Agenzia Fides

Durango (Agenzia Fides) - Five families out of 10 in Durango, in northern Mexico, live in food poverty. Of the 203,000 families who do not have sufficient means to purchase basic necessities, partly because of the severe drought, 148,000 live in urban areas and 55,000 in rural areas. According to local offices for Social Development, the increase in food poverty is due to the lack of rain in 2012 and not a misapplication of social programs. According to the National Commission of Evaluation of Social Development Policy (Coneval), in 2008 352,000 people, 22% of the population of Durango, lived in food poverty, and in 2010 the figure dropped to 20.1%, or 328 000 inhabitants. In 2012, food poverty in Durango reached 48% of families, about 800 000 inhabitants. 220 000 inhabitants in rural communities have daily food problems. The increase in food prices has aggravated the situation. In addition, due to the lack of rain, 100 000 hectares of land have dried up. Durango is considered by the federal authority institution poorer than the north of Mexico. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 22/01/2013)