Guatemala

Presence country
Guatemala
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Food Security Outlook
October 2023 - May 2024
Rural households remain food insecure due to high food prices and low staple grain harvests
  • Several climatic and economic shocks in recent years are still impacting poor rural households in the Dry Corridor and Alta Verapaz regions. In addition to these conditions, this year's El Niño climate phenomenon has reduced rainfall and increased temperatures, causing partial and even total losses of staple grain crops. As a result, households will rely more heavily on the market to purchase food earlier in the season than usual. The need for immediate purchase of staple foods and debt repayment will minimize the benefits from increased income generated during the high agricultural labor demand season (from October to February). Due to the lack of staple grain reserves, limited capacity to save money, the prolonged need to purchase food from markets, and higher-than-normal food prices, households will enter the lean season earlier than usual. To secure staple foods, households will be forced to adjust the amount of food consumed and use unsustainable negative coping strategies, facing Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes until May 2024. 
  • For poor rural households in the rest of the country, income and food availability will increase from October 2023 to January 2024 due to a seasonal increase in employment during the harvest of various cash crops and household production of staple grains. This year, high food prices and weather irregularities that affected staple grain yields will limit these improvements, so most of the country will experience heightened food insecurity and be classified as Stressed (IPC Phase 2). While most households will likely face Stressed (IPC Phase 2) outcomes from February to May, poorer households in the Altiplano and eastern areas of the country with lower staple grain harvests will have to buy food earlier than expected at higher prices than usual. To guarantee their minimum food intake, households will be forced to adjust food portions and use negative coping strategies, causing them to experience Crisis (IPC Phase 3) outcomes.
  • This year, the El Niño phenomenon caused a delayed start of the rainy season, reduced rainfall, and high temperatures. These climatic irregularities delayed plantings and affected primera and postrera staple grain crops, causing partial to total losses for subsistence farmers. Despite this, commercial maize production that utilizes irrigation is expected to be in the average range. El Niño conditions that are forecasted to continue through May 2024 will possibly delay the new crop cycle planting.
  • Irregularity in the staple grain harvest has caused staple grain prices to remain above the five-year average. Seasonally, prices begin to fall in October, but the irregularity and delay in crop arrival at market will keep prices high, especially for beans, which have already shown record high prices. The persistently high cost of food will continue to restrict household purchasing power.   
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Food Security
Key Message Update Delayed harvests of staple grains keep prices high Guatemala September 2023
Key Message Update Progression of the lean season accentuated by high food prices Guatemala May 2023
Food Security Outlook Update High food prices and poor rainfall mark the onset of the lean season Guatemala April 2023
Agroclimatology
Monitoreo Estacional Condiciones desfavorables para la agricultura persisten en Latinoamérica y el Caribe América Latina y el Caribe April 1, 2023
Monitoreo Estacional Inicio promedio de temporada de lluvia a pesar de lluvias irregulares América Latina y el Caribe March 1, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Flooding spreads into southeastern Africa, while parts of southern Africa remain abnormally dry Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Guatemala Price Bulletin Guatemala October 2023
Boletín de precios Guatemala Boletin de Precios Guatemala October 2023
Price Bulletin Guatemala Price Bulletin Guatemala September 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
No reports available.
Food Security
Key Message Update Delayed harvests of staple grains keep prices high Guatemala September 2023
Key Message Update Progression of the lean season accentuated by high food prices Guatemala May 2023
Food Security Outlook Update High food prices and poor rainfall mark the onset of the lean season Guatemala April 2023
Agroclimatology
Monitoreo Estacional Condiciones desfavorables para la agricultura persisten en Latinoamérica y el Caribe América Latina y el Caribe April 1, 2023
Monitoreo Estacional Inicio promedio de temporada de lluvia a pesar de lluvias irregulares América Latina y el Caribe March 1, 2023
Global Weather Hazards Flooding spreads into southeastern Africa, while parts of southern Africa remain abnormally dry Global February 17, 2023 - February 23, 2023
Markets & Trade
Price Bulletin Guatemala Price Bulletin Guatemala October 2023
Boletín de precios Guatemala Boletin de Precios Guatemala October 2023
Price Bulletin Guatemala Price Bulletin Guatemala September 2023
Alerts / Special Reports
No reports available.
Food Security Classification Data View all Guatemala classification data
Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification (October 2023 - May 2024)

Current (October 2023) food security outcomes and forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (October 2023 - January 2024) and medium term (February 2024 - May 2024) periods.

Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile October 2023 (.zip) (ZIP) Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification October 2023 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Current Situation: October 2023 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: October 2023 - January 2024 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.png) (PNG) Current Situation: October 2023 (.kml) (KML) Near Term Projection: October 2023 - January 2024 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2024 - May 2024 (.kml) (KML) Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification (September 2023 - January 2024)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (September 2023) and medium term (October 2023 - January 2024) periods.

Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile September 2023 (.zip) (ZIP) Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification September 2023 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: September 2023 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: October 2023 - January 2024 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: September 2023 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: October 2023 - January 2024 (.kml) (KML) Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification (January 2021 - May 2021)

Forward-looking analysis representing the most likely food security outcomes for the near term (January 2021) and medium term (February 2021 - May 2021) periods.

Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification Shapefile January 2021 (.zip) (ZIP) Guatemala Acute Food Insecurity Classification January 2021 (.geojson) (GeoJSON) Near Term Projection: January 2021 (.png) (PNG) Medium Term Projection: February 2021 - May 2021 (.png) (PNG) Near Term Projection: January 2021 (.kml) (KML) Medium Term Projection: February 2021 - May 2021 (.kml) (KML)
Seasonal Calendar Seasonal Calendar

The Seasonal Calendar shows the annual and cyclical patterns of key food and income sources in a country throughout the typical year.
Guatemala Seasonal Calendar
Production & Trade Flow Maps
FEWS NET captures the market networks for a product in a given country or region, including their catchments and trade flow patterns.
GT_Labor Migration and Sugarcane Production Coffee Cardamom Cardamom Coffee Sugar Cane, Normal Year
Remote Sensing Imagery Remote Sensing Imagery

USGS-provided data and imagery supports FEWS NET's monitoring efforts of weather and climate throughout the world.

View all remote sensing imagery
Livelihood Zone Resources Livelihood Zone Resources

FEWS NET's narrative descriptions are meant to accompany the livelihood maps, and describe the main characteristics of the livelihood patterns and compare sources of food and income in that zone. 
Guatemala Livelihood Baseline Profile Guatemala Livelihood zone profiles
Guatemala 2016 Livelihood Zones Map (.PNG)
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