Jamaica has reached a significant milestone in its fight against poverty, with the national poverty rate dropping to a historic low of 7.8% in 2024, down from 8.2% in 2023. Additionally, extreme poverty, also known as food poverty, has fallen to 2.7%, the lowest level since 1989. These findings were disclosed by Dr. Wayne Henry, Director General of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), during the institute’s quarterly media briefing on Tuesday. The data, sourced from the Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC) conducted by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica, highlights the nation’s progress in addressing economic disparities. Dr. Henry emphasized that the 2024 poverty rate is statistically similar to the previous year’s figure, considering the margin of error. He explained that food poverty, which refers to households’ inability to afford the minimum daily caloric intake for good health, has seen a gradual decline since 2013 when it stood at 10.3%. Key factors contributing to this improvement include targeted social protection programs, record-low unemployment rates, and enhanced macroeconomic stability, including moderate inflation. Despite economic challenges such as weather-related shocks that reduced agricultural output and rural earnings, government interventions, inflation moderation, and increased employment have helped maintain household consumption levels. Dr. Henry also noted that poverty rates have shown relative stability across all regions, with the Greater Kingston Metropolitan Area recording the lowest rate at 2.5%. Rural areas, historically the most affected, saw a slight reduction to 11% in 2024. Furthermore, mean per capita consumption expenditure grew by 5.5% nominally and 1.1% after adjusting for inflation. The PIOJ is also developing a multidimensional poverty index to capture broader forms of deprivation, such as limited access to education, healthcare, and housing, complementing traditional monetary measures.