Life Without Water: Poverty and Hunger in Honduras

• Families in the Dry Corridor struggle with food insecurity due to drought.
• Honduras has seen hunger rates increase from 2.2 million to nearly 8 million.
• María and Noé had to migrate for work after losing their crops.
• Cash transfers have given relief to affected families in Honduras.
• WFP’s assistance has allowed families to purchase food and school supplies.

Understanding the Deepening Food Crisis in the Region

Severe Drought and Food Insecurity in Honduras The continuing drought in the Dry Corridor, which includes Honduras among other Central American nations, is wreaking havoc on local agriculture. This has made it especially hard for families to secure necessary food supplies. As extreme weather patterns persist, the situation is dire. The last couple of years have seen the regional food crisis escalate drastically, with hunger rates increasing by almost four times in just a short span. From 2.2 million in 2018, estimates suggest that nearly 8 million are left food insecure in 2021, primarily due to these harsh climatic changes and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Reality for Families Facing Hunger

The Struggles of a Local Family One family grappling with these challenges is María Electicia, her husband Noé, and their children. They reside in Valle, among the least affluent areas in southern Honduras. María recalls a time when they managed to put meals on the table despite their poverty. Yet the drought disrupted their lives, shattering their expectations. They had put all their savings into corn farming, hoping to feed their family and generate extra income from sales. Sadly, as María puts it, “It never rained, the corn never grew, and we lost everything.” The couple was forced to leave their home and travel to Catacamas to find temporary work harvesting coffee, paying them meager wages that hardly covered their basic needs. Maria notes that frequently, families like theirs allocate as much as 63 percent of their incomes solely for food, leaving little for other essentials.

Relief Efforts Amidst the Crisis

Assistance Through Cash Transfers Thankfully, relief arrived for María’s family and others in her community, thanks to efforts from the World Food Programme (WFP), along with support from the Government of Honduras and Germany. They introduced cash transfers to assist 11,350 affected families, which were enabled through a simple debit card system designed to help families purchase food, school supplies, and other essentials. This support proved life-changing for María’s family. “It has been a blessing for my family and today we will eat meat!” she said, expressing joy after a shopping trip where they could finally afford a meal they hadn’t had in months. Given that their community lacks electricity and refrigeration options, María has taken to drying the meat outside to ensure they have enough food over the coming weeks. Noé expressed relief, knowing they could afford to buy not only food but school supplies as well for their children, while still hoping for rain to bring the return of farming next season.

The profound impact of the drought and food insecurity in Honduras remains a sobering reality for many families. With support from organizations like the World Food Programme, some families have been able to receive crucial assistance through cash transfers, significantly improving their food situation. Nevertheless, for families like María and Noé, the uncertainty continues as they wait for their agricultural fortunes to change alongside the weather.