(Dis)connections between youth migration and food security in a rural community of the Sierra de Santa Marta, Veracruz, Mexico

This article analyzes the effects of youth migration on food security in the rural community of Tatahuicapan, Mexico. Based on structured questionnaires and interviews with farmer's households, we describe how youth migratory trends have changed through time, develop a typology of family food security strategies, and examine how households have capitalized on youth mobility. Our results show there is little connection between youth mobility and the economic and labor demands of family farming. We also found an increase in families' food purchases as compared to self-production. Lastly, we identified a set of limitations for capitalizing on youth mobility, and a distancing between youth and household agriculture which does not derive from migration directly. Under current local conditions, youth migration may increase food dependency at household and community scales. •Youth mobility rarely responds to family farming needs of money and labor.•Families' food purchases have increased as compared to self-production.•There is a set of limitations for capitalizing on youth mobility in the locality.•Youths are distancing from household agriculture even when they do not migrate.•Under current conditions, youth out-migration may increase local food dependency.