The FAO representative told Prensa Latina that, since the Food Systems Summit, convened by the United Nations in 2021, the issue of hunger has regained prominence on the global agenda.

Sanches pointed out that the problem lies not in food shortage, but in physical and economic access to it.

In his opinion, inequality, aggravated by factors such as climate change, armed conflicts, and the economic crises following the Covid-19 pandemic, is the leading cause.

He noted that, despite the availability of food in the markets, millions of people cannot access it due to economic limitations.

In this context, the official explained that the FAO is promoting a multilateral cooperation mechanism with an approach based on data and scientific evidence, monitoring the trade flows of the planet’s main food products, such as wheat, corn, soybeans, and potatoes, which represent nearly 60 percent of global consumption, whether in their raw or processed form.

In an interview with Prensa Latina within the framework of the First High-Level Meeting “Public Policies for Food Sovereignty and Food and Nutritional Security,” the FAO sub-regional coordinator addressed the impact of import dependence on Latin American and Caribbean nations.

abo/iff/npg/mks