The border regions located in Central America, particularly the Trifinio region between El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, have been facing climate-based threats such as increasing drought, water scarcity and agricultural inefficiency in the recent years. This is seriously jeopardizing food security, reducing the life standards of already vulnerable rural communities and causing social inequalities. Local initiatives to address these challenges offer notable solutions, particularly the cross-border inter-municipal cooperation structures established around the Lempa River.
Settlements such as Candelaria de la Frontera in western El Salvador are located in the Central American Dry Belt, a region where annual rainfall is erratic and agricultural production is increasingly difficult. Approximately 1,600 kilometers long, the zone covers 35% of Central America and is home to 10.5 million people, the majority of whom currently residing in rural areas. [1] According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 73% of the region’s rural population lives in poverty, with 7.1 million people facing severe food scarcity. [2] These data show how vulnerable the region is to both climate change and socio-economic challenges.
One of the important solutions to these multilayered crises in the region is the “Lempa River Tri-National Association of Border Municipalities”, a cross-border local government initiative that brings together 25 municipalities. With the participation of 11 municipalities from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras and 4 from El Salvador, this structure develops projects with a particular focus on water and food security.[3] This initiative is not only a technical cooperation, but also an example of solidarity-based, grassroots development models.
Farmers who directly benefit from these projects aim to recommence agricultural production through rainwater harvesting systems, which previously they were unable to do due to the drying water sources. The installed systems direct the rainwater that falls on the roofs of the buildings into 10 cubic meter tanks, which is later transmitted upwards to reach the agricultural fields. This method contributes significantly to the longevity of production not only during dry seasons, but also during temporary droughts that occur during rainy periods.
In the village of Cristalina, located in the same region, community-based water management structures have been established in areas where the central government cannot provide services. The Water Boards established in this context are local organizations run by villagers to ensure access to drinking water. For example, a project in the village collects groundwater from a 25 cubic meter tank and delivers it to households.[4] The project was implemented with the support of FAO and some European city governments (municipalities of Barcelona and Valencia). The transparent and collaborative nature of the system promotes the sustainable use of water.
These projects developed in the Trifinio region are not limited to building technical capacity, but also focalize on the principles of community resilience, food sovereignty and environmental sustainability. For instance, a demonstration farm in Candelaria de la Frontera introduces agro-ecological production techniques, the use of organic fertilizers and bio-fertilizers, equipping farmers in the region with these techniques.[5] The farm also provides a training ground for environmental organizations and students, which provides a model for increasing the knowledge and capacity of local people, aiming for long-term resilience.
Some policy recommendations can also be developed to strengthen and scale up such local initiatives. First, integrating rainwater harvesting and community-based water systems into official policy documents and providing technical and financial support by regional and national governments can prove to be a useful approach. Mainstreaming such systems, especially in drought-affected rural areas, contributes to climate adaptation and ensures the continuity of agricultural production. Moreover, the administrative autonomy of these structures at the local level makes them more resilient to the changing political climates.
Secondly, supporting community-based organizations and cross-border cooperation is an important and meaningful step towards regional integration. Examples such as the Union of Triple Border Municipalities are one of the exceptional structures that have been able to maintain continuity, despite fluctuations in central governments. Such formations are not only limited to producing technical solutions; but also stand out as structures that promote cross-border cooperation, observe environmental justice principles and strengthen the institutional capacity of local governments. In this context, it would be a valuable approach for international organizations, development agencies and climate financing structures to consider such local initiatives as long-term strategic partners in terms of sustainable development goals.
In conclusion, water and food security in drought-stricken border regions of Central America is not just a technical issue, but a multidimensional problematic at the intersection of equitable development, environmental sustainability and community-based governance. Exemplary projects developed in settlements such as Candelaria de la Frontera offer promising models at the regional level, directly improving the quality of life of local people. Scaling up such initiatives contributes to making not only the people of the region, but Central America as a whole, more resilient to climate change.
Food security and access to water are indispensable priorities not only to meet today’s needs, but also to ensure that future generations can live in a livable environment. In this context, effective, equitable and sustainable management of water will be the cornerstone not only of individual development but also of collective regional solidarity.
[1] “Food Security and Water, a Priority for Border Towns in Central America”, Global Issues, www.globalissues.org/news/2025/03/21/39389, (Date Accession: 28.03.2025).
[2] Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Central America’s Dry Corridor: Turning Emergency into Opportunities. FAO, www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/central-america-s-dry-corridor-turning-emergency-into-opportunities/en, (Date Accession: 28.03.2025).
[3] “Food Security and Water, a Priority for Border Towns in Central America.”, a.g.e., (Erişim Tarihi: 28.03.2025).
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
