Rainfall variability, food insecurity and migration in Cabricán, Guatemala

This article presents data and insights on rainfall variability, food insecurity and migration in four rural mountain communities
in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. In mountain areas, climatic patterns and impacts change over short distances and no
meteorological station is located within the range of a few kilometres from the selected communities. Therefore, rainfall
patterns and impacts were investigated with local communities in a participatory way. Rainfall is crucial for local
livelihoods because their most important source of food is the yearly harvest of a rain-fed corn-based crop sub-system
called
milpa
. The great majority of survey respondents and participants in the participatory research approach sessions
believe that climatic conditions have worsened in the last 20 years and are affecting their food production. They also
remarked that the pro
fi
tability of
in situ
diversi
fi
cation options is decreasing and associated with decreasing migration
opportunities. These trends expose local populations to the risk of becoming trapped in the near future in a place where
they are extremely vulnerable to climate change. In fact, no long-term risk-management and livelihood diversi
fi
cation
strategy, including
ex situ
strategies, seems to be sustainable for people in the study area.