El Salvador is highly vulnerable to climate shocks—including earthquakes, floods, drought, landslides, and tropical storms—as well as other risks related to structural poverty and chronic violence, which exacerbate humanitarian needs in the country. In recent years, inflation and price spikes for essential agricultural inputs, such as fertilizer, have also left many farming households either unable to plant their crops or facing significantly reduced harvests, exacerbating food security concerns among hundreds of thousands of individuals.
When disaster strikes, USAID typically works with non-governmental organizations to meet humanitarian needs and complement government relief efforts. In addition to direct disaster assistance, USAID supports increased resilience to natural hazards by bolstering the technical capacity of local governments and communities to prepare for, mitigate, and respond to sudden-onset disasters. USAID protection partners in El Salvador provide psychosocial support, learning and recreational opportunities, as well as case management and referral services for women, children, and other groups facing heightened risk of exploitation, gender-based violence, or other forms of abuse. USAID also supports efforts to bolster food security among drought-affected households in El Salvador by providing cash transfers to help individuals meet their basic food needs, as well as by training smallholder farmers to apply sustainable agriculture practices, diversify their sources of income, and strengthen local management of water resources.
