Amid beautiful landscapes, active volcanoes and a diverse Indigenous population, Guatemala suffers from malnutrition and hunger. Many factors including climate threats, poverty, lack of education and low sanitation have contributed to this crisis over time. With Guatemala’s population growth rate among the highest in Latin America, combating hunger has never been more important. The top 10 facts about hunger in Guatemala below demonstrate the need for help from the global community and the actions taken so far.

Top 10 Facts About Hunger in Guatemala

1. Two-thirds of the Guatemalan population live on less than $2 per day. Due to this poverty, many cannot afford the most basic food items, causing Guatemala to have the highest rate of stunted growth in children under the age of 5 in Latin America and one of the highest rates in the world. Overall, the stunting rate is just under half of the young population (46.5%) but reaches up to 90% of children in certain areas.
2. At 47%, this nation has the sixth-highest prevalence of chronic malnutrition in the world. In indigenous areas, however, the malnutrition rate can reach up to 70%.
3. Hunger is exacerbated by the problem of inequality in Guatemala. The World Food Programme (WFP) finds Guatemala to have the third highest gender inequality index in Latin America, making Guatemalan women unable to support the nutrition of their children. Furthermore, the indigenous population is particularly impacted by conditions in the country—80% experience poverty. Hunger, malnutrition, poor health and little education are some of the everyday challenges facing Indigenous people.
4. Natural disasters and climate change intensify the effects of poverty in Guatemala. In the Dry Corridor, for example, periods of excessive rain along with prolonged droughts have threatened the livelihood of subsistence farmers in the region. As food security and agricultural profits plummet, Guatemalans have been forced into eating far less nutritious meals, fallen into debt, and even fled the region.
5. Food insecurity has followed a worrying trend in Guatemala. In 2023, lack of access to adequate nutrition reached its highest and most prevalent point throughout the nation as a result of climate change’s effects on farming.
6. The legacy of the Guatemalan Civil War continues in the form of land inequality and the dependence of many Guatemalans, especially indigenous ones, on crops produced by others. With much of their land taken during the war to be used for cash crop plantation farming, Indigenous Guatemalans are especially susceptible to hunger in response to disruptions in the food supply chain.
7. One of the factors contributing to stunting and hunger in children is the age at which females are having children in Guatemala. Most child rearing starts during adolescence and over 40% of girls have given birth by the time they are 19. Because younger girls tend to be more malnourished than older Guatemalan women, a cycle has been created where the children of these young girls end up malnourished and stunted as well.
8. Guatemala’s government has taken action to prevent malnutrition. It implemented a plan to increase the yearly budget for nutrition and food by 2.5% and launched its Great National Crusade for Nutrition to reduce malnutrition through an emphasis on maternal care, disease prevention, and an expansion of health care throughout the nation. In addition, Indigenous Guatemalans have secured seats in government councils on nutrition and food security so that particularly hard-hit, indigenous areas receive the treatment and prevention tactics they deserve.
9. USAID has also taken action to end hunger in Guatemala. Food for Peace offers cash transfers to Guatemalan households living in poverty. Furthermore, the organization shows special attention to women’s financial success and promotes nutritional education.
10. The World Food Programme (WFP) is ending hunger in Guatemala in several ways. One program works with the government to offer nutritious food to infants and students, prepare the nation for natural disasters interrupting the food supply, and facilitate cash-for-training programs to allow families to buy food. It also supports small farms and provides humanitarian assistance during disasters.

While hunger persists in Guatemala today, there is hope that increased awareness of the top 10 facts about hunger, combined with efforts from multiple governments and organizations, will lead to significant results in the years to come.

– Alexandra Eppenauer and Cole Zickwolff
Photo: Flickr
Updated: October 17, 2024