HUMANITARIAN APPEAL FOR FOOD INSECURE IN GUATEMALA

(New York/Geneva, 5 March 2010): The Government of Guatemala together with the United Nations and its partners today launched an appeal for more than $34 million to help tackle food insecurity and high levels of acute malnutrition in the so-called Dry Corridor, comprising the seven provinces of Jutiapa, Santa Rosa, Zacapa, Chiquimula, El Progreso and Baja Verapaz and Jalapa, and the two neighbouring departments of Izabal and Quiché, where 2.7 million people are affected by a protracted food insecurity crisis.

Projects in the Appeal will support and complement national humanitarian efforts for six months, and benefit approximately 680,000 people. Global acute malnutrition among children under five in the Dry Corridor and two neighbouring provinces is 11%, and among women of child-bearing age 13%. The emergency threshold is 15%. The Appeal includes projects which provide direct health, nutrition and water and sanitation support, as well as agriculture and livelihoods support such as seeds and farming equipment.

"This crisis stems from a combination of factors, above all Guatemala's high vulnerability to severe climate events and changes in global markets," said John Holmes, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator. "It is the poorest people who are suffering most, largely because of global trends far beyond their control, and the international community therefore needs to come together to help them during this time of crisis."

In 2009, Guatemala was severely affected by atypical rainfall patterns associated with the El Niño weather phenomenon. Agricultural production among hillside and subsistence farmers was particularly impacted. The situation was compounded by the world economic crisis and continuously high food prices through 2009, a decrease in remittances, cost increases for agricultural inputs, and a decrease in employment opportunities for basic labour.

The Government of Guatemala declared a State of Public Calamity on 8 September 2009, and has since spent $17.5 million on food and humanitarian aid. Guatemala already had one of the highest rates of chronic malnutrition in the world, with 43% of children below five years of age affected in 2009. Guatemala is one of the 10 countries in the world with the highest vulnerability to climate change, according to the UN International Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction (UN ISDR).

For further information, please call: OCHA-New York: Stephanie Bunker, +1917 367 5126, mobile +1 347 244 2106, bunker@un.org; Nicholas Reader +1 212 963 4961, mobile +1 646 752 3117, reader@un.org; John Nyaga,+ 1 917 367 9262, mobile +1 917 318 8917, nyagaj@un.org; OCHA-Geneva: Elisabeth Byrs,+41 22 917 2653, mobile, +41 79 473 4570, byrs@un.org. OCHA press releases are available at http://ochaonline.un.org or www.reliefweb.int.