Abstract:

The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the performance of agricultural and food production in Mexico during the reforms and NAFTA and the consequences of this performance and of food trade liberalization on food security, consumption patterns and food poverty. The paper is divided into 6 parts. Part 2 assesses major agricultural reforms, trade liberalization under NAFTA and their expected impacts, as well as new policies that accompanied the reforms. In Part 3 major trends in agricultural production and trade, farm size and yields during the last decades are discussed. Part 4 evaluates the performance of Mexico in terms of food consumption, food security, obesity and poverty. Part 5 utilizes these analyses to reflect on the lessons the Mexican experience can offer to other countries at earlier stages of developing. Part 6 provides several concluding remarks. Keywords: Foods, New Consumers, Economic Reforms, Mexico, Poverty, Food Security.