Data or statistical facts on the situation and perspectives of agri-food systems and the impact of policies
The proportion of women workers in agri-food systems in El Salvador increased by 9 percentage points since 2005 (FAO, 2024).
Up to 70% of agricultural productivity growth in Latin America and the Caribbean is reduced when environmental costs are taken into account. The increase in production has been driven mainly by the intensive use of inputs rather than by technological or managerial improvements, highlighting the need for policies that integrate sustainability and innovation. (IDB, 2025)
In 2023, the relative internal productivity of the Agriculture sector in Latin America and the Caribbean was 44 (with total productivity coefficient = 100), showing its lag compared to sectors with higher productivity, according to the sectoral graph of the report (ECLAC, 2025).
Milk production at 305 days in dairy cows in El Salvador, Total production (305 d): Holstein: 6580 kg Brown Swiss: 5750 kg Jersey: 5049 kg (Castro-Montoya, 2023)
The following production systems are identified: 1. Specialized dairy system. 2. Dual-purpose system. Subdivided into a) Large extensions. b) Medium extensions. c) Small extensions. d) Subsistence dual-purpose (Subdivided into: i. High animal density. ii. Medium animal density) 3. Meat production system.
8,000 years old are the earliest evidences of avocado use in Mesoamerica, with archaeological evidence of its food and ritual importance in pre-Incan cultures from approximately 1500 B.C. in South America (Velásquez, A., 2025).
70% of family farmers in northern Central America live below the poverty line, and 30% in extreme poverty (World Bank, 2024).
280,000 hectares of beans and maize were lost in northern Central America due to drought in 2018 (World Bank, 2024).
Guatemala ranks 16th in the Global Climate Risk Index 2021, followed by El Salvador at 28th and Honduras at 44th, highlighting its high exposure to extreme events (World Bank, 2024).
Proportion of cows with first, second, or more calvings in El Salvador: First-calf cows: 40%; Second-calf cows: 26%; Three-calf or more cows: 34% (Castro-Montoya, 2023)
