A member of the Kaqchikel Indigenous Mayan people, Ajú is one of tens of thousands of smallholder farmers across the country the World Food Programme (WFP) supports in improving production and locating viable markets. Smallholder farmers make up over 80 percent of Guatemalan farmers, but in a country dominated by export-driven agriculture, they face limited access to land, financial tools and markets. The WFP initiative, connecting smallholder growers with the Government-run school-feeding programme, is one way to channel their offer to demand. Guatemala is the first country in Central America to mandate school meals at a national level. Since 2017, at least 70 percent of ingredients for school meal baskets must be procured from local smallholder farmers. Read More