Rome, Italy.- President Luis Abinader said Monday that helping remove the Dominican Republic from the FAO Hunger Map is the achievement he is most proud of during his administration, describing food security and a dignified life for citizens as central goals of public service.
Speaking at the World Food Forum in Rome, Abinader said the Dominican Republic reduced the prevalence of undernourishment from 21.3% in 2006 to below 2.5% in 2025, leading to its official removal from the Hunger Map.
FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu praised Abinader as a leader who will be remembered for the achievement and called for stronger international cooperation, financing and partnerships to advance food security and sustainable development.
Abinader said the progress against hunger has been driven by increased food production and household income. Between 2004 and 2024, food production per capita increased by 122.3%, while real household income per capita rose 43.7% between 2015 and 2025.
During the same period, monetary poverty fell from 41.1% to 17.3%, while extreme poverty declined from 8.7% to 2.2%. The president also noted that domestic production now supplies more than 85% of the country’s food demand.
Abinader highlighted the expansion of social programs, including school meals, which increased from 1.7 million beneficiaries in 2019 to more than 2.2 million in 2025.
He also said the Aliméntate and Bono Gas programs support more than 1.4 million households, while 163 Economic Dining Halls provide more than 183,000 free hot meals each day. Producers’ Markets and Mobile Stores also help communities access food at affordable prices.
The president stressed that the fight against hunger should be measured not only through economic indicators but also by the opportunities created for children and vulnerable families.
Abinader calls for continued efforts
Abinader cautioned that being removed from the Hunger Map does not mean the work is over. He called for continued efforts to promote healthy and affordable diets, strengthen food education and combat malnutrition.
He also highlighted the 2026-2027 Agricultural Drought Anticipatory Action Plan, which seeks to mitigate the effects of drought through improved irrigation, watershed protection and support for small farmers.
Abinader thanked the FAO, Qu Dongyu, FAO representative in the Dominican Republic Rodrigo Castañeda and government institutions involved in the Zero Hunger Goal Cabinet for their contributions.
He concluded that national development should ultimately translate into better living conditions and that no Dominican family should have to focus solely on securing its next meal.