The current period, November 2021 to February 2022, coincides with the harvest season of basic grains and coffee, and therefore with the highest availability of food and labor supply within the agricultural cycle. However, 76,000 people (15% of the population analyzed) are in high levels of acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above), requiring immediate action to reduce food consumption gaps and protect their livelihoods. Of these people, 72,000 are in Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and 4,000 in Emergency (IPC Phase 4). The Livelihood Coping Strategies (LCS) indicator measured in November 2021 shows that 66% of households resort to some type of coping strategy to protect their food consumption. Of these, 13% implemented crisis coping strategies and 13% implemented emergency coping strategies.

The number of people in high acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 3 or above) is expected to increase to 104,000 people (20% of the analyzed population) between March and May 2022, and to 146,000 people (28% of the analyzed population) between June and August 2022. The number of people in Emergency (IPC Phase 4) will likely increase from 4,000 in the current period to 7,000 and 12,000 in the first and second projection periods, respectively. The most affected micro-region is Ch’orti’, classified in Crisis (IPC Phase 3), with 21%, 30% and 42% of its population in IPC Phase 3 or above for each of the three periods respectively. This micro-region is characterized by its Mayan-Ch’orti’ population, whose livelihood is the sale of labour in coffee cultivation and the cultivation of basic grains. The Ocotepeque, Güija and Cayaguanca micro-regions remain in Stressed acute food insecurity (IPC Phase 2) in all periods. However, the number of people in high acute food insecurity will likely increase in both projection periods.

• Activate immediate social protection response for populations in Crisis or Emergency (IPC Phases 3 or 4) in order to reduce food consumption gaps and save lives, as well as actions with results linked to medium and long-term objectives.
• Implement a communication strategy to disseminate the results of this analysis with local authorities and stakeholders and potential donors, to respond in the short and medium-term to the food insecurity conditions of the population.
• Design a work strategy to attend to the vulnerable population and protect and strengthen livelihoods, considering the lines of action included in the Zero Hunger Local Public Policy and using information generated in this analysis, in the measurement of resilience and in the food and nutrition surveillance system of the Tri-national zone.
• Negotiate with donors and government institutions to support the participation of groups vulnerable to food insecurity in the area in economic reactivation projects.
• Give continuity to the Tri-national Food and Nutrition Surveillance System with MTFRL, Mancomunidad Güisayote and Mancomunidad de Municipios del Valle de Sensenti (MANVASEN), guaranteeing the availability of information and prioritizing indicators of food consumption, changes in livelihoods, nutritional status and contribution to food insecurity.