Gabriel Henry, head of the Popular University of Barrios de Pie, in dialogue with El Independiente Media, referred to the delicate and difficult situation faced by Rioja families hit by the harsh social economic crisis, depriving them of basic foods for daily consumption.
Henry highlighted in the first instance that, “the situation is worrying, in the study we found that 81 percent of households reduced the consumption of meat, eggs, dairy products, and that within those households that reduced meat consumption, 84 percent failed to compensate by increasing consumption of some other food group. The remaining 73 percent did so through carbohydrates. In December 2023, we had raised the rate, weight and nutritional quality of children from popular neighborhoods and we were told that 48.9 percent of them presented symptoms of relevant malnutrition, between 0 and 18 years old they were exposed to situations such as short height, overweight , obesity and chronic diseases such as heart disease at a young age or diabetes.”
He noted that when these statistical numbers are given, it leaves aside the fact that behind them there are families suffering, life projects. There is no crisis, there is a determined economic policy. Economic policies caused a highly worrying reduction in income. The Total Basic Basket increased by 110 percent, the Basic Food Basket by 106 percent, and the blank salary only by 57 percent. This caused a spike in poverty and indigence levels. Today we have 27 percent indigent, representing 8 million Argentines.”
Henry maintained that the only food policy that has been maintained since December is the Alimentar Card.
In the interview he indicated about the nutritional and food survey that will be presented to Governor Ricardo Quintela next week, “we are presenting a social genocide. In La Rioja we have surveyed Capital, Chamical and Chilecito. We are going to present the data from this report to Governor Quintela in order to collaborate in the construction of public policies, anchored in the reality of the popular neighborhoods. We understand that changing these dramatic realities requires a very precise and accurate local view and addressing the data in all its rawness.”
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