Food security and agricultural diversification in Guatemala : analysis of interrelationships and implications for policy

A sharp increase in the production and export of nontraditional agricultural goods has changed the structure of the country"s agriculture, enhanced national export capacity, markedly increased the income of many families, and contributed significantly to rural employment. At the same time, food security has deteriorated, as the country has come to depend more and more on food imports (especially food aid), indicating a lack of capacity to provide domestically grown staples to a rising population. Though agricultural diversification and food security are both important to the government, there are notable differences in policies and strategies among government agencies and officials, resulting in unclear national policies and poorly coordinated programs. While Guatemala"s crop diversification strategy is sound, new government programs and investments are required to offset the resultant income and food security risks. Three areas in particular need prompt attention: land tenure problems; low agricultural productivity; and poor natural resources management. On the positive side, the limited available data indicate that recent macroeconomic policy has been generally beneficial to both agricultural diversification and food security.