Latin America and Mexico in particular have acted with great responsibility in the commitment to put an end to hunger, however there still exist challenges to attend, for despite progress 34 million people still do not have access to proper nourishment, stated President Enrique Peña Nieto.
During the 34th Regional Conference of the United Nations for Agriculture and Food (FAO), the president underlined that the region of Latin America and the Caribbean was the only in the world to reach the goals established in the Millennium Goals, managing to reduce by half the percentage of people who suffer from hunger.
The president indicated that Mexico increased its agricultural production substantially and, thanks to this, in 2015 its agro-food exports went up by 26 billion 373 million dollars, 16.6 percent more than a the beginning of his administration.
The increase in exportations allowed closing the year with a surplus in commercial trade balance in the agro-food and fishing sector by 289 million dollars, when 20 years ago the balance was negative.
Additionally, Peña Nieto pointed out that, three years after that start of the National Crusade Against Hunger, more than 8 thousand community kitchens had been installed in vulnerable areas of the country, over 580,000 families can acquire basic products at preferential prices and nearly 7 million families are affiliated to “Prospera” which offers scholarships and support for productive projects,
FAO GRANTS MEXICO RECOGNITION
The director of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations José Graziano da Silva, recognized Mexico’s commitment to combating hunger and stated that although it is not an easy task the country is on the right track, saying that the president should not be discouraged by critics.
Next to the president, Graziano da Silva recommended that Mexico and Latin American countries to strengthen their social programs to avoid seeing the financial crisis affect the advances in eradicating hunger.
The FAO shared the estimate that by 2050 there will be 9 billion 700 million inhabitants, and to guarantee food for all production will have to increase by 66 percent.