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The way ahead

Commitment, followed by resources and action

The World Food Summit: five years later is almost upon us. World leaders will again assemble in Italy, as they did in 1996 and 1974. What do we have to tell them?

In the five years since the Rome Declaration and the World Food Summit Plan of Action were adopted, some progress has been made in reducing the developing world's undernourished population, both in absolute numbers (with a decline of approximately 40 million) and as a proportion of the total population (falling from 20 to 17 percent).

However, as was seen in the first two articles of this report and confirmed in the data tables (p. 51-57), progress has been very uneven from country to country. While the total number of undernourished has declined, the majority of countries have seen their numbers rise. As many readers will doubtless point out, the primary interest should not be aggregate statistical indicators. What really matters is the action being taken to reduce food deprivation and poverty at the country level. Assuming a threshold figure of 5 percent of a population being undernourished, then 93 out of a total of 125 developing and transition countries listed in the data tables can be said to have a food deprivation problem.

How is this problem perceived in each of these countries? Is there a manifest national commitment to deal with the problem as an urgent priority? Is it possible to know whether national leaders take this issue seriously? There are certain indicators that can help us gauge a nation's response to food insecurity.

First, let us start with the numbers of undernourished as estimated by FAO. How are these numbers perceived at the country level? Is the estimate thought to be too high and, if so, on what basis? It is always encouraging, as well as useful, when countries put forward alternative figures that have stronger empirical foundations, since this demonstrates that they are grappling with the problem. It would in fact be very appropriate if all countries were to set their own national targets for halving undernourishment by 2015.

Next, if the FAO estimate (or an alternative) is plausible, who are the people who are undernourished and where in the country do they live? Does the country concerned know about its poor and hungry? Does it characterize them in terms of livelihoods, environment and any special risks they face, such as drought or disease? Does it know why these groups suffer from chronic food deprivation? Is it willing to construct an operationally useful set of vulnerability profiles?

Finally, what resources are being used to treat both the symptoms and the more fundamental causes of undernourishment and poverty? Is food aid available? Are there other safety net programmes, including mechanisms that provide cash assistance? Are long-term research and development efforts under way to increase and sustain the productivity of the natural resource base? Are educational programmes in place to improve health and hygiene practices? Are these investments adequate to bring an end to the problems faced? If not, what additional resources can be mobilized and is the country taking action to mobilize them? How can local communities contribute to filling the "resource gap" and is government (and the international community) supporting their efforts?

The aim of these questions is to assess a country's commitment to overcoming hunger and deprivation. What each country actually needs to do will depend on specific national circumstances. As has been said in past years, there is no single formula to follow. The examples of "taking action" in The State of Food Insecurity in the World this year have covered a variety of interventions that can have a significant impact. These interventions show how much can be done, if the political will and the resources are there. They also show that eliminating hunger is not just a moral imperative; it also makes economic sense - increasing productivity, raising incomes, creating jobs and adding to the demand for goods and services throughout the economy.

FAO continues to believe that the goal of halving the number of undernourished people in the world by 2015 can be achieved, if countries and their development partners make this their objective. It has become clear, however, that the resources needed to accomplish this task are not being made available when and where they are most needed. In some cases, this is because countries are in the midst of a civil war, which dramatically increases the number of the hungry and effectively blocks all but minimal assistance. In other cases, external partners have refrained from doing all they might, because of past corruption and misuse of resources in recipient countries. However, these factors do not explain the whole picture of inadequate responses. It is the hope of FAO that the World Food Summit: five years later will allow all its partners to renew their commitment to overcome hunger and poverty and to follow up their pledge by increasing the flow of resources devoted to this aim.

Glossary

Anthropometry
Use of human body measurements to obtain information about nutritional status.

Body mass index
A ratio of weight for height often used to estimate body fat. It is obtained by dividing a person's weight (kg) by the square of their height (m). BMI is not appropriate for the assessment of growing children, frail and sedentary elderly individuals, or women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Degree of food deprivation
A measure of the overall food insecurity situation in a country, based on a classification system that combines prevalence of undernourishment, i.e. the proportion of the total population suffering from a dietary energy deficit, and depth of undernourishment,
i.e. the magnitude of the undernourished population's dietary energy deficit.

Dietary energy deficit
The difference between the average daily dietary energy intake of an undernourished population and its average minimum energy requirement.

Dietary energy intake
The energy content of food consumed.

Dietary energy requirement
The amount of dietary energy required by an individual to maintain body functions, health and normal activity.

Dietary energy supply
Food available for human consumption, expressed in kilocalories (kcal) per capita per day. At the country level, it is calculated as the food remaining for human use after the deduction of all non-food consumption (exports, animal feed, industrial use, seed and wastage).

Dollar purchasing power parity
The purchasing power of a country's currency in relation to the US dollar; the number of units of a given currency required to purchase a basket of goods and services valued at US$1 in the United States.

Food insecurity
A situation that exists when people lack secure access to sufficient amounts of safe and nutritious food for normal growth and development and an active, healthy life. It may be caused by the unavailability of food, insufficient purchasing power or the inappropriate distribution or inadequate use of food at the household level. Food insecurity, poor conditions of health and sanitation and inappropriate care and feeding practices are the major causes of poor nutritional status. Food insecurity may be chronic, seasonal or transitory.

Food security
A situation that exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

Gini coefficient
An aggregate numerical measure of income inequality ranging from 0 (perfect equality) to 1 (perfect inequality). The higher the value of the coefficient, the higher the inequality of income distribution; the lower the value, the more equitable the distribution of income.

Growth monitoring
Growth monitoring is one aspect of nutritional surveillance. Anthropometric measurements (weight, height, arm circumference, etc.) are taken on an ongoing basis to track a child's growth progress over time, usually through the use of a growth chart. Anthropometric measurements allow the compilation of growth indices such as wasting, stunting, underweight - commonly used for children - and body mass index (BMI) - increasingly used for adults.

Kilocalorie (kcal)
A unit of measurement of energy: 1 kcal = 1 000 calories. In the International System of Units (ISU), the universal unit of energy is the joule (J). 1 kcal = 4.184 kilojoules (kJ).

Low birth weight
Newborn infants who weigh less than 2.5 kg at birth.

Macronutrients
Used in this publication to refer to the proteins, carbohydrates and fats that are required by the body in large amounts and that are available to be used for energy. They are measured in grams.

Malnutrition
An abnormal physiological condition caused by deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in energy, protein and/or other nutrients.

Micronutrients
The vitamins, minerals and certain other substances that are required by the body in small amounts. They are measured in milligrams or micrograms.

Mid-upper arm circumference
The measurement of the arm circumference at the level of the mid-upper arm by applying a circumference measuring tape; an indirect measure to assess two important components of the body: fat and fat-free mass (these are important because body fat is the main storage form for fats, whereas fat-free mass - usually muscle - is a good indicator of the protein reserves of the body).

Minimum dietary energy requirement
In a specified age/sex category, the amount of dietary energy per capita that is considered adequate to meet energy needs for light activity and good health. For an entire population, the minimum energy requirement is the weighted average of the minimum energy requirements of the different age/sex groups in the population. It is expressed in kcal per capita per day.

Nutritional status
The physiological state of an individual that results from the relationship between nutrient intake and requirements and from the body's ability to digest, absorb and use these nutrients.

Nutritional surveillance systems
Nutritional surveillance systems are data collection systems which, on an ongoing basis, systematically collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate data on food- and nutrition-related outcomes, i.e. anthropometric indices for use in the planning, implementation and evaluation of nutrition action programmes.

Overnourishment
Food intake that is continuously in excess of dietary energy requirements.

Overweight and obesity
Body weight that is above normal as a result of an excessive accumulation of fat. It is usually a manifestation of overnourishment. Overweight is defined in this publication as BMI >25-30 and obesity as BMI >30.

Stunting
Low height for age, reflecting a sustained past episode or episodes of undernutrition.

Undernourishment
Food intake that is continuously insufficient to meet dietary energy requirements.

Undernutrition
The result of undernourishment, poor absorption and/or poor biological use of nutrients consumed.

Underweight
Low weight for age in children, and BMI <18.5 in adults, reflecting a current condition resulting from inadequate food intake, past episodes of undernutrition or poor health conditions.

Vegetative propagation
Plant propagation materials, excluding true botanical seed, that result in the production of genetically identical crop plants.

Vulnerability
The presence of factors that place people at risk of becoming food-insecure or malnourished, including factors that affect their ability to cope.

Vulnerable group
A group of people with common characteristics, a high proportion of whom are food-insecure or at risk of becoming food-insecure.

Wasting
Low weight for height, generally the result of weight loss associated with a recent period of starvation or disease.

Tables

Table 1. Population, per capita dietary energy supply and prevalence of undernourishment in developing countries and countries in transition

Region/subregion/country

Total population

Per capita dietary energy supply

Number of people undernourished

Proportion of undernourished in total population

 

1990-92

1997-99

1990-92

1997-99

1990-92

1997-99

1990-92

1997-99

 

(millions)

(kcal/day)

(millions)

(percentage)

DEVELOPING WORLD

4 050.0

4 565.5

2 540

2 680

816.3

777.2

20

17

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

2 812.1

3 119.8

2 530

2 710

564.8

497.1

20

16

EAST ASIA

1 241.1

1 330.9

2 720

3 020

197.6

126.9

16

10

China [3] *

1 169.5

1 253.8

2 710

3 040

192.6

116.3

16

9

Dem. People's Rep. of Korea [5]

20.3

21.9

2 490

2 080

3.4

8.8

17

40

Hong Kong SAR of China [1]

5.8

6.6

3 230

3 190

0.1

0.1

-

-

Mongolia [5]

2.3

2.5

2 060

2 000

0.8

1.0

34

42

Republic of Korea [1]

43.3

46.1

3 000

3 050

0.8

0.7

-

-

OCEANIA

3.9

4.6

2 220

2 180

0.9

1.2

24

26

Papua New Guinea [4]

3.9

4.6

2 220

2 180

0.9

1.2

24

26

SOUTH EAST ASIA

444.8

501.7

2 480

2 660

77.6

65.9

17

13

Cambodia [5]

10.0

12.4

1 870

1 980

4.3

4.6

43

37

Indonesia [3]

185.6

206.4

2 690

2 900

16.7

12.0

9

6

Lao People's Dem. Rep. [4]

4.2

5.0

2 110

2 150

1.2

1.4

29

28

Malaysia [1]

18.3

21.4

2 780

2 930

0.6

0.4

3

-

Myanmar [3]

41.3

46.5

2 640

2 790

3.9

3.2

9

7

Philippines [4]

62.5

72.7

2 270

2 330

16.0

17.2

26

24

Thailand [4]

55.5

61.2

2 200

2 410

16.9

12.9

30

21

Viet Nam [3]

67.5

76.1

2 260

2 500

18.0

14.2

27

19

SOUTH ASIA

1 122.4

1 282.6

2 330

2 400

288.8

303.0

26

24

Bangladesh [4]

112.7

131.8

2 070

2 120

39.2

44.1

35

33

India [4]

861.3

976.3

2 370

2 430

214.6

225.3

25

23

Nepal [4]

18.6

22.0

2 380

2 290

3.5

5.0

19

23

Pakistan [3]

112.5

133.9

2 330

2 480

26.5

24.4

24

18

Sri Lanka [4]

17.2

18.6

2 210

2 350

5.0

4.3

29

23

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

442.2

496.7

2 710

2 830

58.6

53.6

13

11

NORTH AMERICA

84.8

95.8

3 130

3 150

4.3

5.0

5

5

Mexico [3]

84.8

95.8

3 130

3 150

4.3

5.0

5

5

CENTRAL AMERICA

28.7

34.4

2 400

2 380

4.9

6.4

17

19

Costa Rica [3]

3.1

3.8

2 700

2 770

0.2

0.2

6

5

El Salvador [3]

5.2

6.0

2 480

2 490

0.6

0.7

12

12

Guatemala [4]

9.0

10.8

2 400

2 230

1.3

2.3

14

22

Honduras [4]

5.0

6.1

2 310

2 370

1.1

1.3

23

21

Nicaragua [4]

3.9

4.8

2 210

2 240

1.2

1.4

30

29

Panama [3]

2.4

2.8

2 360

2 460

0.5

0.4

19

16

CARIBBEAN

28.5

30.9

2 420

2 320

7.3

8.8

26

28

Cuba [3]

10.7

11.1

2 880

2 450

0.5

1.9

5

17

Dominican Republic [4]

7.2

8.1

2 260

2 320

1.9

2.0

27

25

Haiti [5]

7.0

7.9

1 800

1 930

4.5

4.5

63

56

Jamaica [3]

2.4

2.5

2 570

2 740

0.3

0.2

12

8

Trinidad and Tobago [3]

1.2

1.3

2 670

2 700

0.1

0.2

12

13

SOUTH AMERICA

300.1

335.6

2 650

2 820

42.1

33.4

14

10

Argentina [1]

33.0

36.1

3 000

3 170

0.7

0.4

-

-

Bolivia [4]

6.7

8.0

2 170

2 220

1.7

1.7

25

22

Brazil [3]

150.3

166.1

2 790

2 970

19.3

15.9

13

10

Chile [2]

13.3

14.8

2 610

2 860

1.1

0.6

8

4

Colombia [3]

35.7

40.7

2 440

2 580

6.1

5.3

17

13

Ecuador [3]

10.5

12.2

2 510

2 700

0.9

0.6

8

5

Guyana [3]

0.7

0.8

2 390

2 560

0.1

0.1

19

14

Paraguay [3]

4.3

5.2

2 390

2 570

0.8

0.7

18

13

Peru [3]

22.0

24.8

1 980

2 550

8.9

3.1

41

13

Suriname [3]

0.4

0.4

2 570

2 610

0.0

0.0

12

11

Uruguay [2]

3.1

3.3

2 670

2 840

0.2

0.1

6

3

Venezuela [4]

20.0

23.2

2 470

2 280

2.3

4.8

11

21

NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

321.3

376.7

3 010

3 010

25.1

32.5

8

9

NEAR EAST

200.6

238.8

2 950

2 910

19.7

26.5

10

11

Afghanistan [5]

14.6

20.8

1 720

1 800

9.3

12.1

64

58

Iran, Islamic Rep. [3]

59.9

68.1

2 900

2 930

2.7

3.5

4

5

Iraq [3]

17.8

21.8

2 650

2 420

1.2

3.0

7

14

Jordan [3]

3.4

4.7

2 860

2 810

0.1

0.2

3

5

Kuwait [2]

2.1

1.8

2 360

3 140

0.5

0.1

23

4

Lebanon [1]

2.8

3.4

3 210

3 230

0.1

0.1

-

-

Saudi Arabia [1]

15.8

18.9

3 000

2 960

0.3

0.4

-

-

Syrian Arab Republic [1]

12.8

15.4

3 220

3 330

0.2

0.2

-

-

Turkey [1]

57.2

64.6

3 530

3 490

0.9

1.2

-

-

United Arab Emirates [1]

2.1

2.5

3 030

3 170

0.1

0.1

3

-

Yemen [4]

12.2

16.9

2 020

2 040

4.4

5.7

36

34

NORTH AFRICA

120.7

137.9

3 120

3 180

5.4

6.1

4

4

Algeria [3]

25.4

29.2

2 940

2 930

1.3

1.7

5

6

Egypt [2]

57.4

65.5

3 200

3 320

2.6

2.4

5

4

Libyan Arab Jamahiriya [1]

4.4

5.1

3 250

3 290

0.0

0.0

-

-

Morocco [3]

25.1

28.8

3 070

3 030

1.4

1.8

5

6

Tunisia [1]

8.3

9.3

3 180

3 340

0.1

0.0

-

-

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

474.5

572.4

2 120

2 190

167.7

194.0

35

34

CENTRAL AFRICA

62.8

77.6

2 090

1 890

22.9

39.7

36

51

Cameroon [4]

11.9

14.2

2 190

2 260

3.4

3.6

29

25

Central African Republic [5]

3.0

3.6

1 920

1 970

1.4

1.5

46

43

Chad [4]

6.0

7.4

1 790

2 140

3.5

2.5

58

34

Congo [4]

2.3

2.8

2 120

2 170

0.8

0.9

35

32

Dem. Rep. of the Congo [5]

38.5

48.4

2 110

1 710

13.7

31.0

35

64

Gabon [3]

1.0

1.2

2 450

2 520

0.1

0.1

11

9

EAST AFRICA

166.1

198.6

1 940

1 960

73.2

85.5

44

43

Burundi [5]

5.7

6.2

1 890

1 660

2.8

4.1

48

66

Eritrea [5]

n.a.

3.4

n.a.

1 710

n.a.

2.0

n.a.

57

Ethiopia [5]

n.a.

59.9

n.a.

1 810

n.a.

29.6

n.a.

49

Kenya [5]

24.3

29.4

1 880

1 930

11.5

13.4

47

46

Rwanda [5]

6.4

6.4

2 110

2 020

2.2

2.6

34

40

Somalia [5]

7.2

8.1

1 660

1 550

4.8

6.0

67

75

Sudan [4]

25.4

29.8

2 170

2 370

7.9

6.3

31

21

Uganda [4]

17.8

22.0

2 280

2 190

4.2

6.2

24

28

United Rep. of Tanzania [5]

27.0

33.5

2 100

1 930

9.1

15.5

34

46

SOUTHERN AFRICA

71.0

85.1

1 940

2 020

34.1

36.7

48

43

Angola [5]

9.9

12.4

1 740

1 880

6.0

6.3

61

51

Botswana [4]

1.3

1.5

2 380

2 280

0.2

0.3

17

23

Lesotho [4]

1.7

2.0

2 240

2 310

0.5

0.5

28

25

Madagascar [5]

12.3

15.1

2 080

2 000

4.3

6.1

35

40

Malawi [5]

9.6

10.7

1 880

2 120

4.8

3.8

49

35

Mauritius [3]

1.1

1.1

2 890

2 950

0.1

0.1

6

6

Mozambique [5]

14.1

17.6

1 710

1 920

9.6

9.5

69

54

Namibia [4]

1.4

1.7

2 130

2 090

0.4

0.6

30

33

Swaziland [3]

0.8

0.9

2 610

2 550

0.1

0.1

10

12

Zambia [5]

8.3

9.9

2 000

1 940

3.6

4.7

43

47

Zimbabwe [5]

10.5

12.2

2 010

2 080

4.6

4.8

43

39

WEST AFRICA

174.7

211.0

2 380

2 590

37.6

32.1

21

15

Benin [3]

4.8

6.0

2 360

2 500

0.9

0.9

19

15

Burkina Faso [4]

9.3

11.0

2 160

2 290

2.8

2.6

31

24

Côte d'Ivoire [3]

13.0

15.4

2 440

2 570

2.5

2.4

19

16

Gambia [3]

1.0

1.2

2 440

2 570

0.2

0.2

19

15

Ghana [3]

15.6

18.5

2 110

2 550

5.4

2.7

35

15

Guinea [4]

6.4

7.9

2 080

2 200

2.6

2.7

40

34

Liberia [5]

2.1

2.5

2 140

2 080

0.8

1.0

37

42

Mali [4]

9.0

10.7

2 300

2 240

2.2

3.0

25

28

Mauritania [3]

2.0

2.5

2 600

2 690

0.3

0.3

14

11

Niger [5]

8.0

10.1

2 000

2 010

3.3

4.2

42

41

Nigeria [3]

88.5

107.9

2 530

2 810

12.0

7.6

14

7

Senegal [4]

7.5

9.0

2 290

2 280

1.7

2.1

23

24

Sierra Leone [5]

4.1

4.2

2 000

2 080

1.9

1.7

46

41

Togo [3]

3.5

4.2

2 270

2 510

0.9

0.7

27

17

COUNTRIES IN TRANSITION

n.a.

413.2

n.a.

2 910

n.a.

26.5

n.a.

6

COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

n.a.

284.5

n.a.

2 790

n.a.

22.7

n.a.

8

Armenia [5]

n.a.

3.8

n.a.

2 160

n.a.

1.3

n.a.

35

Azerbaijan [5]

n.a.

7.9

n.a.

2 130

n.a.

2.9

n.a.

37

Belarus [1]

n.a.

10.3

n.a.

3 210

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

-

Georgia [3]

n.a.

5.3

n.a.

2 400

n.a.

1.0

n.a.

18

Kazakhstan [3]

n.a.

16.3

n.a.

2 610

n.a.

1.7

n.a.

11

Kyrgyzstan [3]

n.a.

4.8

n.a.

2 730

n.a.

0.5

n.a.

10

Republic of Moldova [3]

n.a.

4.3

n.a.

2 720

n.a.

0.4

n.a.

10

Russian Federation [3]

n.a.

146.8

n.a.

2 860

n.a.

8.1

n.a.

6

Tajikistan [5]

n.a.

6.0

n.a.

1 980

n.a.

2.8

n.a.

47

Turkmenistan [3]

n.a.

4.5

n.a.

2 660

n.a.

0.4

n.a.

9

Ukraine [3]

n.a.

50.5

n.a.

2 830

n.a.

2.6

n.a.

5

Uzbekistan [2]

n.a.

24.1

n.a.

2 910

n.a.

0.9

n.a.

4

BALTIC STATES

n.a.

7.6

n.a.

3 000

n.a.

0.3

n.a.

3

Estonia [2]

n.a.

1.4

n.a.

3 080

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

4

Latvia [2]

n.a.

2.5

n.a.

2 930

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

4

Lithuania [2]

n.a.

3.7

n.a.

3 010

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

3

EASTERN EUROPE

n.a.

121.1

n.a.

3 160

n.a.

3.6

n.a.

3

Albania [3]

3.3

3.1

2 550

2 680

0.5

0.3

14

10

Bosnia and Herzegovina [2]

n.a.

3.7

n.a.

2 930

n.a.

0.2

n.a.

4

Bulgaria [3]

8.7

8.1

3 290

2 800

0.2

0.9

3

11

Croatia [3]

n.a.

4.7

n.a.

2 540

n.a.

0.7

n.a.

15

Czech Republic [1]

n.a.

10.3

n.a.

3 240

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

-

Hungary [1]

10.3

10.1

3 620

3 410

0.0

0.1

-

-

TFYR Macedonia [3]

n.a.

2.0

n.a.

2 860

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

5

Poland [1]

38.2

38.6

3 330

3 340

0.3

0.3

-

-

Romania [1]

23.1

22.5

3 020

3 260

0.7

0.3

3

-

Slovakia [1]

n.a.

5.4

n.a.

3 080

n.a.

0.1

n.a.

-

Slovenia [1]

n.a.

2.0

n.a.

3 020

n.a.

0.0

n.a.

-

Yugoslavia [3] **

n.a.

10.6

n.a.

2 910

n.a.

0.5

n.a.

5

Notes: The figures in parentheses refer to the prevalence category based on the proportion of population undernourished in 1997-99:
[1] <2.5% undernourished.
[2] 2.5-4% undernourished.
[3] 5-19% undernourished.
[4] 20-34% undernourished.
[5] 35% or more undernourished.
Key:
n.a. not available.
- prevalence <2.5%.
* Including Taiwan Province of China.
** Serbia and Montenegro.
Sources: total population: UN World Population Prospects, 2000 revision; dietary energy supply and undernourished in total population: FAO estimates.
The Table does not include countries for which there were insufficient data.

Table 2. Growth of population, per capita dietary energy supply, and food and agricultural production for developing countries in the 1990s, classified by change in number of undernourished

Region/subregion/country

Average annual growth rate,
1990-92 to 1997-99
(percentage)

 

Total population

Per capita dietary energy supply

Per capita food production

Per capita agricultural production in total population

INCREASE

       

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

       

Bangladesh

2.2

0.3

0.5

0.6

Cambodia

3.1

0.8

2.1

2.0

Dem. People's Rep. of Korea

1.1

- 2.5

- 4.4

- 4.1

India

1.8

0.4

1.1

1.0

Lao People's Dem. Rep.

2.5

0.2

1.5

1.0

Mongolia

1.3

- 0.4

- 2.8

- 2.9

Nepal

2.4

- 0.5

0.2

0.2

Papua New Guinea

2.5

- 0.2

- 0.8

- 0.5

Philippines

2.2

0.4

- 0.2

- 0.4

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

       

Bolivia

2.4

0.4

1.8

1.8

Costa Rica

2.9

0.3

1.2

0.7

Cuba

0.5

- 2.3

- 6.5

- 6.3

El Salvador

2.1

0.1

- 0.3

- 1.3

Guatemala

2.6

- 1.0

0.0

- 0.4

Honduras

2.8

0.3

- 1.8

- 1.0

Mexico

1.7

0.1

0.9

0.8

Nicaragua

2.9

0.2

1.3

0.8

Trinidad and Tobago

0.7

0.1

0.0

- 0.1

Venezuela

2.2

- 1.1

- 0.1

- 0.3

NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

       

Afghanistan

5.0

0.7

1.9

1.8

Algeria

2.0

0.0

- 0.2

- 0.3

Iran, Islamic Rep.

1.8

0.1

1.8

1.9

Iraq

2.9

- 1.3

- 3.1

- 3.3

Jordan

4.3

- 0.3

- 1.0

- 1.1

Morocco

1.9

- 0.2

- 0.5

- 0.5

Yemen

4.7

0.2

- 1.1

- 0.9

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

       

Angola

3.2

1.1

0.8

0.7

Botswana

2.3

- 0.6

- 4.0

- 4.0

Burundi

1.1

- 1.8

- 3.7

- 4.0

Cameroon

2.5

0.5

0.4

0.3

Central African Republic

2.4

0.4

1.3

1.2

Congo

3.0

0.3

- 0.8

- 0.9

Dem. Rep. of the Congo

3.3

- 3.0

- 4.7

- 4.8

Guinea

3.0

0.8

1.2

1.0

Kenya

2.7

0.4

- 1.5

- 1.3

Liberia

2.6

- 0.4

1.1

2.6

Madagascar

2.9

- 0.6

- 1.7

- 1.9

Mali

2.5

- 0.4

0.1

1.0

Namibia

2.5

- 0.2

- 3.9

- 3.8

Niger

3.4

0.1

- 0.6

- 0.6

Rwanda

0.0

- 0.6

- 2.8

- 2.9

Senegal

2.5

0.0

- 0.9

- 1.1

Somalia

1.7

- 1.0

- 0.2

- 0.2

Swaziland

1.8

- 0.3

- 4.4

- 4.6

Uganda

3.0

- 0.6

- 1.6

- 0.9

United Rep. of Tanzania

3.1

- 1.2

- 2.1

- 2.2

Zambia

2.6

- 0.4

- 1.1

- 0.9

Zimbabwe

2.1

0.6

0.3

1.2

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE

       

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

       

Dominican Republic

1.7

0.4

- 1.0

- 1.0

Haiti

1.6

1.0

- 2.0

- 2.1

Suriname

0.4

0.2

- 3.1

- 3.1

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

       

Côte d'Ivoire

2.4

0.7

0.8

1.2

Gambia

3.5

0.7

- 0.7

- 0.9

Lesotho

2.0

0.4

- 0.9

- 1.4

Mauritania

2.9

0.5

- 2.0

- 2.0

Mauritius

1.0

0.3

- 0.7

- 1.4

Mozambique

3.2

1.7

1.8

1.9

DECREASE

       

ASIA AND PACIFIC

       

China*

1.0

1.7

5.3

4.9

Indonesia

1.5

1.1

0.4

0.3

Malaysia

2.2

0.7

1.1

0.1

Myanmar

1.7

0.8

3.5

3.5

Pakistan

2.5

0.9

1.8

1.1

Sri Lanka

1.1

0.9

0.5

0.9

Thailand

1.4

1.3

0.7

0.9

Viet Nam

1.7

1.5

3.1

3.5

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

       

Brazil

1.4

0.9

2.6

2.3

Chile

1.5

1.3

2.0

1.9

Colombia

1.9

0.8

0.1

- 1.0

Ecuador

2.1

1.1

2.3

1.8

Guyana

0.4

1.0

7.2

7.1

Jamaica

0.9

0.9

0.7

0.7

Panama

1.8

0.6

- 1.4

- 1.4

Paraguay

2.6

1.0

0.7

- 0.9

Peru

1.7

3.6

4.6

4.3

Uruguay

0.7

0.9

4.1

3.1

NEAR EAST AND NORTH AFRICA

       

Egypt

1.9

0.5

2.9

2.6

Kuwait

- 2.2

4.1

-

-

United Arab Emirates

2.6

0.6

-

-

SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA

       

Benin

3.0

0.8

2.5

3.6

Burkina Faso

2.5

0.8

0.3

1.1

Chad

3.0

2.6

1.6

1.8

Gabon

2.8

0.4

- 1.4

- 0.9

Ghana

2.5

2.7

2.6

2.6

Malawi

1.6

1.7

4.4

3.4

Nigeria

2.8

1.5

2.1

2.0

Sierra Leone

0.4

0.6

- 2.3

- 2.4

Sudan

2.3

1.3

3.1

3.0

Togo

2.6

1.5

1.1

1.2

Notes:
Changes in the number of undernourished from 1990-92 to 1997-99:
Increase: >0.5% per year
No significant change: -0.5-+0.5% per year
Decrease: <-0.5% per year
This analysis of change excludes Ethiopia and Eritrea, which were not separate entities in 1990-92, and the nine countries where the percentage of undernourished in the total population was less than 2.5 percent in 1990-92.
Agricultural and food production:
Growth rates of agricultural and food production refer to the change of the aggregate volume of crop and livestock products weighted by 1989-91 average international commodity prices. The food production aggregates include edible commodities, except those with low nutritive value such as coffee and tea.
* Including Taiwan Province of China.
- Agricultural and food production is not relevant.
Sources: Total population: UN World Population Prospects, 2000 revision.
Dietary energy supply, agricultural and food production: FAO estimates.

Acronyms

AIDS
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome

CARE
Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere

CIAL
Comité de Investigación Agrícola Local (Colombia)

CIAT
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture

DES
dietary energy supply

FIQA
fish inspection and quality assurance

FIVIMS
Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems

GTL
Genetic Technologies Ltd (Kenya)

GTZ
German Agency for Technical Cooperation

HACCP
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (system)

HIV
human immunodeficiency virus

ICRISAT
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

IFPRI
International Food Policy Research Institute

IDB
Islamic Development Bank

Kcal
kilocalorie

ORT
oral rehydration therapy

PSNFP
Primary School Nutritious Food Programme (Nepal)

SNAPE
Service national d'aménagement des points d'eau (Guinea)

VAM
vulnerability analysis and mapping

VMC
Village Management Committee (Zambia)

UNICEF
United Nations Children's Fund

WIID
World Income Inequality Database

WFP
World Food Programme

WHO
World Health Organization


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