Importance of purchasing power and education in the food security of families in rural areas—case study: Chambo, Ecuador

Abstract

Food security is a condition that allows people permanent access to food for a better quality of life; therefore, it is a priority for the economic development of countries. In this context, this research aims to determine the importance of purchasing power and education in the food security of families in rural environments using Chambo canton, Ecuador as a case study. Considering the deductive method, the research is descriptive correlational, with a qualitative and quantitative approach. For data collection, a questionnaire based on the Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale was applied to 230 households out of a total of 3585 households. The results showed that the variables of number of income earners and total family income have a high relationship with food security, unlike level of schooling. It was concluded that education does not represent a decisive factor for food security in rural environments, although its incorporation as a variable is important for improving quality of life.