Central American Dry Corridor | FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean

Central American Dry Corridor and Arid Zones in the SICA Region

The dry corridor and arid areas of the countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) is a territory where approximately 21 million people reside in rural areas, with more than 20% employed in agriculture and over one-third living in poverty.

This region is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events. Rainfall patterns have shifted, with longer rainy seasons and changes in onset and end dates, particularly at the beginning of the rainy season, which significantly impacts rainfed agricultural systems.

Therefore, at the 57th Ordinary Meeting of Heads of State and Government of SICA, the Heads of State and Government acknowledged the importance of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, promoted by the FAO, to support countries in promoting comprehensive and sustainable territorial development, as well as in identifying investments with a high socioeconomic impact at the territorial level to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development.

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The Hand-in-Hand Initiative is being promoted in the SICA region, led by the SICA General Secretariat and coordinated with the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC) and the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD). It also benefits from the support of other SICA secretariats, such as CEMPROMYPE and the Secretariat for Central American Economic Integration (SIECA), along with the support of the FAO.

Five investment notes have been proposed on the following topics: