Poverty and Hunger in Ecuador
Current Demographics
Despite the oil boom in the 70's, the issue of poverty is still very evident in the western regions of South America. In the nation of Ecuador, around 4 million people (about 35%) live below the nations poverty line. Additionally, 17% of Ecuadorians are on the verge of or vulnerable to poverty. Poverty rates are much higher in rural areas, where 2 of 3 people are impoverished. About 1.5 million people live in extreme poverty, where even if they spent all their money on food, they would still not have enough to provide for themselves or their family.
For more basic information about poverty in Ecuador see:
The Two Sides of Ecuador- Upper Class vs. Lower Class
Ecuador Poverty Demographics
For more basic information about poverty in Ecuador see:
The Two Sides of Ecuador- Upper Class vs. Lower Class
Ecuador Poverty Demographics
Causes
Rural Poverty (right)
This type of poverty is associated with lack of education, lack of access to labor in the off-farm rural sector, little access to land, and a low degree of market integration. Additionally, the poverty rate is much higher among the indigenous Ecuadorians who live in the mountainous areas of the country, than those who live in urban areas. Considering that around a third of Ecuadorians belong to an indigenous group puts this information into perspective. |
Urban Poverty (left)
Unlike rural poverty, the issues of poverty in urban areas of the country vary depending on region. For example, while Ecuadorians living in the urban mountains (sierra) receive basic service (sanitary living conditions, education, running water, etc.) , the impoverished living on the coast do not have access to clean running water or working sewage systems. Although, one commonality that the poor in urban areas share with those in rural areas is a lack of education, lack of labor force involvement by the spouse of the households head and informal employment. |
Food Insecurity
The World Food Summit (1996) defined Food Security as the "access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life." In contrast, Food Insecurity is a lack of access or availability to enough food to nourish people at healthy levels. This concept relies of three subcategories: food accessibility, food availability, and food use. Food accessibility refers to the quantity of food availability on an even basis. Accessibility to food refers to having the resources needed to attain the food needed to maintain a nutritious diet. Lastly, food use is using food based on prior knowledge of proper nutrition. In areas with food insecurity, there is a reduced accessibility and availability to food.
IN ECUADOR...
IN ECUADOR...
- Insufficient levels of food distribution and a highly impoverished population result in high levels of food insecurity
- Chronic malnutrition plagues around 26% of the population
- 92% of indigenous children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition
- Ecuador's susceptibility to natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, etc.) decreases the population's accessibility to resources and destroys croplands and livestock.
Typical Diet
The Ecuadorian diet changes depending on the altitude and agriculture of the region. In the Sierra (mountainous regions), popular dishes include meats such as pork, beef, cuy (guinnea pig), and chicken, which are animals commonly seen in family or community farms. These dishes are generally served with carbohydrate-based sides such as rice, potatoes, corn, and yuca. In the tropical regions of the nation, popular ingredients include various seefood, plaintains, and the many various fruits that can be found in the coastal region. Fruits such as banana, plaintain, pineapple, guanabana, and naranjilla are used to make drinks and desserts. Some infamous Ecuadorian dishes are Ceviche, Cuy, Chocla Cancha, Librillo, Humitas, Pan de Yuca, and Melcocha.
Ecuador's biggest issue is malnutrition, specifically the stunting of children under the age of 5. Currently, around 30-40% of children under 5 suffer from malnutrition. For more information visit this World Bank report on Nutritional Failure in Ecuador |
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Health Conditions Related to Malnutrition |
Jobs |
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Housing
- In Ecuador's two largest cities, Quito and Guayaquil, there are many apartments and large buildings
- In smaller cities, there are smaller houses shared by families and extended families. These houses generally have few rooms
- In the most impoverished places are makeshift houses or shacks that house whole families.
Current Event
Above is a slideshow of the work that these two organizations have done in rural areas of Ecuador.
For more information on the project, click here |
Throughout the 20th century, with the development of new technologies that assist the mass production of goods, food production has become increasingly commercialized. This has a huge impact on nations that are highly dependent upon their agricultural market, such as Ecuador. The increase in production along with the changing climate have resulted in socio-environmental deterioration (infertile soil, pest problems, etc.) and many health concerns.
In the past couple of years, Groundswell International, a non-profit organization that works to build healthy farming/food systems in rural communities, has partnered with EkoRural (a similar organization that works to help people in Ecuador overcome poverty, hunger, and disease) to strengthen community-based organizations in the rural highlands of Ecuador. The central goal of their project is to reinforce local food systems by creating a community that is self- sufficient and able to increase food production and seed systems (quality and distribution of various seeds). |
Videos
Works Cited
"Ecuador." , Community Resilience and Healthy Local Food Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuador: Poverty Report." Poverty Analysis -. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuador Profile." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuadorian Cuisine." Ecuadorian Cuisine. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Food Assistance Fact Sheet - Ecuador." U.S. Agency for International Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"The World Factbook." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuador." , Community Resilience and Healthy Local Food Systems. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuador: Poverty Report." Poverty Analysis -. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuador Profile." BBC News. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Nov. 2014.
"Ecuadorian Cuisine." Ecuadorian Cuisine. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"Food Assistance Fact Sheet - Ecuador." U.S. Agency for International Development. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Nov. 2014.
"The World Factbook." Central Intelligence Agency. Central Intelligence Agency, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2014.