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El Salvador

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El Salvador
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Latest food security analysis
Key Message Update January - May 2026 Average cash crop labor demand and food stocks drive seasonal improvement Download the report
  • In January, household food access remained relatively stable compared to late 2025, supported by seasonal increases in income from average agricultural labor demand for coffee and sugarcane harvests, remaining household food stocks from an average primera harvest, and well-supplied markets. Meanwhile, seasonal declines in staple grain prices have improved market access, despite prices remaining above last year and the five-year average. However, as cash crop harvests end between February and March, income will seasonally decline for poor rural households. Food stocks from own production are likely to be fully depleted by April, increasing very poor households’ reliance on markets amid persistently elevated staple food prices. Most poor households are expected to be able to meet their minimum food needs through sustainable coping strategies, but a portion of very poor households – particularly smallholder farmers and agricultural laborers in the Dry Corridor – are expected to increasingly adopt negative coping strategies. 
  • Seasonal agricultural labor opportunities continue to provide income for poor households through February when cash crop harvests conclude. The anticipated average 2025/26 coffee harvest has helped sustain labor demand during peak harvest months, providing seasonal wages and supporting poor households in meeting food and non-food needs at the start of the year. While remittances continue to be an important income source for many households in El Salvador, inflows are expected to decline from last year’s elevated levels, due to shifting policies in sending countries. As labor demand seasonally contracts in March and remittance inflows slow, declining income will increasingly constrain purchasing power through May. 
  • Markets remain well supplied following near‑average national maize production in the 2025 primera season, replenishing household food stocks. However, above-average temperatures during the postrera season caused localized red bean losses, particularly in the Dry Corridor. While most households continue to rely on maize stocks, affected poor households have below-average red bean stocks and are increasing their reliance on markets atypically early. Meanwhile, staple food prices – including maize and beans – declined seasonally between December 2025 and January 2026 but remain higher than last year and the five-year average. Gasoline and diesel have remained stable through 2025; while this has contained transportation costs, above-average staple food prices are expected to persist, with poor households increasingly exposed to these high prices as household food stocks decline. 
  • Despite erratic rainfall distribution, vegetation conditions remain favorable across El Salvador. Soil moisture has been sufficient through January to sustain normal crop development and typical harvests for the apante season are expected to be within average ranges. Rainfall and temperature forecasts looking ahead to the 2026 primera season indicate an average start to the season, with land preparation beginning in May. Government assistance programs, which provide input support on seeds and fertilizers, are expected to increase this year, improving harvest expectations for many smallholder farmers. Overall, national production levels and cropped area for most smallholder farmers are likely to be near average for maize.  
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Actualización de mensajes clave Enero - Mayo 2026 Los niveles promedio de demanda de mano de obra para cultivos comerciales y en reservas alimentos impulsan una mejora estacional Download the report
  • En enero, el acceso de los hogares a los alimentos se mantuvo relativamente estable en comparación con finales de 2025, respaldado por aumentos estacionales de ingresos derivados de una demanda promedio de mano de obra agrícola para las cosechas de café y caña de azúcar, por las reservas de alimentos aún disponibles tras una cosecha promedio de Primera, y por mercados bien abastecidos. Al mismo tiempo, las disminuciones estacionales de los precios de los granos básicos han mejorado el acceso a los mercados, aunque los precios siguen siendo superiores a los del año pasado y al promedio de cinco años. Sin embargo, a medida que concluyan las cosechas de cultivos comerciales entre febrero y marzo, los ingresos de los hogares rurales pobres disminuirán de forma estacional. Es probable que las reservas de alimentos de producción propia se agoten por completo hacia abril, lo que incrementará la dependencia del mercado entre los hogares muy pobres en un contexto de precios persistentemente elevados. Se espera que la mayoría de los hogares pobres pueda cubrir sus necesidades alimentarias mínimas mediante estrategias de afrontamiento sostenibles, pero una proporción de los hogares muy pobres —en particular pequeños productores y jornaleros agrícolas del Corredor Seco— adoptará cada vez más estrategias de afrontamiento negativas.
  • Las oportunidades estacionales de empleo agrícola continúan proporcionando ingresos a los hogares pobres hasta febrero, cuando concluyen las cosechas de cultivos comerciales. La cosecha de café 2025/26, prevista como promedio, ha contribuido a sostener la demanda de mano de obra durante los meses pico de cosecha, proporcionando salarios estacionales y apoyando a los hogares pobres para cubrir necesidades alimentarias y no alimentarias a inicios del año. Si bien las remesas siguen siendo una fuente importante de ingresos para muchos hogares en El Salvador, se espera que los flujos disminuyan respecto a los niveles elevados del año pasado debido a cambios en las políticas de los países emisores. A medida que la demanda de mano de obra se contrae estacionalmente en marzo y las remesas se desaceleran, la disminución de los ingresos limitará cada vez más el poder adquisitivo hasta mayo.
  • Los mercados se mantienen bien abastecidos tras una producción nacional de maíz cercana al promedio durante la temporada de Primera 2025, lo que permitió reponer las reservas alimentarias de los hogares. No obstante, las temperaturas por encima del promedio durante la temporada de Postrera provocaron pérdidas localizadas de frijol rojo, particularmente en el Corredor Seco. Si bien la mayoría de los hogares continúa dependiendo de las reservas de maíz, los hogares pobres afectados cuentan con reservas de frijol rojo por debajo del promedio y están aumentando su dependencia del mercado de forma atípicamente temprana. Al mismo tiempo, los precios de los alimentos básicos —incluidos el maíz y el frijol— disminuyeron de manera estacional entre diciembre de 2025 y enero de 2026, pero siguen siendo más altos que el año pasado y que el promedio de cinco años. Los precios de la gasolina y el diésel se han mantenido estables durante 2025; aunque esto ha contenido los costos de transporte, se espera que los precios elevados de los alimentos básicos persistan, exponiendo cada vez más a los hogares pobres a estos altos precios a medida que se agotan sus reservas de alimentos.
  • A pesar de la distribución errática de las lluvias, las condiciones de la vegetación siguen siendo favorables en todo El Salvador. La humedad del suelo ha sido suficiente hasta enero para sostener un desarrollo normal de los cultivos, y se espera que las cosechas de la temporada de Apante se sitúen dentro de rangos promedio. Los pronósticos de lluvia y temperatura para la temporada de Primera 2026 indican un inicio promedio de la temporada, con la preparación de tierra prevista para mayo. Se espera que los programas de asistencia gubernamental, que brindan apoyo en insumos como semillas y fertilizantes, aumenten este año, mejorando las perspectivas de cosecha para muchos pequeños productores. En general, los niveles de producción nacional y el área cultivada para la mayoría de los pequeños agricultores probablemente se mantendrán cercanos al promedio para el maíz. 
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More analysis reports View all El Salvador food security analysis reports Monthly analysis
Key Message Update El Salvador December 2025 - May 2026
Key Message Update El Salvador November 2025 - May 2026
Key Message Update El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua July 2024
Alerts / special reports
Special Report Global May 1, 2025
Monthly analysis
Key Message Update El Salvador December 2025 - May 2026
Key Message Update El Salvador November 2025 - May 2026
Key Message Update El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua July 2024
Alerts / special reports
Special Report Global May 1, 2025
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El Salvador 2018 Livelihood Zones Map (.PNG)
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