Temporal Contribution of Backyard Products to Food Security in Rural Areas of Chiapas

Resumen

This study analyzed the temporal dynamics of backyard contributions to household food security in La Concordia, Chiapas. A total of 130 households were surveyed through a non-experimental, descriptive, longitudinal design with a mixed-methods approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in 24 localities, addressing four dimensions: food consumption and purchase priorities; monthly availability of backyard products; food and non-food uses of species; and monthly dynamics of satisfaction with food access. Correspondence analysis, Ward’s hierarchical clustering, and the Use Value Index were applied to identify priority structures, seasonal availability patterns, and the functional value of backyard species. Results show that backyards contribute differently according to seasonality. Animal products remain stable throughout the year, although their use varies between deferred accumulation in pig production and regular consumption of eggs and poultry. In contrast, plant products exhibit marked seasonality, grouped into three sets according to average availability and temporal patterns. The group with the highest availability coincided with species whose mean Use Value Index exceeded one. Less than 50% of households reported satisfaction with food access, with critical months concentrated between December and April, coinciding with lower overall availability of plant species.

Highlights:

• Backyard contributions to household food security are seasonally organized, not static.
• Year-round animal products fulfill contrasting food and household savings functions.
• Three seasonal plant groups plus a year-round lemon pattern structure annual plant provisioning.
• Food satisfaction is lowest from December to April and highest from July to October.
• Food resilience reflects temporal complementarity between backyard and external food sources.