Panama is ranked 5th in Latin America above regional powers such as Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, in the Global Food Safety Index in 2022, which measured 113 countries and is applied by the company Economist Impact, which is part of The Economist Group, with the support of Corteva Agriscience.
According to the report, in Latin America, Costa Rica leads the index with a score of 77.4; followed by Chile (74.2); Uruguay (71.8) and Peru (70.8); however, globally Panama occupies the 40th position.
The study indicates that Panama’s strength is concentrated in the affordability pillar that lies in indicators such as food cost stability, the proportion of the population below the global poverty line, and the implementation of food security networks. Issues related to import tariffs and non-tariff barriers have a valuation close to the global average.
Availability is a pillar where the bastions of Panama are access to extension services, the existence of community organizations (for example, agricultural cooperatives), empowerment of women in agricultural activity, commitment to innovative technologies, crop storage facilities and little loss of food.
The lower rating is the result of the lack of data on access to farmers’ financing, agricultural producer prices, dependence on chronic food aid and risk and corruption assessment.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) defines food security when people, at all times, have physical access to food, sufficient economic capacity to acquire it, and that they are duly harmless and nutritious to meet food needs.