Migración internacional y transformación económica en familias rurales de Ambato : estudio del uso de remesas y acceso financiero en 2024.

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of international migration on rural families in the Ambato canton during the year 2024, with an emphasis on the use of remittances and access to formal financial services. It demonstrates that migration has been a response strategy to structural precariousness, rural unemployment, and lack of opportunities, causing a significant transformation in domestic economic flows. Remittances help alleviate poverty and stimulate consumption, but they have created structural dependency in rural areas without generating sustainable investment or savings processes. The research, supported by official secondary sources, shows an unfair dispersion of remittances among parishes; the most favored parishes are Santa Rosa and San Fernando, while others, such as Pilahuín and Atahualpa, receive very little. An evolution in institutionalized reception channels is also recognized, with banks such as Pichincha and Guayaquil taking the lead over traditional remittance banks. Finally, the study highlights that remittance costs depend on the country of origin and the platform, which impacts household net income. It finds that greater financial inclusion, economic education, and digital platforms can strengthen the transformative power of remittances in rural areas.