December 1, 2000
Vicente Fox Faces Challenges in Addressing Poverty
New study assesses Mexico's anti-poverty efforts
Washington, DC -- The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has released a series of studies assessing PROGRESA, Mexico's largest anti-poverty program. The studies, conducted at the request of the outgoing Mexican government, find that in just two years, PROGRESA has begun to improve childhood education, nutrition and health."Vicente Fox, who will be sworn in today as Mexico's new President, has committed to reducing poverty in his country. Our study shows that the Mexican government's largest program provides a strong step in the right direction," said Emmanuel Skoufias, study leader and IFPRI research fellow.
"Nevertheless, Fox will need to confront several challenges. Mexico has a variety of anti-poverty programs and the new administration has to determine how to streamline them in a way that avoids duplication while benefiting the poor," said Skoufias.
In 1997, the Mexican government designed and implemented PROGRESA to address widespread poverty and break the entangling web of malnutrition, disease, infant mortality, high birth rates, school dropouts, and unhealthy living conditions. Accounting for nearly 20 percent of the federal budget allocated to poverty alleviation by the end of 1999, PROGRESA covered approximately 2.6 million families or about 40 percent of all rural families in Mexico. Through cash transfers, the program aims at increasing school enrollment: it has already increased secondary school enrollment for girls by 9 percent. It also works to improve health and nutrition by providing preventative health care, especially for pregnant women and young children. Women who participate in health care visits are also provided nutritional supplementation and cash benefits.
"If the vicious cycle of poverty handed down from generation to generation is to be broken, programs like PROGRESA are tools Mr. Fox already has at hand." said Skoufias.
(202) 862-5670, m.rubinstein@cgiar.org
David Gately, International Food Policy Research Institute,
(202)862-5679, d.gately@cgiar.org
IFPRI identifies and analyzes policies for sustainably meeting the food needs of the developing world. IFPRI is one of 15 Future Harvest centers and receives its principal funding from 58 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
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