GIEWS Update - Central America, 30 April 2019
Continuation of El Niño conditions raises concerns over planting and early development of the 2019 main season maize crop in Central America
Year of publication2019
AuthorFAO
PublisherFAO
AbstractIn Central America, the El Niño phenomenon is generally associated with below-average rains and prolonged dry spells. The 2019 January-March dry season in the subregion was drier than usual due to the presence of El Niño, which affected production of the 2018 third season maize crop in Guatemala. There is a high likelihood that the El Niño phenomenon could persist in the May-July period, which coincides with the planting and development stages of the main season maize crop and continue until the end of the year. If dry conditions adversely impact the 2019 main maize output, prices of white maize, which are already at high levels, could increase further, constraining food access for vulnerable households. In several countries, governments are already implementing preventive measures to mitigate the impact of dry weather conditions and to increase farmers’ resilience, especially in the “Dry Corridor".
Available inEnglish
Product typeNewsletter
SeriesGIEWS - Updates
RegionLatin America and the Caribbean
ISSN2707-1723
Areas of workGlobal Information and Early Warning System
KeywordsEl Niño; dry spells; maize; production; weather; Guatemala; Central America.
