usaid office of food for peace guatemala bellmon estimation

Prepared by Fintrac Inc.
Commodity 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Rice 23,190 16,087 14,373 15,035 16,000
Source: FAOSTAT, USDA-FAS
Production of grains is almost exclusively rain-fed, and crop quality and production levels are
vulnerable to the country's highly variable climatic conditions which include recurrent droughts,
excessive rains, and mudslides.
Guatemala has two main agricultural production cycles: The de primera season which begins in
April/May and is harvested in August/September, and the de postrera season which begins in
August/September and is harvested from November onwards (FAO/WFP, 2010).
Production levels for all types of farmers depend on size, location, and quality of land. Four
types of farmers in Guatemala produce the majority of the basic grains:
1. Sub-subsistence farmers that meet household food requirements by farming small
parcels of land and producing maize and beans. These farmers complement their output
with market purchase using the income generated by sale of labor.
2. Subsistence farmers that meet all household food requirements by farming small parcels
of land and producing maize, beans, and sorghum.
3. Surplus-producing farmers that are able to produce enough to meet household
requirements, and are able to market some surplus production.
4. Commercial farmers that produce solely for trading and commercial purposes
(FAO/WFP, 2010).
Table 2 presents broad categories of productive activities based on farm size, ranging from
subsistence to large commercial farms. Small subsistence farmers are mostly concentrated in
production of basic grains and livestock, and least concentrated production of non-traditional
agricultural exports. Small commercial farmers are the most engaged in non-traditional
agricultural exports, a nearly 40 percent of household value added (Taylor et al, 2006).
Nontraditional crops present opportunities for small farmers to transition from subsistence to
commercially-viable farming through productive diversification (Taylor et al, 2006).
Table 2. Productive Diversification in Rural Land-Owning Households in Guatemala
Productive
Activity
Small Subsistence
Farmers
Small Commercial
Farmers
Medium Commercial
Farmers
Basic Grains 32.2% 34.2% 21.5% 15.8%
Livestock 43.7% 9.7% 49.3% 47.9%
Traditional
Crops 14.9% 13.0% 15.6% 26.3%
Non-traditional 9.2% 39.8% 13.6% 10.0%
Non-agriculture 0.0% 3.3% 0.0% 0.0%
Total Value
Added
100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Source: Taylor, et al. IDB, 2006
Large Commercial
Farmers
The central and western highlands, the semi-arid regions, and some areas in the north have
production deficits of maize and black beans. Generally, subsistence and sub-subsistence
BEST Analysis – Guatemala Chapter 2 – Country Background 15