Nearly two decades ago, Guatemala faced the devastating consequences of an ongoing civil war, leading to widespread poverty. As men migrated in search of work, women were left without the necessary skills to sustain family farms, exacerbated by the government’s suspension of the National Rural Extension System. This resulted in increased hunger and alarming rates of childhood malnutrition.

Counterpart’s Food for Progress program (2016-2023), funded by USAID, in Guatemala addresses these challenges by empowering local communities with agricultural knowledge, tools, and market development opportunities. The program reinstated the National Rural Extension System, trained Ministry of Agriculture agents and community members, strengthened cooperatives and Rural Development Learning Centers, and expanded financial services for agricultural cooperatives.