“If it is disaggregated by age groups according to poverty status, in the first semester report, it is highlighted that two thirds (66.1%) of nnya from 0 to 14 years They are part of households below the poverty line, and of them, 27% live in indigent households. While in the age group of 15 to 29 years, poverty reaches 60.7% and indigence 21.2%, always according to INDEC data,” recalls the Institute for Social, Economic and Citizen Policy Research (ISEPCI).
According to the document, 76.5% of families were forced to reduce their portions or eliminate mealsdue to the impossibility of having sufficient resources to acquire some of the essential foods. “One of the usual ways that the heads of households use to alleviate and/or “disguise” the lack of resources to acquire essential foods, is the reduction of the usual portions at each meal, so it was verified in 72% this situation,” he says.
Food insecurity
“Regarding the foods consumed during the last month, 73.3% of those interviewed stated that in this period the family had to deprive themselves of eating one or more of these products, due to lack of the necessary income: meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, cereals, or legumes,” he warns.
One of the most serious manifestations of Food Insecurity It is when the family is forced to eliminate one of the four necessary meals. It is no longer about resorting to cheaper foods or reducing portions, but simply stopping breakfast, snacks, lunch or dinner.
When asked the responsible adult interviewed if in recent times any member of the family had to skip a meal due to lack of resources, more than 70% answered affirmatively.
“A striking fact occurs in the province of Formosa, where all the adults interviewed – who are heads of families who attend community soup kitchens or picnic areas – stated that, on some days last month, they were forced to suppress a food or reduce portions,” comments the document.
And he adds that: “At the other end of the list, Misiones is with 52% and CABA with 55%, they are affected by the same situation.”
Finally, when analyzing the data disaggregated by province, the most alarming situation It occurs in the province of Formosa, where all of the families surveyed – they live in neighborhoods of high socio-environmental vulnerability – are going through situations of food insecurity.followed by San Juan with 87.5%, Córdoba 86.8%, Santa Fe 85% and Conurbano Bonaerense 81%. While at the other end is CABA with 63% of the families surveyed, which is the one with the lowest percentage.
The official version of poverty
He Government announced this Thursday that, based on INDEC data, projects 38.9% poverty in Argentina for the third quarter of 2024. The data arises from work by the Ministry of Human Capital, through the National Council for the Coordination of Social Policies (CNCPS).
The announcement comes the same day that INDEC reported the growth of inequality in income distribution, recording its worst record for a third quarter since the exit of the pandemic in 2021as a consequence of the advance of precarious employment and the delay in wages.
The Government projects decreases in poverty and indigence
Neighborhood Indicator of Nutritional Situation (IBSN)”In this way, thanks to the implementation of economic policies that have contributed to reducing inflation and stabilizing the economy, Poverty continues to decline in the yearafter having gone from 54.8% in the first quarter to 51% in the second, and with a projection of 38.9% for the third,” the Government stated.
Likewise, they explained that the decrease is explained by two key factors: “the economic policies taken by the Government that helped balance the macroeconomy and put a stop to inflation, and the transfer targeting towards the most vulnerable sectors, direct and transparent”.
Under this line, they added: “At the beginning of the administration, 50% of the resources destined for the most vulnerable populations were distributed through intermediaries, such as Executing Units of the Empower Work program, soup kitchens and cooperatives, while the other 50% were transferred directly. Today, 93.5% of food resources are direct transfers to the families that need it most. The amounts of the Food Benefit have accumulated 137.5%. in this management and coverage was extended to more than 600,000 adolescents between 14 and 17 years old. In addition, the AUH grew by 340% in 11 months, which means a real growth in purchasing power of 107%.
They also commented that the CNCPS projects that the incidence of indigence stood at 8.6% during this periodafter having registered 20.2% in the first quarter and 16% in the second.
A Buenos Aires middle-class family needs more than $2,000,000 per month
According to the price report carried out by the Center for Education, Services and Consumer Advice (CESyAC) In November, a family group required a budget of $2,003,735 to cover all their expenses. Prepaid medicine, ABL, Cable TV and Internet and private schools were the items that increased the most.
The unstable economic situation does not stop and purchasing power does not find any type of relief. This is demonstrated by the survey carried out by the CESyACwhich reflects that a family in the City of Buenos Aires needed a budget of $2,003,735.46 to meet all your expenses.
Of that amount, $1,419,693.77 (71%) are to hire basic home serviceswhile $584,041.69 (29%) to acquire mass consumption products. Meanwhile, November inflation was located for the middle class in the order of 1.99% while the interannual price variation was 163.57%.
The most relevant increases in the category of mass consumption products were meats (3.22%) and drinks (1.58%). Within basic services, what rose the most were prepaid medicine (5.15%)ABL (4.8%)Expenses (4.5%)Private schools (4.4%)TV and Cable Internet (4%) and mobile telephony (3.6%).
Source: Ambito
