Despite economic progress, poverty, inequality and violent crime in Honduras continue to severely hinder development and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 on Zero Hunger and improved nutrition.

Income distribution is highly unequal and vast disparities exist between urban and rural areas, regions and social groups. Poverty – affecting 60 percent of the population – is at the root of chronic food insecurity in Honduras. The most vulnerable include indigenous populations in rural areas (where more than half of the extremely poor are concentrated), women, girls, children under 5 and people with disabilities and living with HIV/AIDS.

The country’s vulnerability to extreme climatic events exacerbates food insecurity. In the southern and western regions – corresponding to Honduras’ Dry Corridor – four years of continuous drought have eroded people’s ability to secure sufficient nutritious food all year round. In 2015, irregular rainfalls resulted in the loss of more than half the crops. To cope, people have resorted to migration or the sale of productive assets.

Almost three quarters – 72 percent – of families depending on agriculture either own small parcels of land or work as laborers for large land owners. Limited access to land, technology and agricultural assets hampers the potential development of the agricultural sector.

Poorly diversified diets and a lack of nutritional awareness result in overlapping nutritional problems including stunting, mineral and vitamin deficiencies and overweight/obesity.

Stunting in children under 5 still stands at 23 percent, with peaks of 40 percent in the Dry Corridor, where a large proportion of the indigenous population lives. Anemia affects 29 percent of children under 5 –  with a prevalence of up to 60 percent in babies between 6 and 8 months – as well as 15 percent of women and girls of reproductive age. Rapid urbanization, leading to reduced physical activity and increased consumption of processed foods rich in fats, sugar and salt, is driving up levels of overweight and obesity and the risk of chronic diseases. 

The World Food Programme is contributing to the achievement of SDG 2 in Honduras by supporting the Government’s efforts to improve nutrition, enhance the resilience of smallholder farmers and assist families affected by rapid and slow-onset disasters.

Show more
9.1 million
population
60%
of people live in poverty
23%
of children are stunted, with peaks of up to 40%
Download country brief

What the World Food Programme is doing in Honduras

  • School meals

    WFP is supporting the Government’s efforts to provide one daily nutritious, diversified meal, prepared with fresh, locally grown ingredients, to pre- and primary school children, with a special focus on children living in the most food insecure areas (Dry Corridor and La Mosquitia).

  • Nutrition

    WFP supports the Government in its strategies and efforts to improve nutrition during the “first 1000 days”, particularly through the prevention of stunting and micronutrient deficiencies. Children aged between 6 and 23 months and pregnant and breastfeeding women and girls from selected indigenous communities in the Dry Corridor receive specialized nutritious food. This is complemented by nutrition education.

  • Resilience building

    WFP supports smallholder farmers and agricultural laborers, with a special focus on women, in creating or rehabilitating climate-resilient assets to improve their productivity, income, livelihoods, nutrition and food security.

  • Crisis response

    WFP stands ready to complement government response to sudden and slow-onset disasters in targeted municipalities by providing food assistance (cash and in-kind) and increasing capacities in supply chain management and emergency preparedness and response.

  • Capacity strengthening

    WFP provides technical assistance to enhance the capacity of government institutions at national and subnational level in disaster risk reduction, monitoring and reporting on SDG2, and promoting gender equality. WFP also supports primarily women smallholder farmers with technology and innovations to improve their livelihoods.

Related publications

Show more

In focus

Read more stories

Honduras news releases

Go to page

Partners and donors

Achieving Zero Hunger is the work of many. Our work in Honduras is made possible by the support and collaboration of our partners and donors, including:

Find out more about the state of food security in Honduras

Visit the food security analysis page

Operations in Honduras

View all operations

Contacts

Tegucigalpa

Colonia Castaños Sur, Bloque 6, Casa No. 7 Paseo Virgilio Zelaya Rubí. Apartado Postal No. 17. Tegucigalpa M.D.C., Honduras

Email

Hetze.Tosta@wfp.org

Phone: +504 2236-9002

Fax: +504 2236-8320

For media inquiries

Hetze.Tosta@wfp.org