A report from a government think tank has highlighted the importance of boosting productivity in order to combat hunger in the Philippines. The report, titled “Will Food Be Affordable to Filipinos by 2030? Alternative Expenditure Policies toward Ending Hunger by 2030,” was conducted by economists from the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and emphasized the need for a holistic approach to addressing the issue of hunger in the country.
The authors of the report, including Senior Research Fellow Roehlano Briones and others, warned that if current economic trends continue, many Filipinos may not be able to afford nutritious food by 2030. They also pointed out that decreased affordability of healthy diets would have a negative impact on the nutritional status of individuals, potentially leading to issues like stunting or malnutrition, especially in children.
A major economic trend highlighted in the report was the increase in food inflation, with domestic rice prices surging, particularly due to the impact of the Rice Tariffication Law and export bans from India. The authors recommended targeted interventions focused on vulnerable groups and key commodities as a potential solution to the issue of affordability of food. They also stressed the importance of investing in general services like research and development in agriculture to enhance food affordability and dietary quality.
In conclusion, the report suggested that the national government should prioritize broad-based productivity across the entire food system and maintain economic growth within the range of five to six percent in order to improve dietary quality for Filipinos. This study serves as a wake-up call for policymakers and stakeholders to take decisive steps towards ending hunger in the Philippines by 2030.
