World Hunger, an increasing problem

World Hunger has been an issue long before the pandemic and now, as a consequence of COVID-19 the situation has gotten worse due to a rise in unemployment and disruption in food production chain. On Dec. 2, an initiative was presented to the Chamber of Deputies with changes to the General Law concerning the right to an adequate nourishment.

The UN has warned that the hunger epidemic will continue to grow in Latin America and the Caribbean. According to the “Panorama report of food and nutrition security in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020," over 47 million people are suffering from hunger and by 2030 the number of people in a hunger situation will rise to 67 million. This grim figure is certain to interrupt ODS´s main objective: to eradicate hunger by 2030, states the Panorama report of 2020.

Lina Pohl, FAO's representative in Mexico, said, "Continuing to act as usual will not be enough to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Therefore, this General Law may be a watershed that reverses the trend in Mexico." The law guarantees accessibility and availability of food without discrimination based on economic or social status.  These initiatives were first proposed in 2011 so as to comply with the objective of cero hunger by 2030, states the UN´s press release.  During the event,  Mexico was acknowledged for presenting this initiative,  while the UN-endorsed a commitment to design the initiative's framework.

Countries that have participated in this legal framework include: Bolivia, Colombia, Brazil, Cuba, Costa Rica, Guyana, Guatemala, Ecuador, Honduras, Honduras, Haiti, Surinam, Paraguay, Panama and Nicaragua. These countries have seen a decrease in hunger by 1.4 percent when compared to the previous studies.

For Mexico, taking these actions could be considered a big step forward from where the country stood two months ago, according to an MBN article. The biggest problem facing hunger in Mexico today is the lack of acknowledgment that this problem does in fact exist.  For instance, during the UN´s 75th Assembly, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that hunger in Mexico did not exist.

The UN concluded taking measures towards food safety should be considered a top priority, given the current situation and the uncertainty the  COVID-19 has brought.  In the past five years, there has been an increase in people who suffer from hunger, and those numbers will surely rise considering the current world situation.