Aproximación físico-económica al estado de la seguridad alimentaria en México

Although Mexican agricultural and livestock production suggests adequate food availability for most of the country, household income restricts actual food access. The study aims to develop an indicator that assesses the physical and economic access to food for families in Mexican municipalities. It has been found that food availability in the country is not a widespread issue; therefore, the study seeks to understand the causes of food insecurity. Taking advantage of geographic variability, food security was analyzed at local scales to capture the specificities of each municipality. Based on the FAO’s definition of food access and a literature review, a composite indicator of physical and economic access to food was constructed using data from 7 municipal-level variables and 1 state-level variable. These variables were grouped into three sub-indicators: physical access, economic access, and state economic access. The variables were weighted, and through algebraic summation, the values of the sub-indicators and the indicator were obtained and classified into four categories, as follows: low (deficient), medium (limited), high (favorable), and very high (optimal). Cartography of the results was generated, and a geospatial data analysis was included using the Global Moran Index to evaluate spatial autocorrelation. It was found that 34.4% of the country’s municipalities have low physical access to food, while 40.6% have medium economic access. The indicator showed that 25.4% of municipalities have low physical and economic access to food, with the southern region being the most affected, and another 64% are in conditions of medium physical and economic access. The importance of adopting an integrated view of food security in Mexico is highlighted, and addressing these inequalities is suggested as a means to transform the country's food system.