According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 36.8 percent of Ecuadorians are currently experiencing some difficulty in obtaining nutritious food, the media reported.
The study adds that in this universe 2.3 million are severely food insecure, meaning they spend more than a day without eating.
According to the international organization, the lack of resources to buy food is leading people to turn to cheap, low-nutrient foods to satisfy hunger.
The residents of the provinces of Morona Santiago, Napo, Chimborazo, Cotopaxi, Pastaza, Bolívar and Esmeraldas are those most at risk of food insecurity due to poverty, the newspaper stressed.
Furthermore, the text, published this Wednesday in the paper and digital versions of the newspaper, says that the children of Tungurahua, Chimborazo and Cotopaxi are the ones suffering the worst conditions, with the highest rates of malnutrition.
The President of Ecuador, Guillermo Lasso, said Tuesday, during the opening of a seminar on chronic child malnutrition organized by the World Bank, that tackling this problem entails high costs for governments.
Statistics show that 27 percent of Ecuador’s minors are malnourished, and in light of this unavoidable reality, the executive announced investing $350 million a year to reduce the problem by 2025.
More than 500,000 new suitable jobs have been created during his tenure, the chief executive said the day before, but the country’s economic and social situation does not reflect this growth, observers warn.
For public policy analyst Juan Pablo Jaramaillo, Ecuador has not yet recovered from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Unfortunately, there is only a partial recovery, the expert commented on Twitter on the statements made by Economy and Finance Minister Pablo Arosemena, who celebrated half a million new jobs in the country.
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