CATIE and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperate to strengthen agricultural systems in Central America

• Joint work is carried out specifically with the countries of the Northern Triangle: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

December 1, 2022. Through the Climate Action Unit of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), and at the request of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), an assessment was made of the resilience of small and medium-scale agriculture in Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador to climate variability and change.

The report provides an analysis of the state of the impact and resilience of agricultural systems; the link between food security and migration; and proposals for strategic intervention, information required by FAS-USDA to support the U.S. government in making decisions towards defining lines of effort in the coming years, which will strengthen agriculture and mitigate the causes related to migration from the Northern Triangle countries.

The process began with the collection of primary and secondary information through interviews with institutional representatives and organizations in each country. Subsequently, a field trip was conducted from May to July of this year with the presence of soil and hydrology scientists from the Natural Resources and Conservation Service (NRCS) to visit basic grains, livestock, coffee and vegetable producers, as well as experimental fields, agricultural schools and universities. In addition, focus groups were facilitated to obtain information on changes in key livelihoods in the face of climate hazards and adaptation responses.

Approximately 250 people participated in the activities, representing various sectors, such as producers, universities, municipal associations, ministries of agriculture, non-governmental organizations and private enterprise. In August 2022, CATIE received a cordial visit from Andre Ntamack, USDA Global Programs Specialist, to learn about the Center's various initiatives and capabilities, which were also incorporated into the evaluation report.

Read also: CATIE and USDA strengthen cooperation for agricultural resilience.