The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food (MAGA) in Guatemala is distributing food aid to 92,430 families across 19 departments as part of its Alimentos por Acción (APA) program. The initiative aims to support families who contribute to local development in their communities.
According to the APA schedule from the Vice Ministry of Food and Nutritional Security (VISAN), food deliveries began in mid-October and are expected to finish by early November. This reflects MAGA’s commitment to providing timely assistance to households most in need.
Between October 15 and 22, food rations were delivered to 2,569 families in municipalities including Moyuta and Pasaco in Jutiapa; Lanquín, San Cristóbal Verapaz, and Senahú in Alta Verapaz; Villa Canales in Guatemala; and San Felipe in Retalhuleu.
During the same period, another 45,169 families are being served. Deliveries are ongoing in locations such as San Pedro Carchá and Santa Catalina La Tinta (Alta Verapaz), San Jacinto (Chiquimula), Masagua (Escuintla), Unión Cantinil (Huehuetenango), Chiquimulilla (Santa Rosa), Gualán and La Unión (Zacapa), San Miguel Chicaj (Baja Verapaz), Patzité (Quiché), San Antonio Palopó (Sololá), Sipacapa (San Marcos), La Antigua Guatemala and Jocotenango (Sacatepéquez), and San José La Máquina (Suchitepéquez). The ministry expects these distributions will be completed next week.
Food is provided free of charge. Most deliveries are supervised by the Office of the Comptroller General to ensure transparency throughout the process.
Beneficiary families participate in community projects that promote local development and sustainability. These include building chicken coops, opening trails, establishing family or communal gardens, reforesting mangroves, protecting water sources for domestic use, producing trees for agroforestry systems, cleaning reservoirs and canals, planting native forest or fruit trees, and making compost bins.
Each family receives a complete ration containing rice, nixtamalized flour or corn, black beans, vegetable oil, iodized salt, oat flakes, sugar, and a fortified blend of corn-soy flour. This package is intended to improve nutrition and strengthen food security among recipients.
In early November, simultaneous deliveries will begin for an additional 44,692 families across other departments. The goal is to meet program targets while ensuring that food assistance reaches those who need it most promptly.
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