President Ollanta Humala on Monday said the government is to launch a fund of more than $1 billion aimed at diminishing childhood malnutrition.
The fund is to receive 2.7 billion soles ($1.03 billion) from Peru’s central government and the country’s regional governments, Humala said, according to state news agency Andina.
Since taking office in July 2011, Humala has promised to increase “social inclusion” in the Andean nation. The government has set the goal of lowering Peru’s poverty rate to 15 percent by 2016, when Humala’s term ends. About 28 percent of Peruvians currently live in poverty.
Humala said that in order to decrease inequality, efforts must be focused on providing opportunities to children, which needs to include improving nutrition.
In the case of child malnutrition, Humala said the government aims to lower the rate to 10 percent by 2016, from 23 percent in 2010.
“What we want to do is eradicate malnutrition,” Humala said. “As a government, we are going to fight as hard as we can to eradicate it.”
Is the childhood malnutrition caused by a lack of nutrients (undernutrition) or by eating an unbalanced diet (for example high in starch, low in fruits) that does not provide enough required nutrients?