Drought Destroys 75% of Major Crops in Central America

DISASTERS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER
STATE OF CALAMITY
MAJOR DISASTERS
DROUGHT IN CENTRAL AMERICA
CROP DISASTERS
RUST PLAGUE
RISING FOOD PRICES
HUNGER
SCENARIOS: 808, [500,] 444, 300, 277, 255, 111, 100, 078, 012, 03, 02
.

Millions of Central Americans face food insecurity due to drought: UNOCHA

Prolonged drought has destroyed up to 75% of staple crops—maize and bean—in Central America, killing thousands of cattle and affecting more than 3.35 million people by food insecurity, mainly in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador.

Source OCHA-ROLAC

• Guatemala. The government declared a State of Public Calamity in August 2014 in 16 out of 22 departments and extended the decree in October.
• An Emergency Food Security Assessment (EFSA) identified a total of 248,000 households (1 in 4 houses surveyed in the dry corridor) with moderate and severe food insecurity.
• In the coming months food insecurity is expected to worsen as families deplete their food stocks.

• Honduras. The Government has declared State of Emergency in the Honduran dry corridor for the impact of crop loss (between 54 to 75%).
• At least 19,559 children are malnourished as a direct consequence of the drought.

• El Salvador. The country is experiencing the most severe drought since 1977, with
  July 2014 rainfall being the lowest in 44 years.
• About 65% of basic grain producers registered crop losses. Of the producers affected in the eastern part of the country, 82% have lost their entire crops.

• Other countries. Drought has also affected crops and livestock in Nicaragua, Panama and Costa Rica.

“The lack of rain in recent months has resulted in the loss of staple grain crops and death of thousands of cattle in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and to a lesser extent in areas of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama. The most vulnerable population are families of subsistence farmers, labourers and landless farmers, who are characterized by low income, with limited access to land, basic health services and education, and difficulties in obtaining the basic food basket,” reported UNOCHA.

Related Links

Drought Destroys Crops, Livelihoods across Central America  September 4, 2014