Contrary to what Guedes said, research shows an increase in hunger

This Wednesday (21), the Minister of Economy, Paulo Guedes, questioned data on food insecurity in the country, stating that it is impossible for Brazil to have 33 million people starving. The speech is also taken up by President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who said in August that there is no “real hunger” in Brazil.

Contrary to what the minister and president said, however, data from different sources show that there was, in fact, an increase in hunger in Brazil.

The lack of food has become a common issue for Brazilians, and some recent research helps to quantify the problem.

Penssan Network: 33 million go hungry in Brazil

In June, the country learned that 33 million people are hungry in Brazil, according to the second edition of the National Survey on Food Insecurity in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil, by Rede Penssan – a level similar to what had been recorded. three decades ago.

“These are economic facts, it’s no use. The political tactic is noise: 33 million people are starving. It’s a lie, it’s false. These are not the numbers,” Guedes said at an automotive sector event in São Paulo.

The minister defended that, in comparison with other large economies, the Brazilian performance is better. He did not, however, say what the correct numbers would be, in his assessment.

Contrary to what is perceived in the daily life of Brazilian cities, Bolsonaro also minimized the problem, saying that there are no people at the doors of commercial establishments asking for food.

“Real hunger doesn’t exist, as it is said. What is extreme poverty? You earn US$ 1.9 a day, that’s R$ 10. Auxílio Brasil is R$ 20 a day. ventura is on the hunger map, you can sign up and you will receive it,” Bolsonaro told a podcast.

“What can we say, if we go to any bakery, there is no one asking to buy bread. There is no such thing. When I say that, I’m losing votes, but reality can’t help but say it,” said the president.

Datafolha: one in three Brazilians does not have enough food

In addition to the report by the Penssan Network, a Datafolha survey carried out in person on the 27th and 28th of July showed that one in three Brazilians said that the amount of food at home in recent months was not enough for their family.

According to the survey, the percentage of households with an insufficient amount of food rose from 26% in May to 33% in July. Another 12% say it was more than enough, the same percentage in both surveys. For 55%, food was enough – down from 62% in May.

UN: 61 million Brazilians live with food insecurity

A United Nations report in July also addressed the issue and concluded that, in Brazil, 61.3 million (about 3 in every 10 inhabitants) live with some type of food insecurity, with 15.4 million being in insecurity. , starving, in the period 2019 and 2021.

Among the countries with comparable data listed by the UN, Brazil has the most people in some degree of food insecurity (moderate or severe) in the Americas and the fifth in the world, in the period.

The report also points to a significant increase in comparison with the period from 2014 to 2016, when 37.5 million experienced some level of food insecurity and 3.9 million faced severe level.

Why surveys are not comparable

Although these researches deal with the same topic, the methodologies are different, which prevents the comparison between them.

The Pensann Network survey is a sample of households using four categories of food insecurity severity: food security, mild food insecurity, moderate food insecurity, and severe food insecurity.

Datafolha’s is a sample with the adult Brazilian population (16 years and over). Another point is that, in Datafolha, the answer is given by what the interviewee understands by “lack of food”, in a single question.

The UN estimate, in turn, is based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale and considers two categories: moderate or severe food insecurity (combined) and only severe food insecurity.

Hunger in the elections

Lack of food, famine and falling purchasing power of Brazilians have become important topics in this year’s election. While former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) seeks to make voters recall the measures taken during PT governments to appease hunger, Bolsonaro’s campaign must mention the pandemic and the War in Ukraine to justify the worsening of hunger. indicators.

The president has also cited the recent increase to R$600 in Auxílio Brasil — which replaced Bolsa Família — as a shield against rising hunger.

report of Sheethowever, shows that inflation has eroded the ‘Aid effect’, and the increase, which is valid until the end of the year, is still not so clearly perceived, especially in pockets of poverty.

Another recent report showed how the discomfort with the increase in hunger has mobilized the government. A study signed by the current president of Ipea (Institute of Applied Economic Research), Erik Alencar de Figueiredo, contested recent research that points to the increase in the number of Brazilians in a situation of food insecurity or hunger.

His argument was that the increase in hunger should have resulted in a “significant shock” in the increase in hospital admissions for illnesses resulting from hunger and malnutrition, in addition to a greater number of low birth weight children. The conclusion, however, was criticized by other experts on the subject.

Despite the government’s measures taken on the eve of the election, the rise in prices continues to affect the poorest population, since even though gasoline and electricity have provided relief, inflation in the food and beverage group has again approached 15% in accumulated from 12 months to July, according to the IPCA (Broad Consumer Price Index).