Public sector institutions linked to food security have a slow advance in the execution of the assigned budgets. The specific programs that must seek the provision of food for families affected by malnutrition also progress to droppers.
The country experiences a seasonal hunger period, between April and August. Food scarcity is exacerbated, above all, in the dry corridor. In Guatemala, this strip covers from Quiché and extends by Baja Verapaz, El Progreso, Guatemala, Zacapa, Chiquimula, Jalapa and Jutiapa, and covers 46 of its 340 municipalities, according to the World Vision organization.
In 2025 the death of seven younger children has been reported due to acute malnutrition, according to the Ministry of Health. About 8,000 cases of malnutrition are also reported at the national level.
According to the reports of the National Food and Nutrition Security Information System (SIINSAN), the execution of the budget until March 31 is 17.45%.
There are 18 entities that have funds related to food security, which cover from medical interventions, prevention, food, water, sanitation, family economy, among other aspects.
The ministries that present lower execution are the Ministry of Economy, with 2%; the Ministry of Culture and Sports, with 5%; and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (Maga), with 6%.
Programs
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) executed Q77 million of its budget assigned to food access and availability until May 7, according to information from the Integrated Accounting System (SICOIN).
In food provision, the execution is only 1.6% of the current Q240 million. Also in funds for food availability, the portfolio has executed 16.7%.
In this last item, the records show that, of the budget allocated by Congress, a transfer of Q163 million was made within the same entity and one of inter -institutional Q387 million.
For its part, the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES), in terms of social canteens, has executed 14.3% and 33% in monetary food transfers. In that sense, the portfolio has opened new dining rooms: there are almost 90 nationwide, which respond to specific vulnerability rates for said program, according to MIDES.
Likewise, Sicoin reports realize that, in the designated budget for monetary transfers with an emphasis on nutrition, only 2.7%have been used until May 7.
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) presents, on average, 15% execution in the micronutrient endowment program.
Mides ensures that, to combat seasonal hunger, the protocol is activated according to the specific early warning system, and intervene with social dining rooms, health bonus and nutrition bonus. He also points out that the beneficiaries of these bonds respond to the data of the Ministry of Health, validated by the Ministry of Food and Nutrition Security (Sesán).
Postures were requested from the Maga and the sisán with respect to the measures that are being taken in front of the seasonal hunger and the criteria of operation of said programs, but an answer was not obtained before the closing of this edition.
Questions
The deputy José Chic, of the Bank will, opportunity and solidarity (you), criticized that the central government does not have a strategy for food security or an adequate inter -institutional coordination in the joint work for the attention of malnutrition cases.
Today, what has needed is to have a road map of how to face the issue of food and nutritional insecurity, additional to the issue of chronic nutrition and malnutrition, said the deputy.
He commented that, during a visit that made San Andrés Villa Seca, Retalhuleu, food delivery was also made by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (Maga). When questioning if there is coordination between the ministries so that deliveries are made to families with cases of malnutrition, the response was negative.
They told me that they didn’t even know that I had delivered food. The Maga is going to deliver food, sometimes coordinated with some municipalities, and leaving out to the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS), while the Ministry of Food and Nutrition Security (Sesán) is only dedicated to validating listings of beneficiaries of the Food Program, without really taking into account the cases already captured, Chic insisted.
The mayor of San Andrés Villa Seca, Sofía Mancio, explained that, in said delivery of food, about 5,000 people were benefited, including single mothers, senior citizens and poor people. As indicated, this delivery was at the request of the Municipal Commission of Food and Nutrition Security (Comusán).
Deliveries to children with malnutrition are separate; Those are done by the Maga through the Vice Ministry of Food and Nutrition Security (Visan). Last week, 25 children were delivered; Sometimes they come only for five, sometimes for 15, Mancio detailed.
Regarding the transfers of the Ministry of Social Development (MIDES), the mayor clarified that the portfolio does not coordinate for the programs with the mayors, but that it resorts to the departmental staff or community leaders to form the lists of beneficiaries.