Dominican Republic Reaches 'Hambre Cero' Goal, FAO Confirms

The Dominican Republic has reduced the prevalence of undernourishment below 2.5%, the threshold used by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to define chronic hunger, officially placing the country “outside the hunger map.” Source: eldiado Source: infobae

Background

The announcement came during the presentation of the FAO's State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI 2026) report. The country’s undernourishment rate dropped from 21.3% in 2004–2006 to less than 2.5% in 2023–2025, making it the fifth Latin American nation to achieve this milestone, after Brazil, Costa Rica, Uruguay, and Guyana. Source: listindiario Source: infobae

Key Policies

• Production growth: Agricultural output reached 347 million quintals in 2025, a 5.6% increase over the previous year, supported by zero‑interest financing and land titling. Source: elcaribedr
• Social programs: The School Feeding Program now benefits 2.1 million students daily, and the Aliméntate program covers 1.49 million households. Source: listindiario
• Coordination: A cross‑institutional strategy launched in 2020 focused on availability, access, nutrition, climate resilience, and governance. Source: hoydo