Guatemala is establishing reserves of basic grains to face price increase and potential food insecurity.

The Ministry of Agriculture has created the program of strategic reserves for basic grains to face with the challenge in increasing the wholesale prices and a potential crisis of food insecurity. Compared to the first trimesters of 2020 the prices of basic grains have increased between 15 and 30%, with the ongoing price situation of fertilizers and many agricultural commodities the Government of Guatemala decided to create a reserve of 29 million/kg of rice, beans and corn. This volume of basic grain could help more than 2 million people and avoid a price and food security crisis. It is important to keep supporting smallholder farmers to maintain the supply of basic grains during 2022 as prices seem to keep increasing.