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  • Publication | 2025

Assessing disparities in access, use, and potential benefits of weather and climate information services among farmers in Guatemala’s Dry Corridor

Global Food and Nutrition Security

Highlights:

  • The Guatemalan LTAC model may be less producer-centered than other countries; few farmers know of it.
  • Farmers access short-term weather forecasts over seasonal ones, suggesting limited dissemination.
  • Radio remains the preferred channel for receiving weather and climate information.
  • Farmers rely on their own environmental observations to identify climate risk.
  • Many farmers want to adapt to climate risk but face financial barriers to implementation.

Abstract:

Climate risk is a critical challenge for smallholder farmers in Guatemala, and weather and climate information services (WCIS) are a growing policy solution. Using a survey of 330 farming households in Guatemala’s Dry Corridor, this research examines farmers’ ability to access and utilize WCIS for agricultural decision-making, as well as the association between WCIS and food insecurity. Our observational study found that while reported access to one approach, Local Technical Agro-Climatic Committees (LTACs) and agro-climatic bulletins (ACBs), was lower than expected among a representative sample of communities, nearly half of respondents reported accessing weather and climate information more generally. In an observational comparison, those accessing information implemented significantly more climate-resilient agricultural practices and were significantly more food secure than those not receiving the information; however, accessing information was correlated with household wealth and education, and its effect on food insecurity was not statistically identifiable in a multiple regression test with controls. Our study also provides empirical evidence that a lack of information is not the primary barrier to the adoption of adaptation practices. While farmers expressed a desire to adapt certain farming practices in response to climate risk, they faced financial and other barriers to implementing these strategies. Thus, while WCIS have potential for informing agricultural decisions, this study underscores the challenges associated with effectively delivering information to farmers, as well as highlights obstacles to their use when farmers do receive them. These insights are crucial for refining WCIS design and delivery. Recommendations include investing in more farmer-centric communication channels and coupling information with resources to strengthen farmers’ adaptive capacity.