- Title: Emergency food law under debate in Argentina as economy bites
- Date: 18th September 2019
- Summary: CLAYPOLE, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) CHILDREN IN AT-RISK SUBURB CHILD'S HAND ON FENCE GIRL HOLDING CHILD GIRL WITH MILK BOTTLE SIGN ADVERTISING TIMES OF COMMUNITY KITCHEN FOOD BEING PUT IN CONTAINER CHILDREN GATHERED AT COMMUNITY KITCHEN CHILD EATING CHILD BEING FED CHILD EATING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL IN COMMUNITY KITCHEN, VIVIANA ESPINDOLA, SAYING: "We started (the community kitchen) in April with about 20 to 30 children. We're now in September and we surpassed the 100 barrier, and we added adults (to the programme). What we offer at the moment is dinner once a week and a picnic twice a week." VARIOUS OF LOCAL PREPARING BROTH AT COMMUNITY KITCHEN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LOCAL, ELENA ESCOBAR, SAYING: "There are a lot of needy children and many who are malnourished. There are children who don't get food at night. Sometimes they have food up to midday and at night they have no food. You all those things here in this neighbourhood." BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (SEPTEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WALKING TOWARDS CONGRESS BUILDING FOOD BEING PREPARED VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PREPARING FOOD ON THE STREET CLAYPOLE, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) GIRL LEANING ON FENCE
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2019 20:59
- Keywords: economy President Mauricio Macri food recession debt Congress candidate Alberto Fernandez lawmakers Buenos Aires
- Location: BUENOS AIRES + CLAYPOLE, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES + CLAYPOLE, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Government/Politics,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA003AX6QA87
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Amidst a deepening economic crisis at home, lawmakers in Buenos Aires on Wednesday (September 18) debated a food emergency law that would strengthen social programmes for at-risk communities.
Protesters gathered outside Congress to pressure the government act on what they say is one of the most serious effects of the crisis - the rise of hunger among the poor.
The law, still to be approved by the Senate, proposes a national increase in the budget devoted to the country's food and nutrition policies by 50%, according to local media.
Argentine economic growth has stalled sharply since last year, while inflation is far outstripping salaries, leading to a sharp uptick in poverty, official data shows.
The country's statistics agency, INDEC, said at the beginning of the year 32 percent of the population - some 14.3 million people - was living in poverty, up from 27.3 percent in the first half of 2018. The proportion living in extreme poverty also rose to 6.7 percent from 4.9 percent.
A primary election result this year sparked a market crash after President Mauricio Macri trailed centre-left candidate Alberto Fernandez. The result saw the peso lose 26% of its value against the dollar in August. The country's risk index soared and bond prices sank to record lows.
(Production: Miguel Lo Bianco, Claudia Martini, Paul Vieira) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
