The Dry Corridor

in Central America

The Dry Corridor is a strip of land across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua that is vulnerable to extreme climate events like long periods of drought, putting livelihoods at risk.

The economic fallout of COVID-19 and now unfolding global food crisis have triggered a dramatic rise in hunger across the Dry Corridor where extreme weather events, displacement and insecurity have already taken a heavy toll. Millions of people have been affected across El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

8M

people in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are moderately or severely hungry

43%

of people in Central America would like to migrate

7.2M

people across Latin America and the Caribbean were assisted by WFP in 2021

Extreme Weather Wreaks Havoc for Farmers

Erratic Weather

Prolonged dry spells and excessive rains have devastated corn and bean crops in the Dry Corridor of Central America, leaving farmers and their families prone to hunger and malnutrition. Children are especially vulnerable.

Coping Mechanisms

Many families have resorted to crisis-level coping strategies, including selling agricultural tools and animals, skipping meals and eating less nutritious food. These strategies may meet immediate needs, but threaten families’ stability in the long term.

Photo: WFP/Julian Frank

Forced Migration

Subsistence farmers and their families are highly vulnerable to disruptions caused by extreme weather. The region’s recent adverse weather has devastated harvests, leaving millions without crops to eat or sell. With no food or work nearby, many families are forced to emigrate elsewhere to survive.

Photo: WFP/Julian Frank
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Photo: WFP/Dianna Dauber

Women in the Dry Corridor

Most single-headed households in the Dry Corridor are headed by mothers, who are economically vulnerable and food insecure.

Due to high levels of migration in the Dry Corridor, women experience an additional burden, as they have to undertake the agricultural activities of departed men on top of their traditional domestic responsibilities.

WFP Relief efforts in the dry corridor

Climate shocks – like El Niño – affect the planting and harvesting of crops in the Dry Corridor – and they’ll only worsen the already fragile food security communities face in the Dry Corridor. Now, COVID-19 is pushing even more people in the region into poverty and hunger.

Photo: WFP/Rein Skullerud
Photo: WFP/Rein Skullerud
Cash Transfers

The goal is to ensure food security by stabilizing access and consumption of food for families affected by climate shocks and coronavirus.

3 monthsprogram timeframe
$30.5 millionfunding required
Photo: WFP/Julissa Aguilar
School Meals

Children across the Dry Corridor receive nutritious school meals with help from WFP. Sometimes, it’s the only meal they’ll have in a day.

3 monthsprogram timeline
$0.5 millionfunding required
Photo: Photo: WFP/Sabrina Quezada
Food for Assets

The goal is to help communities adapt and build resilience to climate shocks through its Food Assistance for Assets (FFA) program.

6-9 monthsprogram timeline
$41 millionfunding required
Photo: WFP
Empowering Women

WFP applies a gender transformative approach across all stages of its programs, taking into consideration the vulnerabilities of women.

21% of the migrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are women
Manyhouseholds are headed by single parents, particularly mothers