In absolute numbers, 116.8 million Brazilians do not have full and permanent access to food. | Photo: brasildefato.com.br

Brasilia, April 7 (RHC)-- The Brazilian Network of Research on Food Sovereignty and Security (Red Penssan) denounced on that more than 50 percent of the population of the South American country does not have full and permanent access to food.

The Penssan Network released the results of a research, according to which, in absolute numbers, 116.8 million Brazilians do not have full and permanent access to food.

This means that more than half of the Brazilian population (52.2 percent) lives with food insecurity, said the entity, according to teleSUR's correspondent in the South American giant, André Vieira, on his Twitter account.

The journalist added that, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, 19.1 million people are going hungry in Brazil.  According to the Penssan Network study, only in two years (2018-2020) almost 9,000,000 people became affected by hunger.

The research of that institution was conducted between December 5 and 24 last year.  

In this context, social movements and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) face difficulties to continue the work of solidarity and support to the thousands of families in vulnerable situations due to the pandemic.

According to a report by Larissa Bohrer, of Rádio Brasil Atual, published by the newspaper Brasil de Fato, these entities have been assisting fewer people because donations are increasingly scarce and hunger is becoming an increasing problem.

The State Movement of the Homeless Population in Sao Paulo explained that last year it delivered 2,200 free meals a day to homeless people, but since last February it has not been able to maintain the same level of distribution.

According to the president of that movement, Robson Mendonça, last week they delivered 150 lunch boxes, while last March 25 they were only able to distribute 60 among the line of people waiting in front of the bankers' union courthouse.

"The city government no longer gives us lunch boxes.  It says it will wait to renew its contract with some restaurants to increase and maybe give us back the food (...) Hunger in the pandemic has increased a lot and we cannot attend to everyone," Mendonça told reporters.