Climate change is one of the main problems of this era and it is having a significant impact on populations worldwide. Central America and the Caribbean are no exception, with climate change reshaping the agricultural landscape and posing serious threats to food security and the livelihoods of millions.
This region already experiences high levels of food insecurity and significant rates of malnutrition, with food being of critical importance for the population. As weather patterns shift unpredictably, temperatures rise, and extreme weather events become more frequent, the region is facing escalating challenges.
According to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the economic cost of climate change for the region will range between 1.5 to 5% of GDP and affect not only agriculture but various other sectors as well with significant repercussions for the countries involved.
Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns
Being in one of the very few regions in the world that unifies two massive subcontinents and is surrounded by two oceans, Central America and the Caribbean are in a vulnerable position to almost any nearby natural phenomenon.
Agriculture in Central America and the Caribbean is particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a heavy reliance on predictable weather patterns. With the increasingly longer drought periods and altering growing seasons, predicting weather patterns will become much more complicated, which will inevitably have a negative impact on the farming sector.
As an example, in El Salvador and Guatemala maize yields in some areas have plummeted by up to 30% due to heat stress and erratic rainfall. The once reliable rainfall patterns have become a guessing game, marked by intense downpours followed by prolonged dry spells. This volatility severely impacts the availability of water for irrigation which is vital for crops such as coffee, corn, and sugarcane. Crop productivity in Central America and the Caribbean is crucial for poverty reduction, but this instability is hampering progress, necessitating adaptive policies to combat the issue.
Extreme weather events
Extreme weather events are a reality worldwide with floods, rains, and wildfires having become more constant in recent years.
For the Central America and Caribbean region, the frequency and intensity of such events, including hurricanes and tropical storms, have surged causing widespread devastation and intensifying desertification and soil degradation processes.
According to the National Hurricane Center of the United States, the Atlantic hurricane season has witnessed a significant increase in Category 4 and 5 hurricanes over the past decade. In 2020, Hurricanes Eta and Iota wrought extensive damage in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala with the region needing to prepare for more devastating events in the years to come according to NASA.
The Caribbean islands face equally daunting challenges. Hurricane Maria in 2017 wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico, causing an estimated US$2 billion in agricultural losses and decimating vital crops like bananas, coffee, and citrus. Such catastrophic events not only disrupt food production but also impose significant financial burdens on farmers and national economies, according to Mercy Corps.
Adding to the complexity, a study by the IPCC predicts that the intensity of tropical cyclones will continue to increase, with a projected rise in wind speeds and rainfall rates by the end of the century. This means that those regions already struggling to recover from previous storms could face even more serious impact from weather events in the future.
Impact on livelihoods and food security
Central America and the Caribbean are often referred to as one of the regions in the world with the highest levels of malnutrition and food insecurity. The UN reported that 22.5% of the population (131.3 million people) in Latin America could not afford a healthy diet with the highest rates being in the Caribbean (52%) and Mesoamerica (27.8%) compared to 18.4% in South America.
Countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti also face many challenges with poverty affecting over 50% of their populations according to the World Bank.
As climate change disrupts farming practices, the livelihoods of millions are at risk. Smallholder farmers, who constitute 70% of the agricultural workforce in the region according to various researchers, are particularly vulnerable due to limited access to resources and adaptive technologies.
The reality is that food security in the region is under severe threat as a result of climate change events. According to Salgado Derqui of the Inter-American Development Bank, climate change has affected the agricultural economy, food prices, and the income of poor families.
For the Pan-American Health Organization, Latin America is already a region with high levels of malnutrition but the main concerns are in Central America and the Caribbean where malnutrition silently exacerbates the already dire circumstances of an unhealthy population. According to a UN report, since 2022 malnutrition rates have increased to a level that is 0.4% more than the pre-pandemic rate which means that 1.4 million people are malnourished.
Adaptive strategies, and final thoughts
The impact of climate change on agriculture in Central America and the Caribbean is profound, affecting everything from crop yields to food security and livelihoods. As the region grapples with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, soil degradation, and water scarcity, concerted efforts are required to implement sustainable agricultural practices and adaptive strategies to avoid catastrophes and economic disaster.
Sustainable agricultural practices, such as agroforestry, conservation agriculture, and crop diversification, are gaining traction. These practices enhance resilience by improving soil health, reducing dependency on single crops, and promoting biodiversity.
For example, agroforestry systems integrate trees with crops and livestock to provide multiple benefits such as improved soil structure, increased carbon sequestration, and diversified income sources.
Regional and international cooperation and support from international organizations are crucial in these efforts. Although many international organizations, countries, and even public-private partnerships have engaged in initiatives to address the constant problem of food insecurity that the Central American and Caribbean regions experience, these issues are so great that it will require a well-coordinated effort with a sound framework together with set objectives, accountability mechanisms, and outcome evaluations.
To successfully address these issues, the region must focus on priority issues, develop long-term strategic plans, and fully engage in global climate change discussions. Global initiatives that have been successful in countries facing similar conditions also need to be replicated and adapted accordingly.
Utilizing proven strategies, the region will be able to successfully address not only the issues that climate change brings but also their broader impact on its population.
