Attachments
Overview
Key messages
• WFP reached 291,414 people with direct assistance and benefitted 5,474,222 people with assets, services and technical assistance.
• In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, WFP reached 4 million people through food distribution.
• WFP provided technical assistance and support to the Government in developing sustainable, climate-resilient, nutrition- and gender-sensitive food systems.
In an ever-changing context, WFP leaves no one behind
In 2023, different challenges in Guatemala hindered progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Such challenges included food insecurity, migration, malnutrition, climate shocks and political changes [1].
Almost half of the children aged 24-59 months and 30 percent of children under 6 months suffer from chronic malnutrition or stunting (low height for age). The official epidemiological surveillance system reported 40 percent more acute illness cases than the previous year [2].
Climate-related disasters such as tropical storms in 2022 and excessive rainfall in prolonged droughts provoked by the El Niño phenomenon in 2023 affected food production and availability. Irregularly high temperatures and reduced erratic rainfall impacted staple grain crops and led to less abundant harvests, especially in the western highlands and the eastern part of the country [3]. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food indicated that the El Niño phenomenon affected 105,289 households, resulting in damage to or loss of crops covering 54,207 ha due to prolonged droughts, while excessive rainfall damaged 74,685 households and18,793 ha of land. Overall, the loss was equivalent to USD 34.2 million [4].
WFP worked to strengthen the Government's actions towards SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 5 (Gender Equality) and SDG 17(Partnerships for the Goals) through five interconnected strategic outcomes. By responding to immediate and long-term crises, improving nutrition, building resilience and supporting the development of an integrated social protection system, WFP directly assisted 291,414 persons facing food insecurity due to climate shocks, seasonal hunger and poverty in 21 of 22 departments.
Under strategic outcome 1 (emergency response), WFP assisted 72,831 people affected by food insecurity caused by excessive rainfall, tropical storms and seasonal hunger. The activities also supported and empowered 52 communities in rebuilding their livelihoods and community assets.
Under strategic outcome 2 (nutrition), WFP provided technical and financial support to the Government, promoting and delivering comprehensive services and programmes that foster good health and hygiene practices and healthy eating habits. WFP worked with the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance to review protocols for treating acute malnutrition and implemented capacity-strengthening activities, such as nutrition brigades and social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) initiatives. Furthermore, WFP delivered anthropometric equipment, benefitting 500 health services and 350,000 people, including children aged 24-59 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls.
Under strategic outcome 3 (resilience and climate change), efforts to enhance resilience were scaled up, reaching 209 rural and Indigenous communities, marking a 60 percent increase from 2022. Within these communities, 18,000 households built 10,591 organic composts and 12,507 family gardens while also receiving training on livelihood diversification and climate change adaptation. These activities were complemented by an SBCC strategy, facilitating the implementation of context-specific, gender-sensitive and culturally-appropriate nutrition interventions.
As a result of expanding resilience activities, 15,000 women participated in economic empowerment initiatives, including establishing savings and loan groups and associative entrepreneurship, which generated USD 453,709 in savings. Combined with workshops and training, these efforts helped reduce the financial services gap that hinder women's access to economic resources, strengthening their decision making within their households and communities.
Moreover, WFP continued its parametric climate microinsurance activities for the third year by issuing 14,226 policies, 50 percent more than in 2022. The community adoption of this product led to yearly renewals, with 54 percent of the population contributing at least 13 percent of the premium cost. In 2023, this insurance triggered payouts equivalent to USD 606,252, benefitting 5,337 households impacted by drought and 30 households affected by excessive rainfall.
As part of the Disaster Risk Finance Initiative, WFP launched an anticipatory action pilot involving 1,200 households in the Chiquimula department. In 2023, drought triggers were activated for the first time, setting off anticipatory actions such as distributing drought-tolerant seeds, disseminating agroclimatic recommendations via text messages, and implementing anticipatory cash-based transfers.
To enhance market access for smallholder farmers, WFP updated a mobile application that connects them with the National School Feeding Programme, building on the recommendations from an impact evaluation conducted in collaboration with the World Bank and finalized in April 2023. This evaluation covered 210 schools across 59 municipalities and showed that the mobile app was user-friendly but required further refinement to align with user needs and expectations. Additionally, data indicated an increase in food procurement from smallholder farmers by the schools engaged in the programme, underscoring the mobile app’s potential to bolster local agriculture and nutrition in schools.
Under strategic outcome 4 (national systems and capacities), WFP strengthened national social protection and emergency preparedness and response systems. Also, WFP supported the development of government gender policies and plans in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Development, the National Coordinating Agency for Disaster Reduction, the National Institute of Agricultural Marketing and local governments.
Finally, under strategic outcome 5 (service delivery), WFP procured and transported 25,972 mt of food (maize, beans, oats, vegetable oil, sugar, rice and Super Cereal Plus) through on-demand service provision for the ministries of Agriculture, Livestock and Food, Public Health and Social Assistance, Social Development and the National Secretariat for Food Security and Nutrition. By providing these supply chain services, WFP supported the Government in reaching 5 million people in 21 of 22 departments.
WFP collaborated closely with the Government, engaging various ministries, secretariats, partners and donors [5] alongside the private sector, international financial institutions, local and international non-governmental organizations and academia to achieve its goals, facilitating coordination and synergies.