2.49 million need food aid in Guatemala

Between 2.0 and 2.49 million people will need food assistance in Guatemala from June to September 2026, reaching the upper end of the range between July and August as food stocks decline, income sources decrease and dependence on food purchases intensifies. From October 2026 to January 2027, the population in need is expected to decline to between 1.5 and 1.99 million.

FEWS NET (2026)

FEWS NET. (2026). Reduced rainfall, high temperatures and market dependence maintain Crisis: Guatemala Food Security Outlook, June 2026-January 2027. https://fews.net/latin-america-and-caribbean/guatemala/food-security-outlook/june-2026

Forest cover loss in LAC

7% of forest cover was lost between 1990 and 2020 in Latin America and the Caribbean, equivalent to 138 million hectares, highlighting the scale of landscape degradation in the region and the urgency of advancing large-scale restoration and conservation efforts (World Resources Institute, 2024).

World Resources Institute, 2024

Emissions from land use in LAC.

58% of greenhouse gas emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean originate from land use, land-use change, and the forestry sector, highlighting the significant weight of these activities in the region’s climate dynamics and the urgent need to strengthen mitigation efforts (World Resources Institute, 2024).

World Resources Institute, 2024

Forests in Latin America and the Caribbean.

23% of the world’s forests and 60% of global biodiversity are located in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting the region’s strategic importance for ecosystem and biodiversity conservation. This significant share also reflects the critical role of LAC in providing essential ecosystem services and in supporting global efforts to address environmental degradation and climate change (World Resources Institute, 2024)

World Resources Institute, 2024

Agricultural Productivity in Latin America and the

Up to 70% of agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is reduced when environmental costs are taken into account. The increase in production has been driven mainly by the intensive use of inputs rather than by technological or managerial improvements, highlighting the need for policies that integrate sustainability and innovation. (IDB, 2025)

Salazar, L., Tadeo Ruesta, D. V., Alvarez, L., Bernal Hernandez, S. ., & Martel, P. (2025). Agricultural Productivity in Latin America and the Caribbean (1961-2021): Subregional and National Analysis. Balduzzi Fiallos, M. S. (Ed.).

Decline in RIP agriculture in LAC

In 2023, the relative internal productivity of the Agriculture sector in Latin America and the Caribbean was 44 (with total productivity coefficient = 100), showing its lag compared to sectors with higher productivity, according to the sectoral graph of the report (ECLAC, 2025).

En 2023, la productividad relativa interna del sector Agricultura en América Latina y el Caribe fue 44 (con coeficiente de productividad total = 100), evidenciando su rezago frente a sectores de mayor productividad, según el gráfico sectorial del informe (CEPAL, 2025).

Evidence detail

SESAN

SESAN

Evidence detail

Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Agrícolas (ICTA)

ICTA

Evidence detail

FUNDESA

Swisscontact

Evidence detail

MAGA

Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganadería y Alimentación (MAGA)