Dominican Republic reduced hunger levels and leads school feeding in the Caribbean

Santo Domingo.- The representative of the World Food Program (WFP) in the Dominican Republic, Gabriela Alvarado, presented a global perspective on increasing hunger and food insecurity worldwide. While global hunger and food insecurity have been on the rise, the Dominican Republic stands as an exception.

According to the latest progress report on Sustainable Development Goal 2 (zero hunger) by the United Nations, the number of people facing hunger and food insecurity is increasing globally. In 2022, 9.2% of the world’s population, approximately 735 million people, suffered from chronic hunger, which was an increase of 122 million more people compared to 2019.

Alvarado highlighted the importance of school feeding programs in the Caribbean, which support approximately 3.8 million children daily, with almost 53% of them in the Dominican Republic.

While the Dominican Republic, like other countries, faces nutritional challenges, it has managed to reduce malnutrition in children. However, the nation is also grappling with challenges related to overweight, obesity, and micronutrient deficiencies, commonly referred to as hidden hunger.

Despite global trends, the Dominican Republic has shown a decrease of 6.3% in the prevalence of hunger, contrasting with the global increase. These insights were shared during the celebration of “World Food Day” at the National Palace.