MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

More poor people in Brazil.

The number of Brazilians with insufficient resources to feed adequately actually increased during Socialist president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva first year of government according to an independent report.

Brazilians living below the poverty line in 2003 reached 47,4 million equivalent to 27,26% of the population while the year before (2002) under former president Frenando Henrique Cardoso it stood at 26,23%, reports the Getulio Vargas Foundantion.

The overall 1% increase in 2003 was mostly caused by increased unemployment in metropolitan areas since an excellent performance of agriculture actually helped improve rural living conditions.

The segment of the Brazilian population with insufficient means to feed itself has been dropping constantly since 1993 when it stood at 36,57%, excepting 1999 and 2003.

President Lula da Silva administration during its first year concentrated in helping rural areas where poverty dropped from 52% in 2002 to 51% in 2003. However in metropolitan areas the number of poor jumped from 16,6% in 2002 to 19,14% last year.

Getulio Vargas Foundation describes poor families as those with insufficient means to guarantee a daily consumption of 2,888 calories, the minimum indispensable according to the World Health Organization.

Reliable sources from the Brazilian government forecasted that this year poverty will begin to ease in cities, "as social and income distribution programs begin to expand to the suburbs of metropolitan areas".

During the first year of the Lula da Silva administration the Brazilian economy contracted 0,2% but this year is growing at an annualized 4,5% "which will have an impact in employment and in reducing poverty", underlines the report.