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10 Facts on Hunger in Sao Tome and Principe

Hunger in Sao Tome and PrincipeUninhabited until the late 15th century, the isolated, volcanic, central African Sao Tome and Principe islands were first colonized by Portugal, which established a sugar-based economy supported by African slave labor.  The country, which became independent in 1975, is a lower middle-income, semi-presidential republic. Here are 10 facts on hunger in Sao Tome and Principe.

10 Facts on Hunger in Sao Tome and Principe

  1. Only 372 square miles in size, the country comprises two main islands and four islets, with 90% of the land government-owned. Half of the land is agricultural, although only 9% is arable. The country’s population of less than a quarter of a million is 76% urbanized. 
  2. The latest poverty statistics for Sao Tome and Principe, based on 2017 data, report 55.5% of the population below the national poverty line and 15.7% below the international line designation for extreme poverty. 
  3. Sao Tome and Principe are “on course” towards the global nutrition targets on childhood stunting and wasting, as well as exclusive breastfeeding, and have made some progress on low birth weight. However, the 2022 Global Nutrition Report notes no progress or worsening in the prevalence of anemia among women of reproductive age, with over 44% are still afflicted. The country is “off course” with regard to the remaining eight Global Nutrition indicators. 
  4. Challenges faced by the country include remoteness, and lack of economic diversification, with significant dependence on subsistence farming, fisheries and small-scale commerce. There is substantial reliance on external financing, with little private sector development, no access to credit and markets and insufficient job opportunities. All of this is further complicated by energy shortages, high fuel import costs, climate vulnerabilities (e.g., 2021 floods) and external events such as the war in Ukraine.
  5. Balanced against these challenges, the World Bank assesses Sao Tome and Principe’s “significant untapped natural wealth” as a basis for “nature-based tourism.” This is supported by an expectation of growth in agricultural exports and tourism, along with infrastructure development and energy reform 
  6. Sao Tome and Principe legislated approval of the National School Feeding and Health Programme (PNASE) in 2023, which provides a framework for school feeding/food security, food safety and quality/nutrition 
  7. IFAD, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, has been active in Sao Tome and Principe since the 1980s, financing agricultural sector investment projects to facilitate rural community development. Their projects have paid special attention to the inclusion of women and youth in development interventions, and to increase market access with the goal of food and nutrition security, as well as income. IFAD in 2020 financed COMPRAN (Commercialization, Agricultural Productivity and Nutrition Project), which targeted small-scale farmers, with attention to women and youth, and individuals with disabilities or affected by malnutrition.
  8. In 2023, the World Food Programme reported that while small-scale farming increases food availability, still over half of the country’s food is imported. WFP’s 2024-2028 strategy for the country, therefore, is to target United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 1, access to food, especially to ensure that food and other essential needs can be met before, during and after emergencies and disasters. This strategy, which includes funding from Portugal, the U.N. and the private sector, is particularly aimed at school feeding programs that are nutrition-sensitive, gender-sensitive, climate-resilient, green and sustainable. Priority Area I of the African Development Bank Group’s strategy for 2024-2029 engagement in Sao Tome and Principe is to support the development of agricultural and blue economy (ocean resources) value chains. This is in line with Sao Tome and Principe’s Agenda 2030 strategy to reduce malnourishment and includes food security as an area of special emphasis for the bank’s funding. 
  9. In December 2024, Sao Tome and Principe graduated from its least developed country status. Nevertheless, it continues to need and receive external support. This includes IFAD’s nutrition education and school and community food improvement. IFAD projects have included the creation of cooperatives, infrastructure to open up production areas, revitalization of several value chains for organic niche markets and support for the production of various crops. A Rural Poor Stimulus Facility grant of $444,295 reached 4,236 vulnerable households (double its target) and impacted almost 17,000 people (more than double expected).
  10. In December 2024, Sao Tome and Principe graduated from its least developed country status. Nevertheless, it continues to need and receive external support. This includes IFAD’s nutrition education and school and community food improvement. IFAD projects have included the creation of cooperatives, infrastructure to open up production areas, revitalization of several value chains for organic niche markets and support for the production of various crops. A Rural Poor Stimulus Facility grant of $444,295 reached 4,236 vulnerable households (double its target) and impacted almost 17,000 people (more than double expected).

Despite its small size Sao Tome and Principe faces challenges that mirror those of many developing nations. However, through resilience, strategic initiatives and support from the international community, continual progress is being made toward sustainable development, economic stability and reducing hunger in Sao Tome and Principe. Despite its small size, both geographically and in population, the challenges Sao Tome and Principe have experienced are not unique. 

– Staff reports
Photo: Flickr

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Examining Hunger in Saudi Arabia

Hunger in Saudi ArabiaThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country of 36.5 million people, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. It is a desert country, with almost 81% agricultural land, but with 85% of the population urban. Saudi Arabia is an oil-based (since the 1930s), and is considered a high-income country. 

Hunger is Not a Significant Problem

According to the Global Hunger Index, hunger in Saudi Arabia is Low, with the country ranking 37 on the 2024 GHI out of the 127 countries with sufficient data to be included. The indicators comprising the GHI are proportions of the population undernourished (3% in Saudi Arabia), children under 5 stunted (10.8%), children under 5 wasted (4.5%) and children who die before their fifth birthday (0.6%). Saudi Arabia’s scores have been consistently low for decades—all indicators below 10%, except for child stunting, which has been decreasing from just below 20% in 2000.

Nutrition Issues

The 2022 Global Nutrition Report shows a slightly different picture than the GHI. Of the thirteen global nutrition targets monitored, the report shows Saudi Arabia as “off course” for seven targets and no data for three. Similar to the GHI, the country is “on course” for childhood stunting, as well as for the raised blood pressure of women. However, there has been no progress, or worsening, with regard to anemia among women aged 15 to 49. The report also measures progress towards achieving noncommunicable disease targets related to diet, and Saudi Arabia has shown only limited progress there. 

In addition, the country’s obesity prevalence is higher than the regional average: 45.5% of adult Saudi women, as compared to 10.3% for the region and 34.3% for Saudi men, compared to 7.5%. Diabetes is also an issue for adult women and men (19% and 20%, respectively). 

Consistent with the Global Nutrition Report, in November 2024, the Saudi Arabian government agency, General Authority for Statistics, published data indicating that the obesity rate of those aged 15 and above was 23.1%, with 45.1% classified as overweight. Obesity data for children aged 2 to 14 years was 14.6%, with 33.3% overweight. GASTAT also reported that only 10.2% of the population ate the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables. 

Resource Challenge: Water

Water supply is a challenge for Saudi Arabia that affects domestic grain production, resulting in dependence on imports. This means that supply chain disruptions caused by external events, e.g., the war in Ukraine, impact food costs. The country’s strategy includes maintaining strong relationships with the countries supplying grain, as well as effective government policies. This has included incentives for end-users, and policies to ensure smooth trade flows of raw materials. 

Resource Challenge: Rational Consumption

The Citizen Account program was initiated by the government in 2017 to provide cash support to the “most deserving groups of citizens,” with the objective of promoting “rational consumption of resources.” Approximately $229 billion has been distributed since the inception of the program, with over $3 billion in January 2025, as the program was extended through 2025. 

An NGO Response, Local and Beyond

Eta’am is an NGO established in 2011, the first food bank in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. The organization creates strategic alliances in order to save food from waste. It does this by distributing surplus food resources to those in need, as well as with community initiatives in the field of food support. 

In 2022, Eta’am partnered with SABB (the Saudi British Bank) to establish Riyadh’s first central catering kitchen, delivering ready-made meals prepared from food/catering companies’ surplus dry foods to people with special needs, orphans and poor families. The goal has been to reduce food waste (aimed at a half million tons of dry and canned goods) while increasing food security and reducing hunger in Saudi Arabia. 

An April 2022 Eta’am initiative distributed almost 157,000 food baskets to over 900,000 people in 19 countries centered around the holy month of Ramadan. Countries receiving food included Albania, Tajikistan (9,650 baskets of food to 51,400 people), Kosovo (13 tons of food to 220 families), and Niger (1,000 baskets to 5,000 individuals). 

In 2023, the food company Sadia partnered with Eta’am and several Saudi retailers to donate 2.5% of sales during the month of Ramadan. Retailers promoted the campaign to raise consumer awareness about the charity and to increase their participation. 

Strengthening the Kingdom: Vision 2030

Vision 2030, an “ambitious vision for an ambitious nation,” launched in 2016. A blueprint for economic diversification, it was designed in five-year phases, beginning with structural and public sector, economic and social reforms. The country is currently in the second phase, with a focus on investments in key sectors and “ambitious” projects. Eleven programs comprise the Vision, with one area being Health Sector Transformation. 

The NEOM Food Production Company launched in December 2023 to develop sustainable solutions in food production, distribution and consumption. The “Vibrant” society vision includes attention to sustainable living and to efficient health and social care systems. Strategic objectives include easing access to, and improving the value of, health care services, and strengthening prevention against health threats. 

Final Thoughts

While Hunger in Saudi Arabia is successfully being addressed, challenges remain in the areas of nutrition, food security and sustainable resource management. Issues such as obesity, diabetes and reliance on food imports highlight the importance of both government policies and private sector initiatives in ensuring long-term stability. Programs like Vision 2030 and partnerships with organizations such as those developed by Eta’am demonstrate the country’s commitment to addressing these challenges through innovation and strategic planning. Moving forward, continued investment in health, sustainability, and food security will be crucial in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s resilience and ensuring a healthier future for its population.

– Staff Reports
Photo: Flickr

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Hunger in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Hunger in Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesSaint Vincent and the Grenadines (32 eastern Caribbean islands and cays), a small island developing state, is a British Commonwealth parliamentary democracy, colonized in the 18th century. Slave-run plantations dominated the economy until slavery was abolished in 1834. Former slaves and immigrants provided labor until landowners abandoned estates in the early 1900s, leaving the liberated slaves to cultivate the land. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines progressed from an administrative unit of the Federation of the West Indies (1960-62) to autonomy and then finally to independence in 1979. Its population of just over 100,000 is primarily (71.2%) of African descent. 

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an agricultural economy, although over half of its population (54.3%) is urban. Its mountainous terrain is more than two-thirds forest, with less than 13% arable land. It is home to La Soufriere volcano, which last erupted in 1979, and in addition to volcanic eruptions is also threatened by hurricanes. 

Natural and External Challenges

In July 2024, the minister of agriculture for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines declared, “Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is on the brink of food insecurity. On average it has been hit by one natural disaster every year for the past five years, which has disrupted every food chain. We have experienced COVID-19, 32 volcanic eruptions, severe droughts and hurricanes.” June’s Hurricane Beryl, destroyed the country’s fisheries and lobster chain, affecting 95% of vessels and displacing a large percentage of producers and fisherfolk, along with destroying 98% of plantain and banana production. 

By October 2024, however, the World Bank reported that these natural and external disasters and shocks were followed by agricultural recovery and “robust performance” in tourism. Those improvements, along with the implementation of large-scale infrastructure projects, were driving economic growth. Despite high food prices, food security concerns decreased with a decrease in inflation, and the proportion of the population experiencing severe food shortages (no food, or skipping meals, for a whole day) had declined over the year. In addition, food-vulnerable households were supported by existing social programs, including safety net payments.

Agenda for Sustainable Development

In 2015, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines committed to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with the agenda’s 17 sustainable development goals. SDG 2 is Zero Hunger: end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. 

As of 2024, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was assessed as having significant remaining challenges in meeting SDG 2, with its score “stagnating or increasing at less than 50% of the required rate.” The country was on track or maintaining its achievement only with regard to the prevalence of undernourishment and cereal yield, and its major challenge was in the prevalence of obesity. (Data were unavailable on three of the eight indicators.) 

Nutrition Targets

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines has implemented ten national food and noncommunicable disease policies, with targets related to six global nutrition targets. However, the 2022 Global Nutrition Report reported the country as “off course” in meeting all the global nutrition targets for maternal, infant and young child nutrition, no progress in reducing anemia of reproductive age women and insufficient data to assess several other targets. 

The FAO and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joined the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1981. Initial support included capacity building, legislative development, formulation of policy and agricultural planning. Food security programs, technology transfer, market infrastructure and climate change resilience were later foci. Recent FAO contributions to the country have included technical support in 2022 to prepare and implement the country’s first agriculture census in 22 years and, in 2023, assistance to finalize a Fisheries Bill to manage the country’s fisheries resources. 

Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty

In October 2024, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines joined the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. The Global Alliance formally launched in November 2024 to serve as a platform “for the development, implementation, or expedited execution of public policies aimed at SDGs 1 and 2.” Joining the Alliance was Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ commitment to collaborate with Alliance members in addressing solutions to hunger and poverty worldwide. This voluntary membership is significant in recognizing the global challenges of hunger and poverty and the importance of a collaborative and mutually supportive response to those challenges. 

– Staff Reports

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Hunger in Romania

Hunger in RomaniaOriginally under the control of the Turkish Ottoman Empire, Romania was occupied by the Soviets after WWII, which was followed by the abdication of its king. It was ruled for decades by an oppressive dictator who was overthrown in 1989, and controlled by communists until 1996. Now, Romania is a member of NATO and the European Union. Its population of over 18 million is 55% urban and is fairly evenly distributed throughout the country. 

10 Facts About Hunger in Romania

  1. Poverty in Romania has decreased, but inequalities exist. The National Poverty Line rate in Romania was 21.1% in 2022, but the lower International Poverty Line rate was just 1.8% in 2021. However, the rural poverty rate was almost five times higher than the urban rate. Yet, in 2023, Romania had the EU’s highest rate (approximately a third) of its population at risk of poverty or social exclusion. 
  2. Hunger in Romania is low. The 2024 Global Hunger Index (GHI) groups Romania with 22 countries (out of 127 countries ranked) that have a Low score (less than 5; the high is ≥50). All of the GHI’s component indicators for Romania are classified as Very Low. Less than 2.5% of the population is undernourished, 0.7% of children die before reaching their fifth birthday, and of children under 5, 8.1% are stunted and 3.1% are wasted. 
  3. Romania receives high marks on the Global Food Security Index. The overall score Romania received on the Global Food Security Index 2022 ranked Romania 45 out of the 113 countries assessed. Its strength was based on affordability (rank 36), availability (rank 50), quality and safety (rank 27). 
  4. Romania’s rural food insecurity is related to food availability. Research based on a sample of rural small farmers (published in 2024) concluded that perceived food insecurity was more a matter of the amount of necessary and appropriate food available domestically (food availability) than the resources to acquire that food (access). There was direct access to basic foods while there was a lack of diversity in crops available in the geographical area, and increased dependency on imported products. 
  5. Challenges to food security in Romania require a regional response. A study presented at the October 2024, 5th International Electronic Conference on Foods, suggested that food security solutions require collaborative efforts in the region (Romania and the neighboring countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine and Moldova). Recommendations for coordinated approaches to developing sustainable and resilient food systems identified agricultural diversification, infrastructure, food safety regulations and strategies for climate adaptation. 
  6. The war in Ukraine impacts Romania. Action Against Hunger reported that approximately 100,000 Ukrainian refugees are being integrated into Romania, with many considering staying there. Action Against Hunger initiated its program in Romania in 2022, helping almost 12,000 refugees and their host communities last year. The NGO provides monetary assistance for basic needs, in addition to mental health support—psychosocial and psychological services—to refugees. 
  7. Romania is a nation of small farmers. Romania’s agricultural land is estimated at 61% (2018), but only 39% (13.5 million hectares) is arable. Nevertheless, the highest percentage of people employed in agriculture in the EU are in Romania—23% of the labor force (3.5 million farmers)—and their farms comprise about a third of the EU’s agricultural holdings. A very large number of these farms (90%) have individual holdings on small plots of land.  
  8. Romania needs national agricultural policies. Despite the overall high 2022 GFSI ranking, Romania was 80th on the index’s assessment of sustainability and adaptation, most significantly because of ocean health, with oceans seen as a “crucial source” of protein. The country is also assessed in the middle range with regard to political commitment to adaptation, in large part because of the lack of a national climate change strategy covering adaptation for agriculture, and lack of a national policy/incentives for sustainable agricultural practices. 
  9. There is a need to improve the crisis response of Romania’s agricultural systems. A post-COVID-19 study identified the vulnerability of Romania’s agricultural systems, particularly its production systems. This was not unlike the situation in other countries. The agri-food sector supply chains were disrupted, adding to the pandemic restricted access to inputs, technologies, and labor, all of which increased global food insecurity. Conclusions of the study noted several ways to maintain food security during a crisis, including accelerating digitalization, investing in agricultural mechanization and innovation and, in general, maintaining a proactive relationship among agricultural actors in public institutions. 
  10. Romania’s CAP Strategic Plan (2023-2027) addresses agricultural sustainability. Romania has developed a plan to implement the EU’s common agricultural policy (CAP). The goal of Romania’s CAP is to “develop a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector by increasing the economic viability of farms, reducing disparities between farms, and increasing the market orientation and competitiveness of the agricultural sector.” 

While Romania is not facing a hunger crisis, the country’s vulnerability to climate change demands attention to agricultural practices. It is not unreasonable to assume that developing sustainable agriculture will increase food security. Romania’s attention to agricultural innovation goes hand in hand with maintaining its continuing ability to feed its people. This includes the refugees it has welcomed into the country.

– Staff Reports
Photo: Pixabay

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Eradicating Hunger in St. Kitts and Nevis

Hunger in St. Kitts and NevisThe smallest country in the Western Hemisphere, St. Kitts and Nevis is a dual island volcanic nation in the Caribbean, gaining independence from England in 1983. A 1998 referendum to separate Nevis from St. Kitts was unsuccessful.

The Country and the Region

St. Kitts and Nevis is a member of CARICOM (the Caribbean Community), an organization of 21 small developing countries, most of which are island states. CARICOM describes itself as “the oldest surviving integration movement in the developing world”—over 50 years strong—fostering “functional cooperation” in health, education, security and culture. This includes single market functions and a coordinated foreign policy.

Economy

St. Kitts and Nevis’s poverty headcount rate in 2022 was 21.8%, despite having one of the highest GDP per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean (an increase of 16% from the previous year). Like other countries in this region, St. Kitts and Nevis is vulnerable to drought, and to an increase in the frequency and severity of climate hazards, in particular hurricanes. In addition, COVID-19 negatively impacted the country’s tourism-dependent economy.

Hunger and Nutrition

A decade ago, the government implemented a Poverty Reduction Strategy to address hunger in the islands. The strategy was to redistribute resources more equitably, strengthen public, private and community organizations, invest in social services and empower vulnerable groups.

While current data on hunger in the country are not available, the 2022 Global Nutrition Report reported that St. Kitts and Nevis were “off course” in terms of maternal, infant and young child nutrition targets, with insufficient data to assess progress on its other indicators. Of 10 national nutrition policies, the only policy implemented was a sugar-sweetened beverage tax. Of 11 global nutrition targets, St. Kitts and Nevis had a national policy addressing only the reduction of salt/sodium intake.

25 by 25: Reducing Food Import Dependency

The CARICOM region is dependent on food imports, and this is true of St. Kitts and Nevis. This dependency is behind CARICOM’s Vision 25 by 25, a plan to address the region’s increasing food import bill. A long-term partnership has been created between CARICOM countries and the private sector, regional organizations, producers, development partners and civil society to transform the region’s agri-food systems. Furthermore, the goal five years ago was to create resilience and sustainability, ultimately guaranteeing food and nutrition security for the CARICOM countries.

In 2019 (prior to St. Kitts and Nevis’s participation), the CARICOM heads of government conceived of the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation (CPSO), which was initiated in 2020. In response to an “urgent call” for a 25% reduction of the extra-regional food import bill before 2025, CPSO’s response was the 25 by 25 initiative, targeting the “displacement” of $418.8 million of extra-regional agri-food imports.

25 by 25 in St. Kitts and Nevis

St. Kitts and Nevis has identified the root cause of its import dependency to rest in imperfect land cultivation and the poor business practices of both farmers and vendors. One approach the Ministry of Agriculture is taking is to work with a local community college to train farmers in the best use of produce and in becoming more business oriented. Indeed, in noting that food sustainability requires year-round food production and education in “smart farming,” in 2023, officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture met with crop and livestock farmers to develop a basis for the Government’s participation in the 25 by 25 initiative, aimed at decreasing the country’s food import bill and increasing food security.

Supporting this effort, the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture in St. Kitts and Nevis on its 25 by 25 Agenda.

In February 2025, Hon. Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources discussed one initiative to tackle the country’s $198 million food import bill: an export “niche” project focusing on hot peppers to the Tabasco company. The export niche focus means training farmers in their crop of choice and then addressing crop-specific land preparation, seed choice, time of planting, pest and disease management, harvest and post-harvest management, processing, sales and marketing, in other words, the complete value chain.

Predicting the Future

It remains to be seen whether the many efforts to reduce hunger in St. Kitts and Nevis by transforming the country’s local food production, will fulfill Minister Duggins’s prediction that the country will become the “food mecca of the Leeward Islands,” thanks to the 25 by 25 Agenda.

– Staff Reports
Photo: Flickr

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4 Facts about Hunger in Qatar

Hunger in QatarThe State of Qatar is a small country located on the Qatar Peninsula in the Middle East, neighboring Saudi Arabia on its southern land border and surrounded by the Persian Gulf on all other sides. Since gaining its independence from Britain in 1971, Qatar has been a constitutional monarchy. It is a desert nation with a small population of 2.6 million, 99.4% urban, with only 1.1% of its land arable. Its economy is driven largely by its natural gas and oil reserves. 

Despite its strong economy and high per capita income, Qatar still faces issues related to hunger. Here are four facts about hunger in Qatar.

Qatar’s Global Rankings

In 2024, Qatar ranked 30th out of 113 countries in the Global Food Security Index (down from 13th in 2019)—an international database that considers quality, affordability and availability of food. However, while Qatar is ranked 9th in availability and 21st in affordability, it is only 47th in quality and safety and 51st on sustainability and adaptation. Some of its weakest indicators are lack of a national policy or strategy to empower women farmers, extent of agricultural research and development and extent of disaster risk management. Qatar could not be comparatively ranked on the 2024 Global Hunger Index because of a lack of available data on undernourishment. But on the other GHI indicators related to hunger, the country’s statistics are very low: 6.2% of children under 5 stunted and 1.5% wasted, and 0.5% of children who die before their fifth birthday. 

Dependency on Imported Food

Agriculture is a challenge in Qatar because of the arid climate, sandy soil and scarcity of water. Qatar therefore has imported 90% of consumed food, with imports providing as high as approximately 80% of the demand for perishable crops. 

Qatar’s Large Migrant Worker Population

Qatar is home to a million person, mostly Asian, migrant work force, which is 95% of its total labor force, with half of these workers in construction. The high COVID toll in Qatar five years ago left many migrants jobless, and hungry. Subsequently, the FIFAWorld Cup 2022, hosted by Qatar, exposed “the vulnerabilities of and abuses faced by low-paid migrant workers and migrants in general.” During this same period, the Canadian-based Migration and Food Insecurity in Cities of the Global South project (MiFood Project) expanded its Hungry Cities Partnership research network to additional countries, including Qatar. This was a three-year project focused on migrant workers and food security. 

Success and a New Strategy to Increase Food Security

Qatar’s successful National Security Strategy 2018-2023 strengthened Qatar’s food security infrastructure, with enhancements in cultivated areas, production capacity, and food marketing systems, as well as addressing climate change. Building on this success, in January 2025, Qatar announced its National Food Security Strategy 2030 to secure food supplies by significantly increasing local food production and making Qatar 55% self-sufficient in vegetable production, 100% self-sufficient in fresh chicken and dairy by the end of the decade, and 80% for fish and 30% for red meat. 

Overall, hunger in Qatar is relatively low due to the country’s general prosperity and the government’s diligent efforts to improve food security. While the nation’s geographic location means the threat of food still exists, the country’s forward-thinking and proactive efforts are addressing this threat.

– Staff Reports

Photo: Wikimedia

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Addressing Food Insecurity in Haiti

Food Insecurity in HaitiHaiti, a neighbor to the Dominican Republic, is experiencing a food insecurity crisis on account of gang violence, political instability and economic turmoil, increasing poverty and food shortages. The gang violence has led to a disruption in food distribution and access for individuals such as children and families with pregnant women, who are displaced within the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince. Changing weather and limited agriculture have contributed to food insecurity in Haiti, resulting in 5.4 million Haitians experiencing hunger. Changing weather patterns is making it difficult for Haitian crops to grow as natural disasters are continuously coming by sweeping the sparse crops away. Haitians in Port-au-Prince, especially those who are displaced, are also having a hard time either being able to afford or reach food supplies, contributing to food insecurity in Haiti. Fortunately, organizations around the world are coming together to help feed Haitians who need help.

Food Insecurity in Haiti and the Malfety Canal

A variety of reasons make it hard for Haiti to feed itself, one of them being its reliance on imported goods. Improving infrastructure could be beneficial in lessening dependence on other countries’ goods and ensuring a more sustainable way for Haiti to feed itself in the future. Different organizations, such as P4H Global, raise money to support community-led building for canals, bridges and various other infrastructures that allow Haiti to become self-sufficient and feed itself.

According to the P4H Global, the Malfety Canal will allow the water located at the border between the Dominican Republic and Haiti to be distributed to the Malfety community. The Mafety Canal will irrigate about 7,000 agricultural land leading to a consistent water supply during dry seasons, and improved crop production by providing controlled water. The controlled water supply will then lead to more diverse crop production and better economic growth for Haiti because it will provide a more stable income for farmers and better prices for consumers. The water will allow the Haitians to start producing food for their people and start the end of the substantial imported goods.

How WFP Is Fighting Food Insecurity in Haiti

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is currently helping feed people in Haiti. The WFP first started helping Haiti back in 1969. It then partnered with the World Bank back in 2019 to maximize its impact on countries struggling with food insecurity. With food insecurity in Haiti getting worse, the WFP, the World Bank and local NGOs have been providing food assistance for hot meals, cash transfers and school feeding programs to ensure that the people are being fed.

Combating Climate Challenges

The World Bank is working tirelessly to help Haiti combat climate issues through climate-smart agriculture. The organization first started helping Haiti through the Emergency Resilience Agriculture for Food Security project in March 2022. The World Bank claims that practicing climate-smart agriculture such as irrigation systems helps minimize the damage of natural disasters which overall leads to the Haitian community not having to rebuild every time there is a catastrophe. The project developed in 2022 has currently led to irrigation and drainage on 2,244 hectares. The World Bank is also funding 115 all-inclusive agricultural schools to teach the Haitians about farming impacting 21,739 farmers (44% of whom were women), covering an agricultural area of 11,113 hectares.

Looking Ahead

In response to food insecurity in Haiti, organizations around the globe are helping Haiti. P4H Global, an organization run by Haitian citizens and descendants, is building infrastructure like the Malfety Canal to provide a reliable water supply for agriculture. Meanwhile, the WFP and the World Bank are working together to feed the Haitian people through hot meals, cash transfers and school feeding programs. Climate challenges have also impacted Haiti but organizations like the World Bank are working with the Haitian people by teaching and providing them with climate-smart agriculture. Hopefully, these efforts will reduce food insecurity in Haiti moving forward.

– Naysa Saint Fleur

Naysa is based in Fort Myers, FL, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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10 Facts About Hunger in Puerto Rico

10 Facts About Hunger in Puerto RicoThe Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a Caribbean island, currently of three million people, which was ceded to the United States after the Spanish-American War. Puerto Ricans were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917. Its constitution, enacted in 1952, provides for internal self-government, and subsequent plebiscites supported continuation of that status. However, a 2020 referendum showed a narrow preference for statehood.

Puerto Rico is 94% urban, with its 2023 GDP equally split among industry, pharmaceuticals, electronics, apparel, food products, tourism and services. 

10 Facts About Hunger in Puerto Rico

  1. A Context for Hunger. Puerto Rico has been vulnerable to poverty and hunger, hit hard by COVID-19 (2020) and natural disasters such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria (2017), a 2020 earthquake, and Hurricane Fiona (2022). These challenges, combined with seven years of economic instability, including government bankruptcy, have deepened the crisis.
  2. Poverty: Hunger’s Partner. Puerto Rico has experienced poverty of over 20% (“persistent poverty“) for more than five decades, with 43% of the population below the federal poverty level in 2021. Particularly affected have been children, women and residents of the rural highland (the country’s interior and most rural and mountainous region). This poverty is linked to insufficient economic activity and employment opportunities, “circumscribed by Puerto Rico’s political relationship with the United States.” A recent study by CENTRO, the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, cites the sunset of IRS tax benefits for corporations doing business in Puerto Rico (2006) and the elimination of Puerto Rico’s comparative trade advantages (1989, 2005). 
  3. Hurricanes and Food Insecurity. Food insecurity before the hurricanes (October 2017) was 30-60%, or 1.5 million people, with child food insecurity at 56%. After the hurricanes (2019), food insecurity was estimated to be at least 85%.
  4. Nutrition Assistance Program (NAP). In lieu of the U.S.’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides assistance based on need, Puerto Rico receives food assistance to low-income households via NAP (Nutrition Assistance Program) through fixed-amount, capped block grants. The FY 2023 grant was $2.8 billion, serving approximately 1.4 million participants/month. NAP allows Puerto Rico to operate a Family Markets Program, whereby participants can receive an additional 4% in benefits to purchase local food products from nearby Family Markets; and the elderly population receives a 20% increase. The NAP grant was increased to over $2.9 billion for FY 2024.
  5. Building on NAP. The FY 2024 plan of operations developed by the Socioeconomic Development Administration of Puerto Rico’s Department of the Family notes NAP’s focus not only on food purchase benefits but also on increasing nutrition, promoting healthy food habits and increasing and protecting overall health and well-being. The plan’s projected activities included continuing the development of the Family Markets and the NAP Purchases online programs. Among other initiatives is establishing a NAP call center, a Restaurant Means Program for NAP participants with special needs and the purchase of a new mobile unit.
  6. Supplemental School Program. No Kid Hungry is preparing to close the “summer meal gap” in 2025 by providing meals for children when school is out.
  7. Preparing for Food Emergencies. Self-described as the country’s “premier Latino nonprofit membership organization,” the Hispanic Foundation, founded in 1990, has been providing emergency hunger relief in Puerto Rico since Hurricane Maria in 2017. The organization provided half a million dollars of nutritious food and water supplies to Puerto Rican communities suffering from 2022’s Hurricane Fiona. And in 2023, a new preparedness program was piloted to stock 23 community-managed kitchens in 20 municipalities with a three-day supply of nonperishable food.
  8. Development as a Context for Reducing Hunger. Hunger Corps, despite its name, does not directly target hunger, but works in marginalized communities for a minimum of five years, “building homes, kickstarting small businesses, rebuilding schools and more.” Founded in Puerto Rico in 2012, and originally including projects in Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Honduras, Hunger Corps moved entirely to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
  9. An Alternative to Food Banks. Súper Solidario Coop was founded in 2020 by a group of young people who had been distributing hot meals after Hurricane Maria. Described as a matter of “food sovereignty” rather than hunger or food insecurity, the Solidarity Supermarket has evolved into an “initiative for self-managed food distribution,” providing food at no charge to those below the poverty line. They now serve around 399 families/month through food-based initiatives, including the solidarity supermarket with a “health shelf” where people can select two medicines to take home. The solidarity supermarket also offers both fresh and warehouse goods at lower prices and free monthly delivery. Local businesses provide donations and customers can volunteer in exchange for goods. Federal and state funding—obtained as a social project—helps to cover administrative expenses. In addition, the facility is a community meeting place, often offering talks on health, diet, agriculture and mutual support.
  10. Developing Agro-Entrepreneurship to Address Food Insufficiency. Borne out of the impact of Hurricane Maria, CAM (Circuito Agroempresarial Multisectoral) is a collaborative model for the increased production and consumption of fresh produce, training communities to develop market gardens that will be sustained through emergencies and climate phenomena. USDA has supported a Farm to School Expo for middle and high school, bringing together teachers, farmers (growers and producers) and buyers to address marketing, purchasing, local food product consumption, school gardens and curriculum integration. 

Puerto Rico Modeling Approaches to Hunger

While the extent of hunger in Puerto Rico is not as severe as in many other countries, it still has generated some creative approaches that might also serve other countries well.

– Staff Reports
Photo: Pixabay

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Biofortification to Minimize Hunger in Panama

Panama, known for the Panama Canal, is characterized by its tropical forests and mountainous terrains, connecting Central America to South America. Over the last two decades, Panama has experienced economic growth and attained the status of a high-income country. However, inequality remains a significant issue, with disparities between the urban, rural and indigenous populations. The government is taking steps to improve the situation and reduce poverty and hunger in Panama. 

Current Statistics

Panama has made significant progress towards decreasing poverty, hunger and malnutrition and achieving SDG 1 and SDG 2.

Combating Hunger and Malnutrition with Everyday Foods

Panama’s success has been made possible because of the government’s dedication to combatting inequalities, hunger and malnutrition through various food fortification and nutritional programs. Some of these programs are mentioned here. 

  • School Lunch- The Ministry of Education has launched various programs to improve children’s health, especially in the vulnerable population. These initiatives provide meals  (grains) fortified with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, D, zinc and folate.
  • Fortification of Crops- The government of Panama, in collaboration with the other partners, has been running a biofortification program called AgroNutre since 2006. Fortified varieties of beans, sweet potato and maize have been released, whereas pumpkin, cassava and cowpea fortification is planned. 
  • Mandatory Fortification of Staple Foods- Panama mandates fortifying wheat flour and rice with essential micronutrients to combat deficiencies among the population. 
  • Fortified Milk- In partnership with Tetrapak, the government is providing fortified milk to over 200,000 children in around 400 schools nationwide. The milk is fortified with 10 vitamins, three minerals and Omega 3 and aims to reduce stunting and wasting in children.

Through these initiatives, Panama is bridging disparities in its population and aims to elevate the quality of life for its citizens.

– Maria Waleed

Photo: Flickr

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Hunger in Guinea-Bissau

Hunger in Guinea-BissauGuinea-Bissau is a small West African country on the Atlantic Ocean coast, with a population of approximately 2 million. Despite its abundant natural resources, Guinea-Bissau faces significant challenges. Years of political instability and other factors have led to increased hunger and poverty in Guinea-Bissau. 

Facts and Figures

  1. In 2023, GDP grew by 0.1%, reaching an overall growth rate of 4.3%.
  2. The poverty rate, defined as living on $3.65 a day, has worsened and now stands at 65% in the country. 
  3. According to the Global Hunger Index, Guinea-Bissau ranks 114th out of 127 countries facing a severe hunger crisis. 
  4. The prevalence of undernourishment in the population has increased over the past decade, rising from 34.8% to 37.9%. 
  5. The percentage of children under 5 suffering from stunting has grown from 26.4% in 2012 to 27.7% in 2019 and 72 out of 1000 die before their fifth birthdays. 
  6. Guinea-Bissau is one of the five countries with the highest maternal mortality rate, which is 725 per 100,000 live births.

Underlying Issues

  • Political: Guinea-Bissau gained independence in 1974 but faced challenges such as military coups, political unrest and weak governance. Additionally, widespread drug smuggling has worsened corruption and undermined the government. These issues significantly contribute to the country’s weak economy, hunger and poverty.
  • Weak infrastructure: The country has underdeveloped infrastructure, including poorly maintained roads, limited electricity supply and inadequate health care facilities. Weak governments and corruption have further hindered infrastructure development.
  • Over-dependence: Guinea-Bissau relies almost entirely on cashew nuts for its export revenues, which account for 95% of its total exports. This heavy dependence makes the economy highly vulnerable to price fluctuations. Additionally, the lack of diversification in agriculture and exports worsens issues such as poverty, food insecurity and hunger in Guinea-Bissau.
  • Extreme weather: Guinea-Bissau is among the top five countries most affected by extreme weather, experiencing problems such as rising sea levels, erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts and flooding. These environmental issues have negatively impacted biodiversity, fishing and agriculture. As a result, the country is facing rising poverty levels, increased food insecurity and heightened hunger. 

Development Programs

International organizations are working with the government to reduce poverty and hunger in the country.

  • Food security- The WFP provides cash assistance to families needing immediate support and school meals to prevent malnutrition and stunting in children. UNICEF and the World Bank have partnered to launch a Scale Up Nutrition program. The initiative targets reducing stunting and malnutrition while improving maternal and child health.
  • Agriculture Development- Organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Food Program assist farmers by supplying seeds, fertilizers and training. The FAO is also collaborating with the government to develop drought-resistant crops. The aim is to build resilience and mitigate impending climate impacts.

Towards A Sustainable Future

Guinea-Bissau faces daunting challenges, including high poverty rates, food insecurity and the impacts of political instability and weather events. However, through collaborative efforts between the government and international organizations and a focus on sustainable development, agricultural resilience and the promotion of food security, Guinea-Bissau can work towards a future where all citizens have access to basic needs and opportunities. Continued commitment and investment from the international community in these areas will be crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty and hunger in Guinea-Bissau. 

– Maria Waleed

Maria is based in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons