Abstract

OLVERA, Brenda; SCHMOOK, Birgit; RADEL, Claudia  and  NAZAR BEUTELSPACHER, Dominga Austreberta. Unwanted effects of nutritional support programs in rural households in Calakmul, Campeche. Estud. soc [online]. 2017, vol.27, n.49, pp.11-46. ISSN 0188-4557.

Objective: In this article, we analyzed the unwanted effects of government support programs as promoted by the Program of Social Inclusion Prospera, the Food Support Program (PAL), and the Strategic Program for Food Security (PESA) and the School Kitchen Program on smallholder food production and consumption patterns. Methodology: In 2015, we carried out 46 surveys and 32 interviews with program beneficiaries and representatives of these social programs, in a case study in two communities of Calakmul, Campeche. Results: In this study, we argue that, with these programs, despite improvements in nutritional status, there has been an increase in the intake of high-energy food, rich in fat, sugar and sodium. People in the two communities tend to consume highly processed foods, while production and consumption of food produced in local farms and housegardens decreased. Misinformation, low educational levels, zero nutritional education and high availability of processed foods are some of the factors contributing to such consumption. Limitations: A limiting factor was to access to official information on how Prospera, PESA, PAL and the School Kitchen programs work in practice within communities. However, this limitation was overcome by performing in-depth interviews with public officials and especially with beneficiaries of the programs, to fully understand the functioning of each social program. Conclusion: We conclude that the public programs analyzed require better educational components regarding the quality of food consumed. Although it is not the main objective of the programs analyzed to promote food production, these programs should stimulate the production of traditional and healthy food through educational programs.

Keywords : Contemporary food; food poverty; vigilance; conditional cash transfers; rural areas.