Mexico Pushes to Turn Food Rights Law Into Action

Legislators and representatives from the food sector met to follow up on compliance with the United Nations’ SDG 2: Zero Hunger and to promote the issuance of the Regulations for the General Law on Adequate and Sustainable Food (LGAAS), taking into account its economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Within the framework of the forum, From Law to Impact: Activating the Right to Adequate and Sustainable Food, Allegra Baiocchi, Resident Coordinator-Designate of UN Mexico, acknowledged that Mexico took a historic step with the approval of the LGAAS, but emphasized that the challenge now lies in turning it into reality. “The development of the regulations will be key to ensuring that the right to food moves beyond a legal principle or ideal and becomes a reality,” she noted.

Senator Emmanuel Reyes, President of the Economy Commission, stated that the approval of this law represents one of the most significant advances in social rights, as it recognizes food as a human right that must be guaranteed progressively and effectively. However, he added that laws require institutions to implement them, public policies to translate them into action, and, above all, collaboration among different sectors of society.

The LGAAS was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on March 6, 2024, and published in the Official Gazette of the Federation on April 17, 2024. It entered into force the following day, April 18, 2024. Key provisions include guarantees for food self-sufficiency and sovereignty; healthy and sustainable food production; public procurement; a strategic food reserve; labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms; and the creation of the National Interministerial System for Health, Food, Environment, and Competitiveness (SINSAMAC).

Amalia García, Senator and President of the Commission for Monitoring the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda, warned that despite social progress, Mexico wastes nearly one-third of the food it produces each year. According to the United Nations Environment Programme’s Food Waste Index 2024, 13.4Mt of food are discarded annually in the country.

In line with this issue, Mariana Jiménez, Director General, Mexican Food Bank Network (BAMX), called for moving from law to action through science, data, and measurement. “Waste is not just food in the trash; it is also lost resources and money, and missed opportunities to nourish millions,” she said. She highlighted that in 2025, BAMX rescued more than 200,000t of food through 59 food banks across 30 states, serving 2,687,249 people. Moreover, she emphasized that the private sector plays a key role in reducing losses, innovating in logistics and redistribution, and promoting more sustainable production.

In contrast to the scale of food waste, García noted that around 28 million people in Mexico still live with food insecurity. This means they are unable to access adequate nutrition due to lack of income, access, or social conditions. In the country, the real cost of eating a balanced diet at home for one week is approximately MX$1,000 to MX$1,300, assuming three meals per day and adequate portions for an average adult, according to PROFECO.

In this context, an urban family of four requires around MX$20,000 per month to cover basic needs, according to the most recent update of the Income Poverty Lines from INEGI. This figure represents only the minimum required to cover food, housing, transportation, and basic services. Considering that the average total monthly household income in Mexico in 2024 was MX$27,307, more than 70% of household income is spent on essential needs.

Amid ongoing global conflicts, the senator also called for strengthening actions to guarantee the right to adequate and sustainable nutrition. She noted that war drives up the prices of food, energy, and products such as fertilizers, leading to shortages. “We are at the beginning of the agricultural cycle, so having fertilizers at high costs will impact food production. In other words, this is a moment for reflection and action,” she said.

Enrique Durazo, Coordinator of the University Program for Development Studies (PUED), UNAM, added that militarization, the consequences of armed conflicts, and a climate of generalized uncertainty not only have direct impacts on the populations where they occur, but also affect other countries. Therefore, safeguarding the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring their fulfillment is a shared responsibility.

Following the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran, fertilizer prices have surged by more than 40%. This is due to logistical complications in transportation, as shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz dropped by 97% on March 7 compared to the February average.

In this regard, Fernando Cruz, Managing Partner, Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA), explained that this could directly impact Mexico’s agricultural sector, as the country imports around 75% of its nitrogen fertilizer needs. In 2025, this amounted to between 3.8 and 4Mt, sourced mainly from Russia and China, but also from countries affected by the conflict, such as Oman.

He added that although Mexico has a government support program for producers through fertilizer distribution (Fertilizers for Well-Being), it consists of only about 1Mt aimed at small-scale producers focused on subsistence or highly localized markets. As a result, medium- and large-scale producers supplying wholesale markets are left out.

Héctor Ochoa, Director General, SECNA (Ministry of Economy / National Council for the 2030 Agenda), emphasized the law’s comprehensive vision, noting that producing, distributing, and consuming food must be understood as part of a single system that integrates health and welfare policies, with particular attention to gender perspectives, youth participation, and support for vulnerable communities.

Speakers agreed on three key axes that should be included in the LGAAS regulations: placing food waste at the center of the agenda; reactivating and monitoring the National Strategy to Prevent and Reduce Food Loss and Waste; and measuring and ensuring transparency of losses throughout the entire value chain.

“This is an opportunity to become more resilient in the face of crises, strengthen the value chain, and ensure that more value remains within the country to better support those at the last mile: farmers. It also underscores the need for partnerships, innovation, and technology to scale solutions,” Baiocchi concluded.