El Salvador: Monitoring the Humanitarian Response - Bulletin n° 3 | September - December 2023

Sector Context Information 2023

Food Security

Recurring and adverse weather conditions often impact harvests and hamper efforts to reduce food insecurity (El Salvador is ranked 28th in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021). The El Niño is causing prolonged periods of insufficient rainfall and unfavorable conditions for harvest. There is a 90 per cent probability that the El Niño will continue into 2024 (January-April), potentially resulting in less rainfall than in 2023. Climate variability affects staple crops and jeopardizes food reserves in households, negatively impacting the incomes of small farmers and the dietary diversity of the population.

Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM)

During 2023, the sector focused on training personnel from key humanitarian institutions and partners. It also worked with the Ministry of Governance and humanitarian partners to plan and set up temporary shelters in response to Tropical Storm Pilar.

The Civil Protection (DGPC) 2023 Winter Plan estimates that some 3,123 areas are exposed to floods and landslides and that approximately 68,212 people from these areas would need temporary shelters. To effectively respond to the demands of these possible emergencies, the capacity for managing and coordinating temporary shelters must be strengthened in 2024 within the National Civil Protection’s municipal, departmental, and national teams.
Climate change’s impacts on drought and human mobility are other factors to consider. In 2023, some 13,357 people returned to the country with many humanitarian needs, including temporary shelters. The need for shelters for displaced persons is expected to continue in 2024.