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In 2023, hunger still affects millions of Brazilians. Despite some improvements compared to previous years, the IBGE revealed that nearly 3 in every 10 households in the country (27.6%) suffer from some degree of food insecurity. This means that 64.2 million people do not have full and regular access to basic food.
Food Insecurity: Reduction compared to 2018, but still above 2013
Although the figures represent an improvement compared to the POF (Household Budget Survey) 2017–2018, when the rate was 36.7%, the situation is still concerning, especially compared to the Pnad (Continuous National Household Sample Survey) of 2013, when the rate was 22.6%.
The improvement in food security between 2018 and 2023 may be related to factors such as the recovery of the labor market, the expansion of social programs and food price deflation last year.
Despite the overall improvement, IBGE data reveal that the groups most affected are those already experiencing other social and economic inequalities. For example, 34.5% of households in rural areas face the problem, compared to 26.7% in urban areas.
Most affected groups
- Income: Families with per capita income below half the minimum wage are the most moderately or severely affected;
- Education: Only 7.9% of households experiencing food insecurity are headed by people who have completed higher education, while 23.4% of food-secure households have someone with this level of education as the head of the household;
- Color or race: Mixed-race and Black people head a higher percentage of food-insecure households than their proportion of the total population;
- Gender: Women head 59.4% of households experiencing this issue, while men head 40.6%.
Food security
For IBGE, a family is considered to be in food security when it has regular and permanent access to quality food in sufficient quantities, without compromising access to other needs. In 2023, 72.4% of Brazilian households (56.7 million) were in this situation.
What is food insecurity
IBGE divides food insecurity into three categories: mild, moderate, and severe. Mild food insecurity involves concern about access to food in the future, affecting the quality of the diet.
The moderate food insecurity, there is a reduction in the amount of food and disruption in eating patterns. In severe food insecurity, food restrictions also affect children, with disruption in eating patterns due to a lack of food for all household members.
Although the data show an improvement compared to 2018, hunger is still a reality for millions of Brazilians.
Combating food insecurity requires measures that address social and economic inequalities, as well as public policies that ensure full and regular access to quality food for the entire population.
Image: Google Reproduction
