FAO: Dominican Republic no longer classified among countries facing hunger

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic has been removed from the FAO hunger map after reducing the prevalence of undernourishment to below 2.5%, the international threshold used to define hunger, according to the 2026 State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu credited the achievement to the country’s strong political commitment and coordinated efforts to combat hunger, describing the Dominican Republic as an example of how effective public policies can deliver results regardless of a country’s size.

President Luis Abinader said the milestone reflects the collective work of farmers, the private sector, civil society, public institutions, and international partners, including the FAO, the World Food Programme, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. He added that the country will now focus on strengthening agricultural production, family farming, water management, social protection, and resilience to climate and geopolitical risks.

Minister of the Presidency José Ignacio Paliza said the progress was driven by a national food security strategy launched in 2020, centered on food availability, access, nutrition, climate resilience, and governance.

He highlighted several initiatives supporting the effort, including the School Feeding Program, which serves 2.1 million students daily; the Aliméntate program, now reaching 1.49 million households; the Gas Bonus, benefiting 1.3 million households; and the expansion of Economic Dining Halls from 35 to 134 locations, distributing 180,000 free meals each day.

Paliza also noted that agricultural production reached 347 million quintals in 2025, up 5.6% from the previous year, supported by zero-interest financing, irrigation improvements, land titling, and public procurement from local producers.