EDITORIAL - Hunger pangs

There is no shortage of food, the Department of Agriculture assured the public yesterday. It was the DA’s reaction to the survey conducted from March 15 to 20 by pollster Social Weather Stations, which showed self-rated involuntary hunger hitting 27.2 percent in March – the highest, SWS noted, since the pandemic lockdowns.

That’s approximately 7.5 million households. The figure is higher than the 21.2 percent recorded in February. The numbers had been on the rise since 2024, when the annual average for self-rated hunger nearly doubled from the previous year, to 20.2 percent from 10.7 percent in 2023. The highest figure recorded during the pandemic was 30.7 percent, in September 2020 when the world was still desperately scrambling for a vaccine against COVID-19.

Of the 27.2 percent in March this year, 21 percent of the respondents experienced “moderate hunger” – meaning “only once” or “a few times” – while 6.2 percent reported suffering “severe hunger” or “often” or “always” in the past three months.

Commenting on the survey results, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said the problem was more of economics rather than food production as he pointed out that in terms of agricultural output, “we have almost everything, especially now, March, April, May and June.”

If this is accurate, the involuntary hunger amid plentiful food makes the situation even more tragic. People in agricultural areas in particular should have access to affordable food, even with limited financial means.

The survey results also show that state dole-outs and even seasonal jobs in the agriculture sector are never enough. People need sustainable employment and livelihood sources to put sufficient and nutritious food on the family table.

A proper environment is needed to attract investments, generate decent jobs and promote equitable improvement in the quality of life. Reforms in multiple sectors are needed to make these possible, from education and health to the legal system and regulatory structures, to ease of doing business and, yes, even in agriculture.

The country must wean itself from heavy reliance on imports for food security. Boosting domestic agricultural production will put food on the table and money in the pockets of those who suffer from involuntary hunger.