Access to irrigation infrastructure in the Dry Corridor and Petén

This investment seeks to boost agricultural productivity and reduce poverty in the Dry Corridor and Petén by facilitating access to irrigation infrastructure, both short and long-distance.

The territories have been prioritized for its high levels of vulnerability (poverty), with high agricultural opportunities, but, due to several bottlenecks, including the absence of irrigation systems, they have an inefficient performance.
 
With this investment program, the territories to be intervened will be less dependent on the seasonal water balance and, through capacity building, the lack of technical personnel in this area will be filled. This will be key to the availability of food at the national level, since 20.6% of maize production and 26.9% of bean production depend on the department of Peten alone. Both are basic grains in the Guatemalan diet. 

With an investment of USD 70.9 million, the project will benefit approximately 10,890 people (1,815 direct small and medium-size producers and 9,075 indirect beneficiaries) through the construction of 1,564 hectares of short-conduction irrigation systems and 5,340 hectares of long-conduction irrigation systems, for a total of 6,904 hectares. The estimated NPV is USD49.8 million, with an expected IRR of 21%.