Effect of Remittances on Food Security in Venezuelan Households

Social, political, and economic instability in Venezuela has led to a shift in the regions migration patterns in recent years, with millions of Venezuelans migrating to find better job opportunities or to better provide for the families they leave behind. In this context, remittances play a key role as part of the available income of households that receive them. This study analyzes how these monetary flows, in the context of a migratory crisis, become a livelihood strategy for coping with the food insecurity that Venezuelan households face. Based on data from the 2019 National Standard of Living Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Condiciones de VidaENCOVI), we use an instrumental variables estimation model to measure the effects of remittances on three food security metrics: i) per-capita daily caloric intake, ii) household dietary diversity, and iii) the food insecurity experience scale. We found that receiving remittances is associated with increased caloric intake and household dietary diversity, as well as fewer food access limitations.