Agriculture of Guatemala Information:
Total Area: 108,889 sq km
Land Area: 107,159 sq km Water Area: 1,730 sq km Climate Description: tropical; hot, humid in lowlands; cooler in highlands Terrian Description: mostly mountains with narrow coastal plains and rolling limestone plateau Arable Land Use: 13.22% Permanent Crop Land Use: 5.6% Irrigated Land: 2,000 sq km (2003) Total Renewable Water Resources: 111.3 cu km (2000) Total Freshwater Withdrawal: 2.01 cu km/yr (6%/13%/80%) Natural Hazards Description: numerous volcanoes in mountains, with occasional violent earthquakes; Caribbean coast extremely susceptible to hurricanes and other tropical storms volcanism: significant volcanic activity in the Sierra Madre range; Santa Maria (elev. 3,772 m) has been deemed a "Decade Volcano" by the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior, worthy of study due to its explosive history and close proximity to human populations; Pacaya (elev. 2,552 m), which erupted in May 2010 causing an ashfall on Guatemala City and prompting evacuations, is one of the country's most active volcanoes with frequent eruptions since 1965; other historically active volcanoes include Acatenango, Almolonga, Atitlan, Fuego, and Tacana Environmental Current Issues: deforestation in the Peten rainforest; soil erosion; water pollution Total Labor Force: 5.571 million (2011 est.) Percentage of Labor Forces in Agriculture: 38% Agricultural Product Description: sugarcane, corn, bananas, coffee, beans, cardamom; cattle, sheep, pigs, chickens |
Agro-Industry Developmenthttp://www.tajagroproducts.com/countries/Guatemala.html
Guatemalan labourer working on a coffee plantation. [Credit: Ariel Skelley/Corbis]Although agriculture provides employment for about two-fifths of the workforce, it contributes less than one-fourth of the gross national product (GNP). Traditional peasant agriculture, focused upon the production of corn (maize), beans, and squash for domestic consumption, is concentrated on small farms or milpas (temporary forest clearings) in the highlands, but production of these staples has lagged behind population growth. Agriculture in Guatemalahttp://www.wendmag.com/iwend/2011/03/02/adventures-in-sustainable-agriculture-belize/
While most farmers in the highlands are sustenance farmers, cultivating only enough corn to feed their families, farmers on the coast often sell surplus crops to markets in Guatemala. Farming is a business here—the main source of income for families—and attitudes towards farming vary accordingly by region. Semilla Nueva sees the coast as a region with the most potential; by implementing a few high-impact technologies, they have the opportunity to put food on the table for a lot of people. Adventure in Sustainable Guatemalahttp://www.wendmag.com/iwend/2011/03/02/adventures-in-sustainable-agriculture-belize/
A harvested field—several acres—was burning, billowing red smoke into the dusk sky. Crop burning is a huge issue in Guatemala, deeply rooted in cultural beliefs that burning the residues that remain after harvesting “clean” the land, wiping it fresh for a new season of planting. Guatemala - Agriculturehttp://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Americas/Guatemala-AGRICULTURE.html
In 1998, only about 17.5% of the total land area of Guatemala was used for the production of annual or perennial crops, although almost two-thirds is suitable for crop or pasture use. Agriculture contributes about 23% to GDP, makes up 75% of export earnings, and employs 50% of the labor force. The principal cash crops are coffee, sugar, bananas, and cotton, followed by hemp, essential oils, and cacao. MAGA seeking to develop Guatemalan agricultural industryhttp://www.freshplaza.com/news_detail.asp?id=105492#SlideFrame_1
Guatemala has a large number and variety of agricultural products, but in this country with such great potential, most of the lands are owned by very few people and a handful of products dominate the market. This is why the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food seeks to invest in the development of the country's agricultural industry. |