As climate change threatens food security, farmers in Guatemala are branching out, and betting on a drought-resilient bean variety

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As climate change causes more frequent and severe droughts, as well as torrential and erratic rains, farmers are struggling to cope with dwindling crop yields that mean less food to eat, and in the worst cases, hunger.

In Chiquimula and other areas, they are turning to drought-resistant bean varieties bred to contain more zinc and iron to stem malnutrition, and are learning to grow other vegetables, raising chickens and pigs, and even becoming fish farmers and beekeepers to have alternative sources of food and income.

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Due to its increased content of micronutrients, the Chortí bean is also being promoted as a way to help tackle high rates of anemia and malnutrition among Guatemalan women and children.

In Guatemala, rates of stunted growth in children aged from 6 months to 59 months caused by chronic malnutrition are among the world's highest, according to the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP).

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Through a crop breeding process called biofortification, micronutrient-enriched crops contain higher amounts of iron, zinc, and vitamin A that help to tackle malnutrition caused by a lack of vitamins and minerals in the diet.

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To become more resilient to climate shocks by having a back-up plan, bean farmers are having to grow other food crops to have new sources of income and food as relying on just two bean harvests a year is no longer viable due to extreme weather.

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