IFPRI’s insights on nutrition challenges and opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean
Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) face a unique set of dietary and nutritional challenges. The region’s nutrition transition—population-wide shifts from traditional diets to more processed, unhealthier foods—began decades ago, well before countries in Africa and Asia that are now undergoing similar changes.
For decades, IFPRI has partnered with institutions and policymakers in Latin America and the
Caribbean to evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition programs, generate evidence for the design of
interventions to improve diets, and support policies that promote healthier food environments.
IFPRI research has demonstrated significant impact on large-scale social programs. For example,
an evaluation of Mexico’s PROGRESA/Oportunidades program showed strong effectiveness and
informed improvements in program design, benefiting over 5 million children annually. A
subsequent impact assessment estimated that the benefits of IFPRI’s evaluation were 84.3 times
greater than its costs.
In Guatemala, IFPRI researchers have assessed and provided guidance on the PROCOMIDA
nutrition program, which served nearly 53,000 mother–child pairs, and mapped more than 13,000
food security and nutrition interventions, supporting improved monitoring and coordination
efforts.
IFPRI has generated evidence and provided guidance for social protection programs in
Guatemala, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and Peru, collectively supporting approximately 1.5
million households.