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This article examines the situation of water scarcity and security in Mexico, with a focus on the drinking water supply issue in rural communities and the challenges posed by assessment methodologies. We conducted a comprehensive literature review to update the available information on the water crisis in Mexico and its impact on rural communities in the country, as well as the methodologies employed to assess water security and the methodological challenges associated with them. Among the most noteworthy findings is the persistent challenge in evaluating water scarcity and its implications for communities, due to the lack of consensus on the most precise methodology. Nevertheless, current methodological approaches suggest the integration of physical models with pertinent social, economic, and political data. The literature broadly agrees on the severity of the water scarcity crisis and the clear link between rural poverty and inadequate access to drinking water. Water scarcity is both a contributing factor to and a consequence of poverty, stemming from a complex interplay of socioeconomic pressures, inadequate institutional responses, and deficient water management. The paper concludes that water scarcity involves intricate interactions among various factors, encompassing physical water scarcity, pollution, and the impacts of climate change on the water cycle, and most critically, the complexities inherent in water management and regulatory frameworks. Therefore, the integration of well‐informed policies, effective management practices, and collaborative efforts is crucial for ensuring a prosperous and sustainable future. Effective water management can effectively mitigate the challenges of water scarcity and alleviate poverty. This article is categorized under:Engineering Water > Water, Health, and SanitationHuman Water > Rights to WaterScience of Water > Water and Environmental Change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low fertility levels observed in Mexico in recent years have been accompanied by high levels of poverty. The paper analyzes the effect of multidimensional poverty on the observed levels of fertility at the municipal level, that is, the relationship between the spatial dispersion of fertility and the observed levels of poverty. The analysis is based on the application of two hierarchical Bayesian models, the first one representing a spatial field that adjusts the behaviour of the total fertility rate and a second one that adds the effect of the poverty covariate to the spatial field. The results show that an increase in municipal poverty levels would cause a significant increase in fertility rates, which is evidenced by the formation of spatial clusters where high levels of fertility and poverty are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of social pensions on old‐age poverty. To achieve causal identification, we leverage the reduction in the minimum eligibility age of Mexico's flagship non‐means‐tested social pension program. We find that the program's expansion significantly reduced extreme poverty, mainly among indigenous seniors and in rural areas. However, it had negligible effects on labor force participation, suggesting that social pensions were not effective in ensuring minimum economic well‐being and simultaneously inducing retirement among seniors at early stages of old age. The program's small cash transfer and mistargeting are among the main explanations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]