Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world and the second largest country in South America with a current population of over 44 million people. While Argentina has seen some progress in reducing the rates of hunger and malnourishment, the country still struggles with food insecurity among many children and families.

What Are The Top 10 Facts About Hunger In Argentina?

1. Over the years, Argentina has been decreasing its hunger rates and achieved a less than five Global Hunger Index or GHI score. However, in 2015, 3.6 percent of the population was undernourished and the figures do not look quite good even today.
2. Food insecurity in Argentina has become a reason for concern because the country lacks effective food management strategies to prevent wastage. According to Mercedes Nimo, Undersecretary of Food and Beverages for the Ministry of Agriculture, Argentina wastes about a kilogram of food per person each day.
3. According to the report published by the Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2018, 16 million loads of food are being wasted annually in Argentina. The Senate and ministries of Argentina are trying to devise strategies to reduce the wastage of food. Among the many efforts taken, September 29 has been declared as the ‘National Day for the Reduction of Food Losses and Waste in Argentina’. As of now, the law has issued a half-sanction approval on the date. The purpose of the day is to spread awareness about the tremendous loss of food, to promote effective strategies of food management and thereby lower the rates of hunger among the population.
4. FAO also continues to strengthen food security in Argentina. Their priorities include evaluating the National Plan for Food Security and safeguarding the quality as well as the safety of food.
5. Another organization fighting hunger in Argentina is The Huerta Nino foundation. It is a nonprofit organization located in Buenos Aires which works towards decreasing child malnutrition in the country. They do this by building organic gardens in rural schools. According to this foundation, over 43,000 children benefited from their work and currently they have about 500 active projects in Argentina.

6. In 2015, the Huerta Nino project traveled to La Divina Pastora rural school in Mar Del Sur to initiate their project. The school has a population of 105 students of which 80 percent belong to poor families. According to the school Principal, Rita Darrechon, 10 percent of the students suffer from nutritional deficiencies from the moment they are born and in some cases even at the stage of prenatal growth. The Huerta Nino project aims to fight these nutritional deficiencies by teaching the students how to produce and grow their own food.
7. Yet another organization that focuses on child nutrition in Argentina is Love Volunteers. It is a volunteer organization that has benefitted almost 3,500 unprivileged children.Volunteers at this organization provide children with technical and educational assistance while fulfilling their hunger and nutritional needs.
8. According to Love Volunteers, their ‘Child Nutrition Volunteer Program’ provides nutritious food options to the underprivileged families, educate families and children on the importance of nutritious meal, and thereby improve the general health of the people. The project has the desire to provide food and promote healthy eating habits to children and families who are struggling.
9. In 2015, the White Helmets Commission, the body of Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship that facilitates humanitarian assistance, joined the World Food Programme to fight against hunger in the country. These agencies developed an agreement that aims to improve the assistance provided in emergency situations by ensuring timely distribution of food in the areas affected by disasters.
10. Last but not least, Barrios de Pie is another organization and movement that aims to decrease hunger in Argentina. According to Public Radio International, also known as PRI, in 2018, the soup kitchen created by them provided food for children in La Matanza, a province in Buenos Aires. Their aim, therefore, is to urge the congressional members to approve a food-emergency bill which would add $568 million in funds to support soup kitchens and food policy issues.

1. These top 10 facts about hunger in Argentina represent the country’s consistent efforts in fighting and eliminating hunger. The many organizations operating in the country provide hope to find solutions and strategies to end the hunger epidemic in Argentina.
2. – Charlene Frett
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