Beating Hunger by Empowering Small Farmers

Brazil has achieved a remarkable comeback, leaving the UN Hunger Map just three years after 33 million people were going to bed hungry.

“Today, Brazil is off the United Nations Hunger Map,” President Lula da Silva announced, marking a turnaround driven by policies that put people and small farmers first.

The government restored successful programs like Bolsa Família cash transfers and the Food Acquisition Program, which buys produce directly from family farms. It also mandated that 30% of school meals come from smallholders, who make up 77% of Brazil’s farmers but own only a quarter of the land. These measures not only reduce hunger but also strengthen climate resilience through regenerative farming. With family agriculture feeding most of the nation, Brazil shows that ending hunger isn’t a technological feat — it’s a political choice.