In late 2004 I was invited to join a team of consultants to examine maize production, trade, and consumption in Guatemala. This was a very interesting experience. Representatives of the agricultural sector, the industrial sector, and government participated in the debate. A very diverse cross-section of Guatemalan society with extremely divergent views. Our task was to provide basic information and to co-organize the debate sessions. Participants in the consulting process urged the minister of agriculture to form a national maize commission, but unfortunately this never happened.
Our report was published as a book by FAO.
On the basis of the research, we also published an article in Spanish more specifically on the possible impact of the free trade agreement with the US (CAFTA). The basic argument of the article is that the limited substitution between yellow and white maize should be taken into account when assessing the potential impact of CAFTA. Now it seems that US bio-ethanol policy and increasing fuel prices have changed the situation. Maize production in Guatemala remains important.
The map shows the main maize production and deficit areas in Guatemala. This map sparked an interesting discussion.
