Abinader at FAO, the Dominican Republic defeats hunger

The Dominican Republic has left the FAO hunger map. This was announced by President Luis Abinader during the opening of the World Food Forum in Rome, underlining that fighting food insecurity "is not another social policy, but a moral obligation". According to the latest report, the Caribbean country has reduced the prevalence of underutilization from 21.3% to less than 2.5%.

“Hunger doesn't just empty a plate, it can empty an entire lifetime of opportunities,” Abinader said. The government has based its strategy on two fronts, namely the increase in agricultural production and the support of families' purchasing power. Extreme poverty has fallen from 8.7% to just 2.2%, while social programs now reach over two million students and guarantee more than 183,000 free meals daily.

"No country defeats hunger just from an office", added the Dominican leader, reiterating the need to create jobs and concretely support producers. At the end of the speech, FAO Director General Qu Dongyu announced that Abinader will receive the organization's Agricultural Medal for his contribution to food security.