Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09GUATEMALA782
2009-08-14 17:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Guatemala
Cable title:  

CURRENT STATUS OF THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN

Tags:  EAID AFIN DCHA PGOV PREL KDEM GT FPC 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0010
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHGT #0782/01 2261721
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141721Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY GUATEMALA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 7933
UNCLAS GUATEMALA 000782

AIDAC

SIPDIS

FOR DCHA/FFP/JBORNS
DCHA/FFP/CLAURENT
LAC/CAM/KSEIFERT
LAC/RSD/KBYRNES

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID AFIN DCHA PGOV PREL KDEM GT FPC
SUBJECT: CURRENT STATUS OF THE FOOD SECURITY SITUATION IN
GUATEMALA

Summary:

Food supplies of the rural poor remain below normal due to
reduced food crop production caused by erratic rainfall and by
reduced use of fertilizers due to high prices. The end result
is reduced crop yields. This makes access to minimally
adequate food supplies problematic for the rural poor. The
QEl NioQ phenomenon is expected to produce warmer
temperatures and lower rainfall in important food production
zones and is projected to last until early 2010. There has
also been a decrease of 11% of remittances during the first
semester of 2009 as compared to the same semester of 2008,
thus affecting many rural families who purchase some or most
of their food. The Government of Guatemala (GoG) approved a
contingency plan to assist approximately 187,000 families
living in 1,900 highly food insecure communities, as
categorized by the Food and Nutrition Secretariat (SESAN).
The plan is estimated to cost nearly US$9 million and involves
providing over 11,000 metric tons of commodities to those at
greater risk. However the GoG does not have the funding
required for this plan and is likely to approach the
international donor community for assistance. End summary.

Currently, below normal household food supplies and above
normal prices of basic food stuffs pose a serious food
security threat to thousands of poor families, especially
those living in the "dry corridor" that stretches from the
eastern department of Chiquimula to the western department of
Quiche. The press reports a surge in acute malnutrition
cases. These signs of a deteriorating food security situation
in the context of Guatemala's broad and systemic malnutrition
problems bear close attention. Guatemala has the highest
national levels of chronic malnutrition on children under the
age of 5 (49 percent) in the Western hemisphere. These
chronic malnutrition levels among children are ethnically and
geographically bound and strongly concentrated in rural
indigenous communities where they average 69 percent.

In May 2009, the Government of Guatemala (GOG) approved a
contingency plan that would assist 186,561 families in 1,901

communities that are categorized with moderate to high food
insecurity according to the Food and Nutrition Secretariat
(SESAN). These communities are located in 136 municipalities
prioritized by the GoG Conditional Cash Transfer Program known
as Cohesion Social. The cost of this emergency plan is
approximately US$9 million which includes the cost of 11,000
metric tons of commodities and transport to the centers of
distribution. However, the GOG does not have the funding to
cover this plan and is approaching different donors to help
fund the implementation of this program.

The Meso-American Food Security Early Warning System (MFEWS)
food security outlook for the period from July through
December 2009 reported that due to the rainfall irregularities
during the months of May and June and high prices of
agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides, crops
were affected and up to 50 percent of both maize and beans was
lost in some areas. This year the annual hunger season
started one month early (March) because of reduced yield due
to last yearQs high prices of agriculture inputs such as
fertilizer throughout the country. All of these factors will
make the food security situation for the poor households in
Guatemala worse.

In July, the climatic phenomenon of QEl NioQ was declared by
the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) and it is expected to
QAtmospheric Administration (DOC/NOAA) and it is expected to
continue through early 2010. In the case of a typical
phenomenon of QEl Nio,Q dry and warm conditions are expected

in much of the country. The last Central American Climate
Outlook forecasted that during the next three months rains will
remain below normal in the eastern departments of Guatemala.
All of these factors indicate that yields for the second crop
of basic food stuffs planted in August and harvested in
November is likely to be reduced. This indicates a high
likelihood of further deterioration in the household food
security of thousands of subsistence farmers in 2010.

During the first week of August, MFEWS, SESAN, World Food
Programme, Action Against Hunger and the National Peace Fund
will carry-out a rapid assessment of the impact of the
financial crisis, the closing of apparel sourcing factories
and the reduction of remittances on Guatemalans. Data from
the Central Bank indicate that there has been a decrease of 11
percent in remittances during the first semester of 2009

compared to the same period in 2008. This is likely to affect
the access to foods of poor and middle-class families over the
coming months, especially in the central, northeast and west
of the country.

It should be noted that the cost of the basic food basket in
June 2009 was $238.44, a value which is higher than the
minimum salary of $192.88, and higher than what most poor
rural families earn.

In light of these factors affecting the food security of poor
Guatemalans, USAID/Guatemala along with MFEWS will continue to
closely monitor the situation and report on any critical
developments.

Some possible recommendations to mitigate the impact of the
expected decreases in food security include monitoring with
the GOG and international organizations in the following
areas: (1) the production of crops; (2) the amount of reserves
that families have in the rural area of the country; and (3)
the climate. USAID will continue to advise the GOG regarding
the use of improved varieties of seeds for the second planting
season (drought resistant) and for the implementation of their
approved contingency plan.


McFarland