Guatemala
Guatemala is facing serious challenges in achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on Zero Hunger, which includes the elimination of all forms of malnutrition by 2030.
Almost half the population cannot afford the cost of the basic food basket. As a result, the prevalence of stunting in children under 5 is one of the highest in the world – and the highest in Latin America and the Caribbean. At 46.5 percent nationally, the stunting rate climbs up to 70 percent in some departments, with peaks as high as 90 percent in the hardest hit municipalities.
A multi-ethnic country with a rich cultural heritage, Guatemala is one of the most unequal countries in Latin America. While two thirds of the overall population live on less than US$ 2 per day, poverty affects indigenous people disproportionately: 80 percent of them experience deprivation in multiple aspects of their lives, including food security, nutrition, health and education.
What the World Food Programme is doing in Guatemala
Nutrition
WFP supports the Government’s efforts to prevent stunting by providing specialized nutritious foods to children under 2 as well as promoting behavioural change. Priority is given to municipalities where the prevalence of stunting in children under 5 exceeds 50 percent in the departments of Alta and Baja Verapaz, Sololá and Chimaltenango.Capacity strengthening
WFP works with government institutions to strengthen their capacities in the areas of nutrition, food security, emergency preparedness and response. WFP also encourages the incorporation of climate change impacts on food security into national policy and planning, and the inclusion of smallholder farmers in public food procurement processes.Resilience building
Some 9,000 families in remote, disaster-prone areas, participate in food for assets initiatives, whereby they receive support in either food or cash in exchange for the building or rehabilitation of assets that will strengthen their resilience to climate shocks and stresses. Activities – including water and soil conservation as well as agroforestry in steep areas – are chosen and planned through a participatory process with local communities.Support for smallholder farmers
WFP supports smallholder farmers’ organizations in strengthening and diversifying production, and acquiring equitable and fair access to wider markets, including procurement processes for public social programmes.Emergency response
WFP supports government efforts to provide food and/or assistance to people affected by natural shocks, be they sudden – such as floods, hurricanes, earthquakes or landslides – or slow-onset, such as droughts or prolonged dry seasons.
In focus
Guatemala news and stories
Go to pagePartners and donors
Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Guatemala is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:Find out more about the state of food security in Guatemala
Visit the food security analysis pageOperations in Guatemala
Contacts
Guatemala City
13 Calle 8-44, Zona 10, Edificio Edyma Plaza, 4o. Nivel Oficina 400, Guatemala City
Phone: +502 2300 6000
Fax: +502 2300 6003