Climate Change Accelerates the Crisis in El Salvador''s Agricultural Sector and Calls for New Responses

El Salvador could produce close to 25 million quintals of staple grains during the 2026-2027 agricultural cycle, according to estimates from agricultural sector organizations. In response to the risk of drought associated with El Niño, producers decided to bring planting forward to late April and early May to take advantage of the rainy season and reduce crop exposure to a potentially prolonged mid-summer dry spell. The projections cover maize, beans, rice, and sorghum, although domestic production remains insufficient to meet internal demand. Against this backdrop, the Government announced the Agricultural Bonus, a USD 75 subsidy for approximately 500,000 producers to purchase agricultural inputs, as well as a program aimed at increasing maize, bean, and sorghum production.