Undernourishment among Moroccans surges by over 30% in just three years

The number of undernourished Moroccans has surged by over 30% in just three years, according to a recent United Nations report. The figure rose from 1.6 million in 2018 to 2.1 million in 2021, underscoring the growing problem of food insecurity in the country.

This data was included in a joint report on Hunger and Malnutrition in the Arab Region by various international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.

The report also highlighted other concerning figures, such as the prevalence of severe food insecurity among approximately 9.7% of Moroccans in 2019-2021, an increase from 7.1% in 2018-2020.

Additionally, stunting affects 12.9% of Moroccan children under the age of five, while 11.3% of children in the same age group are overweight. Anemia among women between the ages of 15 and 49 is also prevalent, with a rate of 29.9% in 2019, an increase from 29.7% in 2018.

The report points out that agriculture is a key driver of the Moroccan economy, with a contribution of 23.4% to the gross domestic product in 1965, declining to 11.7% in 2020.

Cereals represent about half of the food supply in the Arab region, with cereal production in Morocco reaching 3.3 million tons in 2020, compared to 5.3 million tons in 2019. This has led to a reliance on imports of 9.6 million tons from abroad. However, Morocco’s production of vegetables and fruits is sufficient to meet its needs.

The report confirms that levels of hunger and malnutrition in the Arab region have reached critical levels, particularly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

The number of people experiencing severe food insecurity in the Arab region has increased by 55% since 2010, with an estimated 53.9 million people affected in 2021.

The report recommends focusing on policies that facilitate food trade, such as reducing trade barriers, creating new free trade areas, and adopting digital technologies. It also stresses the need to transform agri-food systems to make them more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.