FAO asks government to maintain food programs, despite withdrawal of tax reform

Santo Domingo – On Wednesday, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) asked the Dominican government to continue developing food programs to reduce hunger.

This is despite having withdrawn the “Fiscal Transformation” bill, with which the Executive Branch intended to raise more revenues to invest in important social systems.

As he explained, the FAO representative in the Dominican Republic, Rodrigo Castañeda, hopes that the public administration will continue to work to reduce the indices that measure the people’s lack of food.

“I don’t see a lack of resources (in the country). At this time, tax reform has not been passed. So, we hope all social programs are maintained because giving food to two million children helps a lot…” said Castañeda.

Castañeda also recalled the country’s recent progress, registering a drop in the statistics of the undernourishment framework from 8.3% in 2020 to 4.6% in 2023.

According to the presidential statement published on July 24, this achievement freed 500,000 families from the food scourge.

The report indicates that progress is the result of strengthening school feeding programs, social aid through the Supérate program, and the expansion of economic canteens.

According to the details, the National Institute of Price Stabilization (Inespre) established more open markets, allowing a better distribution to more than 1.5 million vulnerable citizens.

Castañeda issued these statements while participating in the first national forum on school feeding, which was held in the Chamber of Deputies, the National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie), and the World Food Program (WFP).

In addition, several legislative commissions studied bills related to the development of Dominican families.

Tax reform

The tax reform bill was withdrawn from the lower house last Tuesday. President Luis Abinader made that decision in response to its widespread rejection in society, which prompted isolated protests in various provinces of the national territory.