The phenomenon in Italy
In the report’s preface, FAO Deputy Director-General Maurizio Martina draws attention to the poverty figures in Italy: 5.6 million people in absolute poverty and more than two million families lacking the resources necessary for a dignified life.
Faced with these numbers, it is not surprising that 8.4 per cent of our country’s inhabitants live in food deprivation. Almost five million people say they cannot afford a meal with meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent even once every two days.
This condition presents strong differences depending on the territory. In the South, the share of people affected by food insecurity rises to 12.2%, in the Centre it is around 8.8%, while the North is below the national average at 5.6%.
Food aid
To cope with these difficulties, more and more people are turning to food aid. In 2023, the Food Banks distributed 119,000 tonnes of food throughout the country and about 3 million citizens received aid through the European Aid to the Indigent Fund.
Even in the assistance system, however, there is no shortage of problems. About half of the people in absolute poverty do not receive any food aid, and sometimes the food collected is inadequate. Nutritional analysis of the aid distributed reveals serious deficiencies: animal proteins, sweets and snacks often abound, while whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables are almost absent.
Dining and Cooking