Wanderlust World Wanderlust World Despite being an upper-middle-income country and a major food exporter, Mexico faces persistent food insecurity. The 2022 ENSANUT survey found ~23% of the population experienced moderate/severe food insecurity.
~36% live in poverty (CONEVAL 2022). Extreme inequality (Gini ~0.45) concentrates wealth; low wages, informal work (56% of employment), and lack of social protection leave millions unable to afford adequate diets.
Millions of small farmers (<5 ha) lack irrigation, credit, insurance, and market access. Climate shocks (drought, floods) and volatile prices hit them hardest. NAFTA/USMCA increased import competition for staples like corn.
Food is produced but doesn't reach all equally. Poor rural roads, inadequate cold storage, and centralized wholesale markets (Central de Abasto) raise costs in remote/indigenous areas.
Programs like Sembrando Vida (agroforestry), Liconsa (subsidized milk), and school meals help but suffer from targeting errors, corruption, and insufficient scale. No universal right-to-food law exists.
Ultra-processed food consumption is soaring (highest in Latin America), driving obesity/diabetes alongside undernutrition—the "double burden." ~30% of food is lost/wasted.