The El Niño phenomenon triggers drought and harvest losses in Central American countries.

The El Niño natural phenomenon, characterized by the warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, has led to significant climatic changes in the region. In Panama, the government has declared a state of emergency to respond promptly to the consequences of drought and lack of rainfall. A similar situation is observed in El Salvador, where authorities have declared a "red alert" across the country due to a prolonged absence of rain and the setting of 14 temperature records in August.

The agricultural sector of El Salvador is suffering significant losses: representatives of the association of small and medium-sized farmers forecast a reduction in the first harvest of grain crops by approximately 20%. In this regard, the country's Ministry of Agriculture has initiated a food assistance program for farms. The complex of measures to respond to the drought also includes strengthening the monitoring of crop conditions and water resources.

Adverse weather conditions have also affected Honduras, where a significant part of the territory is on alert due to harvest losses of corn and beans in the southern and western regions. The countries of the region are part of the so-called "Dry Corridor" of Central America, which is characterized by increased vulnerability to extreme climatic events.

The current situation is complicated by the fact that this year El Niño could become the most intense in the last century. According to estimates by the UN World Food Programme, Central America could become the region most affected by food insecurity. The climatic phenomenon has also negatively affected logistics: due to a decrease in rainfall levels, the Panama Canal authorities announced a phased reduction in vessel transits, starting in September.