The Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela
Humanitarian Response
Plan 2022–2023
In the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the
socioeconomic crisis continues to drive food insecurity –
the most pressing challenge for the population.
Devaluation of the national currency and rising food
prices have impacted households’ purchasing power.
Vulnerable populations still have to adopt two or more
negative coping mechanisms (e.g. skipping meals and
selling productive assets) to cover their food needs.
Livelihoods assistance is a vital component of the food
security response. Every USD 1 spent on supporting local
food production with seed packages triples its value in
harvests, providing healthy diets for the whole family.
TO ASSIST FAO REQUIRES JANUARY–DECEMBER
175 000 people USD 12.75 million 2023
©FAO
What investments in agriculture can achieve
With the seeds and tools provided, each
Support a family of 5 to
USD 150
household can cultivate 0.3 ha of land and
produce an estimated 500 kg of maize and produce staple food for
beans, worth USD 750 on the local market. nearly a year
The rehabilitation of poultry coops and
irrigation systems, along with seeds and Enable local farmers to generate
USD 80 tools, enables local farmers to restore
production at an agricultural school, ensuring
income and children to access
nutritious food for a year
eggs and vegetables for school feeding.
Through cash for work and training
Enable a family to have a
that support food production, Indigenous
USD 275 Peoples can diversify their livelihoods
activities and facilitate access to
healthy diet and to regularly
generate an income to cover
social services. health and education needs
People in need of food security assistance
Yaracuy Dependencias
D.C. Federales Legend
Caribbean
Carabobo
Sea
La Guaira 0–50 000
Falcón Aragua Nueva Esparta
50 001–100 000
Zulia Sucre
Lara Miranda
100 001–200 000
Cojedes
Trujillo Managas Delta Amacuro 200 001–300 000
Portuguesa
Guárico 300 001–400 000
Anzoátegui
Mérida Barinas 400 001–550 000
Táchira
Apure
Bolívar
G UYA N A
CO LO M B I A
Amazonas
0 150 km
Source: UNOCHA. 2022. Venezuela 2023.
Humanitarian Response Plan. https://
humanitarianaction.info/plan/1135/ge/6872
B RAZ I L
Critical importance of agricultural livelihoods assistance
Drivers of food insecurity
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela continues to face a significant
socioeconomic crisis with impacts across the country. Household
Economic contraction Natural hazards
purchasing power continues to be affected by a combination of high inflation
Low incomes Chronic inflation of food prices
of food price and services as well as very low incomes. Access to quality and
diversified diets is limited due to these high food costs, especially for the most
vulnerable people. By the end of 2022, the country was ranked the world’s Key facts
third highest in food inflation and with the lowest official minimal salary.
Last year, tropical waves and heavy rains caused flooding and landslides in Country population: 28.2 million
ten states, severely impacting crops, pasture and the livelihoods of people
that depend on them. In 2023, effect of El Nino will also affect negatively the
agriculture sector especially in the dryer and semi arid regions. Humanitarian 4.3 million people in need of
food security assistance
assistance to support agricultural livelihoods is critical to responding to food
security needs.
15% increase in the cost of the
basic food basket during the first
half of 2023 alone
Coordination
As co-lead of the Food Security and Livelihoods Cluster in the Bolivarian 23.9% prevalence of
Republic of Venezuela, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the undernourishment in 2018–2020 –
United Nations (FAO) works closely with 64 local and international partners, up from 2.5% in 2010-2012
in collaboration with government counterparts, to ensure a needs-based,
coordinated and effective response and support advocacy for protection 110% food price inflation between
against sexual exploitation and abuse . Special attention is given to access to September 2021 and September 2022
food in a dignified manner, avoiding risks related to the adoption of negative
coping mechanisms. +6 million Venezuelans
left the country
In 2022, FAO reached about 50 000 vulnerable people
with agricultural livelihoods support. For example,
FAO contributed to better food security and nutrition for
vulnerable communities through healthy school feeding
programmes linked to local family farming. The activity
resulted in improved capacities of small farmers to produce
fresh food that was introduced into the supply chain
of the school feeding programmes. This contributed to
diversifying students’ diets; and by establishing market
linkages between local producers and the schools, it
improved the income of small farmers. Overall, 177 000 eggs
were produced and distributed to school canteens as well
as 290 tonnes of cereals, fruits, pulses and vegetables,
benefiting 7 940 children.
©FAO
FAO priorities
Cost per
Type of assistance to Number of Planned
beneficiary Total cost Funds needed
Priority be provided/content of beneficiary implementation
household (USD) by
assistance package households period
(USD)
School feeding programmes
and family farming: seeds, tools,
irrigation system, biofertilizers,
80 40 000 3 200 000
poultry-raising package and
incubators, along with technical
Improve the food training on production and nutrition
security, nutrition and Smallholder farming: seeds, tools,
resilience of vulnerable irrigation system, biofertilizers and 160 10 000 1 600 000
communities technical support
Support to indigenous women:
agricultural package (seeds, tools,
biofertilizers) and technical training 178 8 000 1 424 000
on production and savings and loan Year-round Year-round
schemes
Strengthen the
Vocational training, productive kits
agricultural livelihoods
and establishment of savings and 766 5 000 3 830 000
of vulnerable
loans schemes
households
Reduce disaster Technical support and capacity
building to set up community-
risks linked to
based mitigation measures,
recurrent flooding 45 60 000 2 700 000
including anticipatory actions,
affecting vulnerable and disaster prevention and
communities management protocols
REQUIRED CITATION
FAO. 2023. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela: Humanitarian Response Plan 2023. Rome.
Contact
FAO Representation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
The boundaries and names shown and the designations used on the map(s) in this information product do not FAO-VE@fao.org
imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of FAO concerning the legal status of any country, Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
CC6775EN/1/07.23
territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers and boundaries. Dashed
Office of Emergencies and Resilience
lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
OER-Director@fao.org | fao.org/emergencies
©FAO, 2023
Rome, Italy
Some rights reserved. This work is available Food and Agriculture Organization
under a CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO licence of the United Nations
