecurity, as reported by Action Against Hunger. Refugees and migrants are particularly vulnerable, with nearly 894,000 individuals affected, according to a 2026 ReliefWeb situation report.

By 2025, nearly 30.5% of the population experienced moderate or severe food insecurity. They lacked reliable access to enough food, facing reduced diet quality or sometimes going without eating. Rising prices have exacerbated the situation, forcing vulnerable families to alter their consumption and eating habits, making a nutrient-adequate diet unaffordable for many. Food prices have pushed the basic food basket, a fixed list of items needed to meet a household’s nutritional requirements, to 378 soles, equivalent to about $110.

Another impact of the food crisis is that 12.1% of children under 5 experience chronic malnutrition. These children have a height substantially below what is expected for their age, caused by ongoing poor nutrition, low-quality diets or recurring illness early in life.

Community Support Initiatives

Action Against Hunger addresses urgent needs and food insecurity among both the Peruvian national and migrant populations through support for community kitchens. Food insecurity affects multiple vulnerable groups, sometimes at even higher rates.

Carmen Elizabeth Castillo began running the canteen at Casa de la Esperanza shelter during the COVID-19 emergency, when Action Against Hunger became the first organization to support her and her staff. Although the shelter had dining space, it lacked staff. Castillo, with Action Against Hunger’s support, coordinated efforts with sheltered families, expanding operations from feeding 30 people to nearly 100. Action Against Hunger also trained her in kitchen management, food handling, storage, meal planning and identifying malnutrition as well as anemia in children.

Sustainable Solutions

Peru also addressed hunger through the Arequipa Nexus Institute for Food, Energy, Water and the Environment (ANIFEWE), a multiphase initiative launched in 2018 by the National University of San Agustín de Arequipa (UNSA) and Purdue University. Now in its third phase, the initiative is funded by UNSA to address key sustainability challenges for the region. As part of the project, the joint team has evaluated community greenhouses across the High Andes of Arequipa in collaboration with partners including AgroRural, local mayors’ offices, schools and civil organizations. This work aims to strengthen household nutrition, local markets and climate-resilient food production.

Julia Bello-Bravo, an assistant professor of agricultural sciences education and communication at Purdue and a co-principal investigator on the project, found through focus groups in Madrigal, Yanque and Sibayo that smallholder farmers often view organic agriculture as an extension of traditional practices rather than modern, market-driven farming — a source of pride tied to family and community well-being. The team also visited greenhouses across urban, school and rural settings to learn what was thriving, what challenges owners faced, and how residents used extra produce, while surveying households without greenhouses to understand barriers to adoption.

Gary Burniske, assistant director for program development in International Programs in Agriculture at Purdue, said the team found everything from “flourishing spaces full of leafy greens to half-abandoned frames.” Many participants received little technical advice after construction, he said, leaving them to face water shortages, high indoor temperatures, pests and labor shortages without guidance.

The greenhouses’ impact extends beyond food. Families can eat what they grow, sell surplus at markets and improve their nutrition. The project also strengthens Purdue’s global partnerships and its leadership in sustainable agriculture, with insights from the Arequipa collaboration feeding back into campus research, teaching and extension work.

Community-Level Support

The Owen Hart Foundation (OHF), established by Martha Hart in memory of her husband, the late professional wrestler Owen Hart, is another initiative that has helped Peru address hunger during and after the pandemic. OHF partners with For The Love of Children Society (FTLOCS) to deliver COVID-19 relief food supplies to villagers in Peru, providing resources such as protective gear, food and medical supplies to help vulnerable children and families. Separately, OHF has also supported committee member Ashid Bahl’s own initiative sending aid to Afghanistan, where a COVID-19-driven hunger crisis has caused severe food shortages, through his organization, For The Love of Children Society.

These efforts in Peru have already made a significant difference in food insecurity. In 2022, Peru saw food insecurity soar to 55% of the population. According to the official joint assessment by Peru’s National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI) and the United Nations (U.N.) Food and Agriculture Organization, the rate of moderate or severe food insecurity dropped to 30.5% in 2025. Action Against Hunger has helped address food insecurity to prevent anemia and malnutrition in Peru. The Arequipa Nexus Institute has focused on market-driven farming, food and nutrition research and the sustainability challenges farmers face. The Owen Hart Foundation has emphasized community-level, hands-on work and programs, including housing, scholarships and partnerships, that have helped people across Peru.

– Debra Pierre

Debra is based in Miami, FL, USA and focuses on Good News and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Currency Crisis Deepens Food Insecurity in Laos

Food Insecurity in LaosDespite a decrease in poverty, food insecurity in Laos has increased amid a currency crisis. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), the prevalence of food insecurity is significantly higher in rural (12.8%) and mountainous areas (19.3%) than in urban (5.6%) and non-mountainous (7.1%).

A Currency Crisis Affects Household Budgets

The Lao kip has fallen by 60% against the U.S. dollar since 2022, driving up prices for food and fuel and straining households already dealing with malnutrition. Inflation climbed above 40% in 2023 before easing to just under 20% by late 2024, following tightened monetary policy and new exchange rate controls.

High food inflation has increased food insecurity in Laos, particularly among urban households that do not grow their own food. The World Bank conducted a survey between May and June 2024, finding that average wages grew 8% in the first half of the year, far below the 26% inflation rate at the time. The share of households reporting a significant negative impact from inflation rose to 58% by June. Many families responded by scaling up home food production and foraging, while rising numbers of workers migrated to Thailand for better pay.

Heavy flooding in 2024 further reduced agricultural output in the country’s northwest, putting pressure on a population where nearly one in three children experiences stunting. According to reports, 20% of the population also remains food-insecure. Even still, Laos is one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region and is expected to graduate from least-developed country status in 2026, though persistent malnutrition and rising anemia and wasting rates continue to threaten that progress.

WFP’s Two-Decade Investment in School Meals

WFP has spent two decades partnering with the Lao government on nutrition and school feeding programs, providing nutritious food and cash assistance when needs exceed government capacity. School feeding began in Laos in 2002 as a pilot program serving 30,000 children and has since expanded to reach hundreds of thousands of students nationwide. The program has been credited with increasing school enrollment by helping 140,000 children in 1,430 schools. According to WFP’s Country Director and Representative, well-nourished, healthy schoolchildren are better equipped to learn, to “fulfill their potential as adults” and to contribute to national development.

With this assistance, there has been a growing number of children enrolled over the past two decades, including children receiving school meals. Thanks to this, they have spent six months longer at school in contrast to their peers who do not receive meals.

WFP’s current strategic plan targets improved nutrition for women, girls and children under 5, alongside a national school meals program intended to reach vulnerable districts by 2026. The plan builds on a partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. It helps smallholder farmers, especially women, to supply diversified, nutritious food directly to schools, strengthening local agricultural markets alongside child nutrition outcomes.

ADRA’s Community-Based Nutrition Programs

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) also runs programs addressing hunger and malnutrition directly, focusing on reproductive-age women and children under 5 in Lao, Khmu and Hmong villages. ADRA staff, village health volunteers and health center staff visit pregnant and lactating mothers at their homes to inform them on health messages and teach them how to take care of their own health, their families and children.

Its Positive Deviance/Hearth approach enrolls malnourished children in a 12-day community feeding and education program, teaching mothers to prepare nutritious meals while monitoring children’s growth for a full year afterward. In Xiengkhuang Province, acute malnutrition among children under 5 has reached as high as 10.43%, chronic malnutrition 33.43% and underweight 12.71%, underscoring the need for sustained intervention.

In addition, through past projects like the Mok Mai Integrated Development Initiative, which was implemented in Lao and Hmong villages in Mok Mai District, Xiengkhuang Province from 2010 to 2016, ADRA analyzed the local communities to determine what kinds of agriculture systems are suitable in the local context.

ADRA worked to provide training for the establishment of Group Enterprises to aid in the development and sustainability of local markets, which helped local value-adding processes within the target villages. By having farmers and producers collaborate, the Group Enterprises empowered local producers to not only improve their livelihoods but to improve the overall agricultural landscape within their communities.

The project’s goal was to increase resilience and decrease vulnerability to poverty in target rural communities through a comprehensive integrated approach to ground-level community development.

Building Resilience Amid Economic Uncertainty

These programs are building long-term resilience against food insecurity even as Laos navigates continued economic uncertainty. With the launch of the National Action Plan on Transition toward Sustainable Food Systems Transformation in partnership with the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Asian Development Bank, the plan focuses on specific areas to bring action and prioritize inclusive, resilient and nature-positive food systems. As it heads toward graduation from least-developed country status, this will be an opportunity for change.

– Joy Kohol

Joy is based in Muncie, IN, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Food Security After the Ukraine War

Farmer harvesting wheat in a vast field under a clear sky. Food Security After the Ukraine WarMillions of households across developing countries continue to struggle with rising food costs despite improvements in global commodity markets. Food security after the Ukraine war will remain a major concern for governments, humanitarian organizations and vulnerable communities as food inflation limits access to basic necessities. Although international grain prices have fallen from their 2022 peak, many countries still experience elevated food prices that contribute to hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

Russia and Ukraine play a crucial role in global food production. Before the war, the two countries accounted for nearly 30% of global wheat exports, around 20% of maize exports and more than 50% of sunflower oil exports. When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, disruptions to Black Sea shipping routes immediately affected global food supplies and international markets. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reported that its Food Price Index reached an all-time high of 159.7 points in March 2022, largely driven by soaring cereal and vegetable oil prices.

Why Food Prices Have Not Fully Stabilized

Although commodity markets have become less volatile since 2022, food security continues to face several challenges. Transportation and shipping costs remain higher than before the conflict in many regions, while global supply chains are still recovering from initial wartime disruptions. Several countries also introduced export restrictions to protect domestic food supplies. For example, India restricted wheat exports in 2022, while countries including Kazakhstan and Serbia implemented temporary controls on grain exports. Although intended to stabilize domestic markets, these measures reduced food available on international markets and increased prices for import-dependent countries. According to the World Bank, food price inflation remains above 5% in many low- and middle-income economies, while several countries continue to experience food inflation exceeding 20%.

Changing Climate and Food Prices

Climate-related disasters have added another layer of pressure to global food systems. Droughts, floods and extreme heat have reduced agricultural production across several regions, making food markets more difficult to stabilize. According to the World Food Programme (WFP), conflict, the changing climate and economic instability now intersect to create one of the world’s largest food security crises. In countries already dependent on imported food, failed harvests and extreme weather events often lead to even higher prices and reduced food availability. As a result, global food security today is shaped not only by geopolitical conflict but also by climate-related disruptions affecting agricultural production worldwide.

The impact of high food prices extends far beyond grocery bills. According to the World Bank, food inflation continues to place enormous pressure on low-income households that already spend a significant portion of their income on food. The World Bank estimates that around 700 million people worldwide live in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $2.15 per day. Even modest increases in food prices can force families to skip meals, reduce dietary quality or withdraw children from school to afford basic necessities. Countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, West Asia and South Asia remain especially vulnerable because many rely heavily on imported food. Rising prices have increased food insecurity, malnutrition and financial hardship for millions of households already living near or below the poverty line.

How International Organizations Are Responding

Despite ongoing challenges, international organizations continue to strengthen global food security through emergency assistance and long-term agricultural investments. Founded in 1961, WFP operates in more than 120 countries and territories, providing emergency food assistance, school meals and nutrition programs. In 2024, the organization assisted more than 150 million people, helping communities affected by conflict, climate disasters and economic crises. The FAO, established in 1945, supports more than 130 countries by strengthening agricultural production, improving farming techniques and helping governments build resilient food systems that can better withstand future shocks. Meanwhile, the World Bank has committed more than $45 billion toward food and nutrition security initiatives since 2022. These investments support farmers, improve irrigation systems, strengthen agricultural supply chains and increase access to affordable food in vulnerable countries. Together, these organizations are helping countries move beyond emergency relief by investing in long-term food resilience, agricultural productivity and sustainable development.

Food Security After the Ukraine War

Although international commodity markets have improved since the height of the crisis, food affordability remains a significant global challenge. Ongoing geopolitical tensions, climate-related disasters and fragile supply chains continue to affect food access for millions of people. However, there are encouraging signs of progress. Investments in climate-resilient agriculture, stronger food systems and expanded humanitarian assistance are helping vulnerable communities recover. Programs led by the WFP, FAO and World Bank continue to improve agricultural resilience, support farmers and expand access to nutritious food. Continued international cooperation, targeted investments and sustainable agricultural development will be essential to reducing poverty and ensuring that future global shocks do not leave millions of people vulnerable to hunger. By strengthening food systems today, governments and humanitarian organizations can build a more secure and resilient future for communities around the world.

– Srinidhi Madhavan

Srinidhi is based in Leeds, UK and focuses on Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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How Biofortified Beans in Rwanda Are Fighting Hidden Hunger

Biofortified beans in RwandaWhile many people in Rwanda consume enough food each day, millions still suffer from “hidden hunger,” a lack of essential vitamins and minerals despite getting enough calories. Although Rwanda has made significant progress in reducing poverty over the past two decades, about 30% of the population still lives below the national poverty line, and chronic malnutrition remains a major challenge, specifically in rural communities. Limited access to diverse, nutrient-rich foods means many low-income families rely on staple crops that provide calories but lack essential micronutrients.

One of the most common nutrient deficiencies is iron deficiency, which can lead to anemia, fatigue, impaired cognitive development and reduced productivity. To address this issue, researchers, government agencies and international organizations have introduced biofortified beans in Rwanda, a nutrition-focused agricultural innovation that is helping improve health outcomes for vulnerable populations.

What Are Biofortified Beans?

Biofortification is the practice of boosting crops’ nutritional content through traditional plant breeding. Biofortified crops are created by choosing and developing plants that naturally contain increased quantities of nutrients, in contrast to genetically engineered crops. Scientists developed iron-rich bean varieties that contain approximately 40% to 60% more iron than conventional beans while maintaining the taste and cooking qualities consumers prefer.

As beans are already one of Rwanda’s most widely consumed staple foods, they are a good candidate for biofortification. Improving the nutritional value of a food that people already eat regularly allows families to increase their iron intake without changing their diets. When consumed consistently, iron-biofortified beans can provide up to 80% of the daily iron requirements for women and children, making them one of the most effective food-based approaches to reducing iron deficiency, according to HarvestPlus. Biofortification provides a workable solution to lower iron deficiency without necessitating significant dietary adjustments by increasing the nutritional content of a frequently consumed item.

Why Iron Deficiency Matters in Rwanda

One of the main causes of anemia in the world is iron deficiency, which has serious health impacts. In Rwanda, anemia remains a widespread public health concern, affecting about 37% of children under 5 and 20% of women of reproductive age, according to the Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey. In addition to promoting healthy pregnancies and child development, these advancements can help people perform better at work and in school.

Regular consumption of iron-rich beans has been shown to improve iron status, memory and attention among women of reproductive age. Studies supported by HarvestPlus also found that women who regularly consumed iron beans experienced significant improvements in iron status and cognitive performance, demonstrating measurable health benefits beyond improved nutrition.

Increasing the iron content of beans, which are already widely consumed across Rwanda, offers an affordable approach that benefits both rural and urban populations. Families can obtain additional nutrients from crops they already grow and eat instead of relying solely on supplements or commercially fortified foods.

Expanding Access Through Partnerships

The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), HarvestPlus and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) collaborated to develop and distribute iron-rich bean varieties across Rwanda.

According to HarvestPlus, partners have concentrated on bolstering seed systems, educating farmers and establishing dependable markets for iron beans. By 2018, more than 420,000 smallholder farming households were growing iron beans, while approximately 1.8 million people consumed them regularly. The partnership also trained more than 1,000 agricultural extension workers and 5,000 lead farmers to support cultivation and community awareness.

These collaborations have made it possible for farmers to not only obtain better seeds but also understand the financial and nutritional value of cultivating the crop. Although expanding access to improved seeds and educating farmers requires continued investment, Rwanda’s success demonstrates that biofortification can be effectively scaled through strong partnerships and government support.

Benefits for Farmers and Families

The benefits of biofortified beans in Rwanda go beyond their nutritional value. In addition to improving nutrition, farmers have widely adopted iron-rich bean varieties because they often produce higher yields than conventional beans. According to HarvestPlus, some iron bean varieties increase yields by 17% to 22%, giving agricultural households more chances to make money.

Additionally, the beans have qualities that farmers find appealing, such as resistance to disease, drought tolerance and difficult growing circumstances. Families may increase food security and make extra money from surplus sales when productivity is higher.

Improved nutrition can also help children do better in school and lower health-related costs. These combined advantages show how agricultural innovation may enhance public health and reduce poverty.

A Solution for the Future

The ongoing expansion of these beans serves as an example of how straightforward agricultural fixes may assist in resolving difficult development issues. Iron-rich beans are now a viable tool for battling hidden hunger due to strong government funding, continuous research and collaborations with organizations like HarvestPlus and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

As more countries search for affordable and sustainable ways to combat malnutrition, Rwanda’s success demonstrates that improving the nutritional qualities of staple crops can have lasting impacts on both public health and economic development. By combining scientific innovation with strong partnerships and farmer participation, biofortified beans in Rwanda are helping thousands of Rwandan families build healthier and more secure futures.

– Avery Hoadley

Avery is based in Toronto, Canada and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash