00:00Experts say that 46% of Honduras will be affected by a severe drought this year caused by the
00:06Super Niño weather phenomenon, which could lead to a food crisis in the country.
00:10Gerardo Torres-Alaez reports from Tegucigalpa.
00:13The impact of the Super Niño phenomenon will bring a widespread and severe drought to 146
00:20of Honduras' 298 municipalities this year, severely impacting food production capacity
00:26and the livelihoods of agricultural workers, potentially causing hunger for more than
00:31500,000 Hondurans, Experts say.
00:35Honduras is part of the Grand Corredor Seco of Central America.
00:38Honduras has affected almost the 46% of the territory of Honduras.
00:42Honduras is part of the bad dry corridor of Central America, nearly 46% of its territory
00:47is affected and compensated, and approximately 146 municipalities are severely impacted by
00:54the drought.
00:54It's important to emphasize this point.
00:56Many families living in these municipalities where subsistence farming is the primary source
01:00of income.
01:04Our experience is significant losses of corn, beans, and other stock of crops.
01:09The soil is drying out, making farming increasingly difficult in these areas.
01:17Producers assert that the already harsh reality in the country would worsen rapidly due to the
01:22drought, and lament the lack of government strategies to help them mitigate this impact.
01:32The entire subsidy system implemented by the previous government, which was designed to benefit
01:45the poorest families with electricity, agricultural vouchers, and other assistance for the most vulnerable
01:55populations.
01:56in the United States, has been suspended.
02:06Historically, governments here have not prioritized the construction of reservoirs to create irrigation
02:14projects that would benefit agriculture, help farmers improve their crops, and thus generate food security, and ensure the
02:26well-being of consumers.
02:37Honduras lacks significant irrigation infrastructure and has very few dams for water retention.
02:42The previous government began developing water infrastructure projects to address these climate
02:48challenges.
02:49But unfortunately, the new administration has halted these efforts.
02:58The big problem is that our hydrating infrastructure is obsolete and more than 80% of the water is
03:04lot.
03:05For example, the previous government and the president of Maracastro already had proposed for the
03:12construction of several large multiproposive reservoirs for water retention, hydroelectric power,
03:18irrigation, and logical.
03:20This would have improved the situation during a super-eleven like this one.
03:24But unfortunately, the government has reduced its investments.
03:27But this government has reduced the investments.
03:32Because there is no emergency plan or strategy from the government to help the most poor families
03:36in the country to face the impacts of climate change, drought, and the high cost of agricultural
03:41production, Hondurans could face a humanitarian crisis in the next months.
03:46From Tegucigalpa, Honduras, for Telestory in English, Gerardo Torres, Elay.
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