Eating on the move: Experiences of food insecurity and hunger during overland transit through Mexico

• Published in: Global food security Vol. 42; p. 100781
• Main Authors: Aragon-Gama, Alondra Coral, Infante, Cesar, Mundo-Rosas, Veronica, Bojorquez-Chapela, Ietza, Orjuela-Grimm, Manuela
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01-09-2024
• ISSN: 2211-9124; 2211-9124
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gfs.2024.100781

To explore migrants’ experiences of food insecurity during their overland transit through Mexico, using qualitative methods.
We conducted a qualitative study (May–July 2016) of 26 Central American migrants in a migrant shelter in San Luis Potosí, México. The semi structured interview explored four domains of food insecurity: 1) availability; 2) accessibility; 3) utilization (eating practices and consumption; and 4) stability (experiencing hunger).
Participants shared common food choices and reasons for selecting these foods. These included properties such as ease of transportability, storage (e.g., packaging) and preparation needed prior to intake (e.g., whether cooking was required). Shelters provided access to humanitarian assistance including food. The informants also experienced hunger and multiple challenges impeding their physical access to food. These were further aggravated by the disadvantaged socioeconomic conditions of areas through which they transited.
Migrants transiting overland through Mexico experienced challenges that limit availability, access, consumption, and stability of food, showcasing the critical nature of providing food security to ensure their human rights.
•Migrants in transit through Mexico are at risk of experiencing hunger due to either the absence of available food along their migration route, or to their limited economic resources which limit their abilities to purchase food.•Migrants in transit through Mexico experienced challenges that limit availability, access, utilization, and stability of food intake.•Migrants used strategies to cope with the lack of resources to obtain food, such as asking for money or staying at migrant shelters.•Food insecurity has been documented as a common experience that occurs at different times in the migration process.•The consequences of food insecurity in migrants highlight the need to better understand its determinants and the social response organized to guarantee the well-being of this group.