Chiapas drought threatens 10,000 farmers with bankruptcy

A severe drought and prolonged canícula are causing a major agricultural crisis in the southern border of Chiapas, Mexico. Approximately 10,000 farmers report being on the brink of bankruptcy after two consecutive failed planting seasons. The lack of rainfall has impacted roughly 45,000 hectares of crops and livestock grazing lands, including significant losses in corn, soy, banana, and sugar cane.

Local producers in municipalities such as Tapachula, Suchiate, and Mazatán are calling on federal, state, and municipal governments to issue a formal disaster declaration. This would allow them to access emergency relief programs. Regional authorities report that river levels in the Soconusco region have dropped to between 10% and 20% of their usual levels, while temperatures have exceeded 40 degrees Celsius.

In a separate development regarding agricultural support, the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA) announced that over 1.1 million indigenous and Afro-Mexican people are receiving direct support through the 'Producción para el Bienestar' program. This initiative aims to improve the production of priority crops like corn and coffee while preserving traditional agricultural practices and biodiversity across 29 Mexican states.