Immediate assistance to re-establish food production and the livelihoods of the vulnerable farmers affected by the drought in Guatemala

With the aim to prevent the lost of lives, malnutrition and prevalence of infectious diseases of  6 340 affected families due to the situation of food insecurity (crops and livestock), FAO re-established food production of basic foodstuffs for the target beneficiaries. The re-establishment of food security was achieved through the identification, production and distribution of drought tolerant and short-cycle local varieties seeds of maize, rapid-growing vegetables, seed’s storage silos, small livestock (poultry/rabbits) and feeds, and water harvesting facilities. 

Activities included:

• production (women headed household) of vegetables in backyards’ gardens at houses level, which increased micro-nutrient intake (distribution of vegetable seeds, fertilisers and others inputs);
• distribution of small livestock, feeds and animal-housing material to women headed households and beneficiaries with limited access to land for cultivation;
• distribution of livestock medicine kit to ensure the animals survival;
• distribution of equipment and construction of facilities for water harvesting and storing;
• identification, production and distribution of local seed and fertilisers; and 
• distribution of certified seed of maize for the next production cycle.
  

The project will multiply maize seeds of local varieties (already adapted to the dry zone of Guatemala) of short-cycle crops (up to 4 months) that are adapted to the region’s erratic rain cycle with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of affected households. Seeds storages will be provided to these farmers to ensure seed quality and quantity.