“Evaluación de la seguridad alimentaria y nutricional de la población del cantón Latacunga ante una probable erupción del volcán Cotopaxi”

According to the IG-EPN and several international institutions (e.g.: the United States eological Survey - USGS and the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - IRD of France), the most likely scenario for a Cotopaxi eruption would be level 3 with a VEI ~ 4, which means that it is estimated to be an explosive type activity (vulcanian sub plinian), which will include large amounts of ash; pyroclastic and lahars flows will be produced, that these will descend along the flanks of the volcano, causing severe damage and loss of livelihoods, infrastructure and vital lines in the Latacunga town. Consequently, these scenarios would seriously influence the local economy, what will subsequently create scarcity traps and increase food insecurity and, depending on the magnitude of the event, could harm the situation and the pre-existing conditions of food and nutrition in the people. This would hinder the availability and access to food in the greatest influence areas, triggering early speculation on the prices of food, leading to changes in eating patterns, especially in people with low purchasing power, damaging nutrition and the amount of food calories needed in order to a proper diet, especially in older adults and children under 5 years of age, who are currently undernourished due to poverty and extreme poverty. In this sense, the object of this investigation is to help understand the relationship between the event of volcanic eruption and increased food insecurity. Specifically, the question which guides this research is oriented on what will be the impacts that the eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano would cause in the situation of availability, access and use of food in the homes of the Latacunga town. The analysis or evaluation about food and nutritional security in an emergency for the case of Latacunga´s people, before the occurrence of the eruptive event, will allow to know the pre-existing conditions and performance of the territory, it’s based on the pillars of the food security, visualizing their vulnerability in the areas of health and nutrition within the effects that the event could represent for their population.

• Hovedforfatter: Yachimba Quinchuela, Byron Paúl (author)
• Format: article
• Udgivet: 2021
• Fag: Gestión de Riesgos; Seguridad Alimentaria; Desastres Naturales; Erupciones volcánicas; Economía local; Pobreza
• Online adgang: http://repositorio.iaen.edu.ec/handle/24000/5947