Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020: Food Security and Nutrition for Lagging Territories

By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

The goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that are related to food security and nutrition will not be achieved as long as, in some territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, populations continue to live with malnutrition rates. Economic opportunities in these areas are often limited, public services are scant, and exposure to severe climate events is high. The public policies promoted in the region have had less impact in these historically lagging territories, and there is a pressing need to produce a new agenda of public instruments that address the characteristics of the communities that inhabit them.

The full and sustainable development of the territories that are falling behind is not only an obligation in terms of the realization of the rights of their inhabitants; it would also allow these territories to activate their social, economic, environmental and cultural potential, to the benefit of all societies.

It is hoped that the 2020 Regional Overview will help to highlight the challenges experienced by the territories with the worst indicators in terms of food and nutrition, and that it will serve to mobilize political commitment and public attention towards those areas that are most highly lagging.

The year 2020 will be remembered for many decades as the year of the COVID-19 pandemic. The indicators of the 2030 Agenda that are used in this publication do not yet show the different impacts of COVID-19. However, there are references to the possible implications of the pandemic for the future.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
• Release date: Jun 21, 2021
• ISBN: 9789251345412

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

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FAO, IFAD, PAHO, WFP and UNICEF. 2021. Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean 2020 - Food security and nutrition for lagging territories. Santiago. https://doi.org/10.4060/cb2242en

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Cover photo: © Mauricio Mireles 2019. Indigenous family belonging to the Guarani Mbya People, San Juan Indigenous Community in the Department of Caagaguazú, Paraguay.

CONTENTS

TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES

FOREWORD

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABBREVIATIONS

GEOGRAPHICAL SUBREGIONS OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND COUNTRY CODES

PRESENTATION

PART 1

TOWARDS ZERO HUNGER AND HEALTHY LIVES FOR ALL PEOPLE

1.1. SDG 2. END HUNGER, ACHIEVE FOOD SECURITY AND IMPROVED NUTRITION AND PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

1.1.1. Target 2.1. End hunger and ensure access for all people to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year

1.1.2. Target 2.2. End all forms of malnutrition

1.2. SDG 3. ENSURE HEALTHY LIVES AND PROMOTE WELL-BEING FOR ALL AT ALL AGES

1.2.1. Target 3.1. Reduce the global maternal mortality ratio

1.2.2. Target 3.4. Reduce by one-third premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases...

1.3. OTHER INDICATORS RELATED TO FOOD AND NUTRITION

1.3.1. Overweight and obesity throughout the life cycle

1.3.2. Implementing a comprehensive plan for maternal, infant and small children’s nutrition..

PART 2

FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION FOR LAGGING TERRITORIES

2.1 LAGGING TERRITORIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN IN RELATION TO MALNUTRITION

2.1.1. How many territories are lagging?

2.1.2. Spatial distribution of lagging territories

2.1.3. Principal determinants of malnutrition in lagging territories

2.1.4. Anticipated effects of COVID-19 on hunger and their territorial representation

2.2. POLICIES TO ADDRESS MALNUTRITION IN LAGGING TERRITORIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

2.2.1. Measures to improve and promote economic access to adequate nutrition in lagging territories

2.2.2. Measures to improve the production and physical access to foods that promote adequate nutrition in lagging territories

2.2.3. Measures to improve the use and quality of foos in lagging territories

BIBLIOGRAPHY

ANNEXES

TABLES, FIGURES AND BOXES

TABLES

TABLE 1 PREVALENCE OF UNDERNOURISHMENT AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE AFFECTED IN LATIN AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES, 2000-2019

TABLE 2 PREVALENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 2014-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

TABLE 3 POPULATION WITH FOOD INSECURITY IN SELECTED COUNTRIES OF LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 2014-2019. IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

TABLE 4 PREVALENCE (%) AND MILIONS AFFECTED BY FOOD INSECURITY BY GENDER IN PEOPLE AGES 15 AND OLDER IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND WORLDWIDE, 2017-2019

TABLE 5 INDICATORS ASSOCIATED WITH LAGS IN RELATION TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

TABLE 6 INDICATORS ASSOCIATED WITH LAGS IN RELATION TO PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

TABLE 7 INDICATORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE DOUBLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, ACCORDING TO THE CLASSIFICATION OF TERRITORIES

TABLE 8 POLICIES TO ADDRESS MALNUTRITION IN LAGGING TERRITORIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

FIGURES

FIGURE 1 EVOLUTION OF PREVALENCE OF UNDERNOURISHMENT, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, SUBREGIONS AND WORLDWIDE, 2000-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 2 NUMBER OF UNDERNOURISHED PEOPLE, LATIN AMERICA AND SUBREGIONS, 2000-2019. IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

FIGURE 3 EVOLUTION OF DISTRIBUTION OF UNDERNOURISHED PEOPLE BY SUBREGION, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 2000-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 4 EVOLUTION OF PREVALENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY BY SUBREGION, LATIN AMERICA, 2014-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 5 EVOLUTION OF NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITH FOOD INSECURITY BY SUBREGION, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 2014-2019. IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

FIGURE 6 EVOLUTION OF PREVALENCE OF FOOD INSECURITY BY GENDER IN PEOPLE AGES 15 AND OLDER, LATIN AMERICA AND SUBREGIONS, 2014-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 7 EVOLUTION IN NUMBER OF PEOPLE AFFECTED BY FOOD INSECURITY BY GENDER IN PEOPLE AGES 15 AND OLDER, LATIN AMERICA AND SUBREGIONS, 2014 AND 2019. IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

FIGURE 8 GAP BETWEEN WOMEN AND MEN AFFECTED BY FOOD INSECURITY, 2014 AND 2019. IN PERCENTAGE POINTS AND IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

FIGURE 9 EVOLUTION IN PREVALENCE OF STUNTING, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND SUBREGIONS, 1990 AND 2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 10 PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN SELECTED COUNTRIES, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, ORGANIZED BY SUBREGION, LATEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM 2010 ONWARDS. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 11 DECREASES IN THE PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, DECADES 2000 AND 2010. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 12 PREVALENCE OF WASTING, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND SUBREGIONS, 2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 13 PREVALENCE OF WASTING IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION. LATEST INFORMATION AVAILABLE FROM 2010 ONWARDS. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 14 EVOLUTION OF PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND SUBREGIONS, 1990-2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 15 PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5 IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND BY SUBREGION, LATEST DATA AVAILABLE FOR EACH COUNTRY FROM 2010 ONWARDS. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 16 VPERCENTAGE VARIATIONS IN PREVALENCE OF CHILDHOOD OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN UNDER AGE 5 IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, DECADES 2000-2010. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 17 PREVALENCE OF DOUBLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND SUBREGIONS, 2019. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 18 MATERNAL MORTALITY PER 100,000 LIVE BIRTHS, COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND WORLDWIDE, 2018

FIGURE 19 PERCENTAGE OF DEATHS DUE TO NCDs, ACCORDING TO DISEASE TYPE, IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, SUBREGIONS, AND WORLDWIDE, 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 20 PROBABILITY OF DEATH DUE TO NCDs IN PEOPLE AGES 30 TO 70, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN AND WORLDWIDE, 2010 AND 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 21 PREVALENCE OF OBESITY IN PEOPLE OVER AGE 18, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, SUBREGIONS AND WORLDWIDE, 2000 AND 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 22 PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN PEOPLE OVER AGE 18, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION, 2000 AND 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 23 PREVALENCE AND MILLIONS OF CHILDREN (AGES 5 TO 9) AND ADOLESCENTS (AGES 10 TO 19 AÑOS) AFFECTED BY OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, 1990-2016

FIGURE 24 WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE WITH ANEMIA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION, 2012 AND 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 25 WOMEN OF REPRODUCTIVE AGE WITH ANEMIA, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION, 2012 AND 2016. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 26 PREVALENCE OF LOW BIRTH WEIGHT, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION, 2012 AND 2015. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 27 RATE OF EXCLUSIVE BREASTFEEDING DURING FIRST 6 MONTHS IN SELECTED COUNTRIES IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN, BY SUBREGION. LAST YEAR AVAILABLE FROM 2010 ONWARDS. IN PERCENTAGES

FIGURE 28 HIGHLY LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN CHILDREN UNDER 5, LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

FIGURE 29 LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA (PLURINATIONAL STATE OF) AND CHILE

FIGURE 30 LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN COLOMBIA, ECUADOR AND PERU

FIGURE 31 LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN COSTA RICA, GUATEMALA AND NICARAGUA

FIGURE 32 LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN HONDURAS, MEXICO, EL SALVADOR AND PANAMA

FIGURE 33 LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF STUNTING IN SURINAME, JAMAICA, HAITI AND GUYANA

FIGURE 34 HIGHLY LAGGING TERRITORIES DUE TO PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 IN