POVERTY AND THE RIGHT TO FOOD: THE CASE OF FOOD PROVISION IN NORTHWEST ARGENTINA

Abstract

Although Argentina has had food policies at different times in its history, in recent years the country has experienced an increase in food insecurity among its population. At the same time, recent data point to an increase in poverty. This has led to the design of specific programs to reverse this situation. Emphasizing the Prestacion Alimentar (PA) of Argentina Against Hunger Plans, the following paper seeks to understand the characteristics of this policy, its coverage and scope. Likewise, by means of secondary data, different socio-demographic aspects of the beneficiary population of Northwest Argentina (NOA) are analyzed to evaluate their current situation and possible improvements/recommendations. At the departmental level, PA coverage ranges from 6.9% to 99.5% in the case of women in the Mitre department of Santiago del Estero. In more than 90% of cases, women were entitled to the PA, with ages ranging mainly between 20 and 60 years and with an average time of possession of the PA of 622.93±315.49 days. In terms of beneficiaries, 92.75% were under 14 years of age, followed by pregnant women (4.67%) and people with disabilities (the remaining 2.58%). Less than 5% of the beneficiaries have more than 3 dependent beneficiaries and this group receives a diluted benefit from the PA. This situation invites us to reflect on the universal scope of the right to food, especially for people with disabilities.