Extreme heat poses threat to food supply

Guatemala.- Organizations from Central America Vulnerables warn that rising temperatures in the region are intensifying droughts, floods, storms, heat waves, and crop losses, threatening food security. They are calling on Central American governments to take urgent action to curb climate change and halt the expansion of open-pit mining.

The groups also highlighted the negative impacts of monocultures, agribusiness, and indiscriminate agrochemical use, which harm ecosystems and disproportionately affect women and vulnerable populations. At a meeting in Antigua, Guatemala, Darío Solano of the Dominican Network for Afro-Descendant Studies and Empowerment (RedAfros) emphasized the human right to water, urging universal coverage and prioritization of both human and ecosystem needs.

Proposed measures include wastewater treatment, water quality monitoring, protection of sources, regulation of extractions, and strengthening community water systems. Activists also called for soil protection, support for artisanal fishing, community risk management, and the enactment of robust laws on climate change, food sovereignty, environmental protection, and human rights with gender and intercultural perspectives. They stressed that the climate crisis amplifies vulnerabilities, leaving millions without access to water.