Drought

Honduras will conduct seven additional cloud-seeding flights funded by private investment of over $250,000 to stimulate rainfall and help farmers affected by drought, Agriculture Minister Moisés Molina said.

Honduras will invest 48 million lempiras (about $1.9 million) to install 25 deep wells with solar-powered pumping systems across four drought-prone departments, aiming to bring 125 hectares under irrigation and boost agricultural production.

Sweden's development agency SIDA will provide approximately €270,000 (about $295,000) in humanitarian assistance to Honduran communities affected by drought.

Honduras is using cloud seeding to combat a devastating drought in Central America's Dry Corridor, intensified by El Niño and climate change, as the region seeks emergency measures to restore rainfall and protect crops.

The US Embassy delivered water-storage tanks to 85 schools in Honduras's drought-stricken Dry Corridor region, aimed at improving water access as El Niño conditions persist.

Honduras's $750,000 cloud-seeding program, designed to combat drought, has finished its originally planned 20 flights and will carry out two additional missions using 180 liters of remaining silver iodide, for a total of 22 flights.

The United States has donated 83 water, sanitation, and hygiene kits to Honduran schools affected by drought, aimed at improving access to clean water and basic hygiene facilities.

Drought across Honduras has driven onion prices up five lempiras per pound and potatoes up two lempiras per pound at major markets, squeezing household budgets as consumers report their food money no longer stretches far enough.

A severe drought in southern Honduras forced 214 shrimp farms to suspend operations, prompting the National Aquaculture Association to cut its 2026 production target from 159 million to 146 million pounds as high temperatures and prolonged low rainfall raised Gulf of Fonseca salinity levels.

Honduras has completed 18 of 20 planned cloud-seeding flights over nine drought-affected departments, with results to be assessed once the final two flights — pending suitable weather — are done.

South Korea will provide $500,000 in humanitarian assistance to Honduras to help communities affected by El Niño-driven drought that has left about 620,000 people in severe food insecurity.

South Korea will provide $500,000 in humanitarian aid to Honduras to support communities devastated by an El Niño-driven drought that has left about 620,000 people facing severe food insecurity, particularly in the southern dry corridor.

Agriculture Minister Moisés Molina says three cloud-seeding flights have shown favorable results in drought-prone areas, with half the planned flights still to come and officials evaluating whether to expand the program, which is partly funded by sugar and vegetable producers.

The UN warns that El Niño will reach peak intensity in December 2026, but Honduras is already experiencing severe drought that is damaging maize and bean harvests and threatening food security for over 538,000 people, according to the FAO and UN agencies.

Juticalpa Mayor Wagner Castro said that high fuel prices and severe drought are damaging agricultural output across Olancho, with corn and bean crops hit hardest and livestock suffering malnutrition from lack of feed.

Honduras has completed 10 of 20 planned flights to seed clouds with silver iodide across eight drought-stricken departments, covering 1.8 to 2.3 million hectares, as officials evaluate whether the intervention is increasing rainfall.

Honduras and the United Nations are mobilizing international support to address a drought emergency affecting food security, crop losses, and water shortages in the hardest-hit communities.

Honduras's National Risk Management Agency reports that 233 municipalities remain under drought alert, with 103 at the highest level, affecting 5.6 million people and threatening food security through crop losses and reduced rural employment in the south.

Honduras has completed eight cloud-seeding flights using silver iodide in drought-stricken regions including the Dry Corridor, with twelve operations remaining pending suitable atmospheric conditions; farmers report heavier rainfall after roughly ten months of drought.

National Congress member Juan Sauceda of Colón warned that deforestation could intensify future droughts and called for forest protection and adaptation measures such as silvopastoral systems and livestock feed reserves.

Vice Minister of Coffee José Francisco Ordóñez said drought damage will force Honduras to reduce projected coffee exports to 7 million quintals (about 315,000 metric tons) in 2027, with one million quintals diverted to domestic consumption due to quality losses, though the government will invest 53 million lempiras (about $2.1 million) in farm support and road repairs.

Tegucigalpa's municipal government is evaluating a reduction in the capital's water rationing from 12 days to 9 days as reservoir levels gradually improve, though the plan depends on sustained rainfall in coming weeks.

Engineer Miguel Arriaga warns Honduras's state power company faces severe financial pressure from high generation costs, reduced hydroelectric output due to drought, and years-long delays in signing new capacity contracts, leaving ENEE unable to recover over 6 billion lempiras (~$240 million) in costs over six months.

Honduras's municipal association is negotiating an agreement with the Agriculture Ministry to build water-storage systems in municipalities during 2027 to address drought, with the government supplying machinery and materials for structures meant to supply water to rural and urban communities.

A severe drought in Santa Ana municipality has wiped out 85% of the maize harvest and damaged bean production, affecting over 1,600 farmers and threatening food security for families dependent on agriculture in the region.

Rural families from Honduras's drought-stricken Dry Corridor region brought their plight to Congress, citing crop losses, water scarcity, and pressure from extractive projects, and secured a commitment for broader dialogue on food security and livelihood protection.

Honduras completed its first cloud-seeding operation on September 26, dispersing silver iodide from an aircraft over moisture-laden clouds to stimulate rainfall in drought-affected areas, with about 20 additional flights planned over the next two to three months.

Honduras, the United Nations, and humanitarian organizations launched an international appeal for $60 million to assist 538,000 people across 103 municipalities hit by severe drought, with over 75% of the country facing extreme rainfall deficits that threaten food production and livelihoods.

Honduras's farm and livestock federation warns of an expected severe drought in November and urges producers to use current rains in September and October to plant grains and stockpile feed, as agricultural output has fallen 35–40 percent.

Honduras begins cloud-seeding flights on Saturday from Tegucigalpa's Toncontín airport between 3 and 6 p.m. to stimulate rainfall in drought-affected regions, including the Francisco Morazán reservoir and the dry corridor near San Marcos de Colón in Choluteca.