Peru Country Strategic Plan (2018–2022)

CSP approved at EB November 2017 session

Revision 03 approved by the RD in January 2020

Revision 04 approved by the EB in November 2019

Revision 05 approved by the RD in April 2020

Revision 06 approved by the CD in February 2021

Revision 07 approved by the ED in August 2021

Revision 08 approved by the CD in May 2022

In Peru, consistent economic growth combined with investments in infrastructure, education and health and an expansion of social programmes have resulted in significant reductions in hunger and poverty. Although chronic child malnutrition has halved since 2007 it continues to affect 13.1 percent of children under 5, with significant differences according to area of residence. Anaemia rates among children aged 6–36 months have stagnated at 43–45 percent in the last six years. Obesity and overweight levels are rising and affect 32.3 percent of children aged 5–9 years. The main drivers of these indicators are poor dietary diversity caused by lack of access to food, and poor eating habits resulting from limited information and knowledge, mothers’ low education levels, poverty, and limited access to drinking water. 

Peru’s state priorities are set by the Bicentennial Plan, which concludes in 2021: it includes food security and nutrition, with targets for reducing the prevalence of chronic malnutrition to 6.4 percent and anaemia to 19 percent. The strategic review identified gaps and challenges that could impede the achievement of these goals, such as: i) gaps in the legal framework for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2; ii) the need for improved coordination of food security and nutrition programmes at different levels and among sectors; iii) a public narrative that does not always highlight disparities, food insecurity and hunger; iv) limited shock-responsive social protection schemes; and v) the need to differentiate approaches according to local cultural contexts and gender needs. 

This country strategic plan is based on consultations with the Government and other partners. It proposes a significant strategic shift to enable WFP to meet the Government’s expectations, considering the recommendations of the strategic review. The country office has strengthened its approach to deliver as a key government partner on food security and nutrition. This includes a “whole of society” approach in engaging with national actors to provide the integrated multi-sector and political approach needed to continue reducing food insecurity and malnutrition, contributing to three outcomes: 

• The Government, the private sector, academia and civil society in Peru are mobilized to jointly contribute to eradicating hunger and malnutrition by 2030.
• Vulnerable groups most at risk of prevalent forms of malnutrition in Peru – stunting, anaemia and overweight/obesity – have improved nutrition status by 2022.
• National and subnational institutions have strengthened capacities to manage food security, disaster preparedness and social protection policies and programmes by 2022.

WFP will strengthen its capacity for upstream policy support. New advocacy and communications capacities and higher-quality research will help influence high-level policy and resourcing decisions: WFP will therefore rely on its partnerships with key stakeholders in the Government – the ministries of health, development and social inclusion, and defence, and the National Civil Defence Institute – and will strengthen its partnerships with the private sector, academia and civil society.

The country strategic plan will contribute to Peru’s Bicentennial Plan, National Plan for Disaster Risk Management and Plan for Food Security and Nutrition (2015–2021); the United Nations development assistance framework (2016–2021); and Sustainable Development Goals 2 and 17, specifically Strategic Results 2, 5 and 8.