💰 Poverty in Jamaica drops to lowest level ever

• Poverty in Jamaica decreased to 8.2 percent in 2023, compared to 16.7 percent in 2021.
• It is the lowest figure measured since measurements began in 1989.
• Food poverty dropped to 2.8 percent, also the lowest level ever.

Sharp decline since the pandemic

Jamaica reports the lowest poverty level in the country's modern history. The Planning Institute of Jamaica announces that 8.2 percent of the population lived below the poverty line in 2023. This is a decrease from 16.7 percent in 2021.

Director General Wayne Henry says it is the lowest figure recorded since poverty measurements began in 1989. The data comes from the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica.

In 2012, 19.7 percent of Jamaicans lived below the poverty line. This means that almost every fifth person consumed below the minimum level. Since then, poverty has decreased steadily, except in 2021 when it rose to 16.7 percent due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Largest improvement in rural areas

All regions show decreased poverty. In the Kingston metropolitan area, poverty dropped from 10.4 percent in 2021 to three percent in 2023. In other urban areas, it decreased from 15.5 percent to nine percent.

Rural areas, which historically have the highest poverty, experienced the largest change. There, poverty dropped from 22.1 percent to 11.5 percent between 2021 and 2023.

Several factors behind the development

The decrease is driven by increases in the minimum wage, Jamaica's recovery from covid-19, and improved macroeconomic stability. Increased employment and strengthened social protection programs also contribute.

Important support programs include the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education, Social Pension Programme, and Poor Relief Programme. Targeted initiatives for youth employment and small-scale agriculture also play a role.

Remittances from abroad continue to be an important source of income. In 2023, net remittances amounted to 3.4 billion US dollars. Nearly half of all Jamaican households reported receiving remittances in 2023. This particularly strengthens households with lower incomes.

Food poverty reaches record low levels

Food poverty, which describes households' inability to buy sufficient food for good health, dropped to 2.8 percent in 2023. This is a decrease from 5.8 percent in 2021 and four percent in 2019. Henry says this is also the lowest level recorded.

Food poverty measures whether households can afford the daily caloric intake required for good health. The sharp decrease shows that more families can now meet their basic nutritional needs.

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