UN Report: High Climate Vulnerability Threatens Food Security in 20+ Latin American and Caribbean Nations

The 2024 Regional Overview of Food Security and Nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean, a collaborative effort by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Food Programme (WFP), and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), paints a concerning picture of the region’s vulnerability to climate change and its impact on food security. The report highlights the detrimental effects of extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms, on the entire food chain, from production to consumption. These events pose a significant threat to the progress made in combating hunger and malnutrition in all its forms. The report emphasizes the urgent need for countries in the region to bolster their resilience against climate variability and extremes to safeguard food security and nutrition, aligning with the global pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.

The Overview offers a comprehensive analysis of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition indicators across the Latin American and Caribbean region. Significantly, it reveals that, for the first time in a decade, the prevalence of food insecurity in the region has dipped below the global average. However, this positive trend is overshadowed by the looming threat of climate change. The report identifies 20 countries in the region as highly exposed to climate extremes, with 14 classified as vulnerable. Alarmingly, in countries experiencing both high exposure and vulnerability, hunger prevalence increases by 1.5 percentage points. This rise presents a formidable challenge to the progress made in reducing hunger and food insecurity over the past two years and jeopardizes the acceleration needed to achieve the SDG 2 target.

The report underscores the critical importance of integrating climate resilience into national policies and strategies. It advocates for strengthening the resilience of agri-food systems through targeted interventions and investments. This includes promoting climate-smart agriculture, enhancing disaster preparedness and response mechanisms, and diversifying food production systems. By building resilience, countries can mitigate the impacts of climate extremes on food production, access, and utilization, ultimately protecting vulnerable populations from hunger and malnutrition.

The official launch of the 2024 Regional Overview took place on January 27, 2025, providing a platform for disseminating the report’s key findings and recommendations to a wider audience. The press conference featured high-level representatives from the five co-publishing agencies, including Mario Lubetkin (FAO), Rossana Polastri (IFAD), Dr. Jarbas Barbosa (PAHO), María Dolores Castro (WFP), and Karin Hulshof (UNICEF, to be confirmed). Their presence underscored the collaborative nature of this initiative and the shared commitment to addressing the complex challenges of food security and nutrition in the region.

The launch event offered journalists and stakeholders the opportunity to engage directly with the report’s authors and experts, fostering a deeper understanding of the critical issues at hand. Participants could submit questions in real-time via chat or in advance via email, ensuring a dynamic and interactive discussion. The press conference was also broadcast on the FAO website in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, maximizing its reach and accessibility across the region and beyond. This multifaceted approach to dissemination aimed to galvanize action and promote policy dialogue on climate resilience and food security.

The 2024 Regional Overview serves as a crucial call to action for governments, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector to prioritize investments in climate resilience-building. The report’s findings underscore the urgency of implementing policies and programs that strengthen the capacity of agri-food systems to withstand and recover from climate shocks. By working together, stakeholders can create a more sustainable and resilient food future for all, ensuring that no one is left behind in the face of increasing climate variability and extremes. The future of food security and nutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean hinges on the collective commitment to addressing the complex interplay between climate change and food systems.