As one of the strongest El Niño events on record intensifies, farmers around the world face growing risks to their crops, livestock and livelihoods. In Honduras, one farmer’s experience shows why preparing for extreme weather matters.
In 2023, a devastating drought swept through Olanchito, Honduras, killing more than a thousand cattle. Among them were the animals belonging to Milexi Rodríguez, a livestock farmer who had spent years working to build her own farm.
Milexi had started with just one cow. By the time the drought struck, she had built a herd and a livelihood for herself and her family. Then she had to start over.
Now, just three years later, another powerful El Niño is bringing severe drought conditions to Honduras. But this time, Milexi is better prepared.
Her experience illustrates both the tremendous risks that extreme weather poses to smallholder farmers and the difference that access to resources, training and practical preparation can make.
What Is El Niño, and Why Is the 2026–2027 Event So Concerning?
El Niño is a recurring climate pattern that begins when surface waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean become unusually warm. This warming affects atmospheric circulation, changing rainfall and temperature patterns across the globe.
El Niño events typically occur every two to seven years, but their effects vary considerably. Some regions experience prolonged drought, while others face unusually heavy rainfall and flooding.
Experts warn that a record-breaking El Nino will hit peak intensity between November 2026 and February 2027.
A powerful El Niño increases the likelihood of significant disruptions to established weather patterns.
For farmers who depend on seasonal rainfall to grow crops and raise livestock, those disruptions can be devastating.
How El Niño Is Affecting Farmers in Central and South America
For smallholder farmers, the consequences of extreme weather go far beyond a single failed harvest.
Drought can reduce crop production, dry up water supplies and leave livestock without adequate food or water. Flooding and landslides can damage fields, storage facilities, equipment and roads, making it difficult for farmers to get their products to market.
And when farmers lose the resources they’ve spent years building, recovery can take much longer than the weather event itself.
Across Central and South America, these risks are already becoming reality.
In October 2026, the World Food Programme reported severe drought conditions in parts of Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Failed harvests and water shortages are threatening farming livelihoods and increasing food insecurity in vulnerable communities.
After Losing Everything, a Honduran Farmer Prepares for the Next Drought
For Milexi Rodríguez, the drought of 2023 was a turning point.
After losing her cattle, she worked to rebuild her farm with a greater focus on protecting it against future droughts.
Access to water was particularly important. Milexi secured two loans to finance a well and irrigation system, reducing her dependence on unreliable rainfall and the need to haul water over long distances.
With a more dependable water supply, she has been able to grow and store feed for her animals ahead of the dry season. She has also diversified her farm, producing milk, chili peppers and corn.
Heifer International has supported Milexi’s beekeeping activities and provided feed for her cattle.
The combination of improved water access, diversified production, training and support has helped her rebuild a more resilient livelihood.
Her experience also points to a larger challenge: Not every farmer can access the financing, infrastructure, information and assistance needed to prepare before extreme weather strikes.
Read Milexi’s firsthand account in The Independent
Why Preparing Before Disaster Strikes Matters
Extreme weather cannot always be prevented, but its impacts can be reduced.
For farming families, preparing ahead might mean
- protecting water supplies
- adjusting harvest schedules
- improving drainage
- securing livestock feed
- finding alternative ways to transport products when roads become inaccessible
The right measures depend on the risks facing each community.
Farmers in drought-prone areas may need dependable water supplies and ways to store food or livestock feed. Those facing heavy rainfall and flooding may need drainage improvements, safer storage facilities or plans to protect animals and crops.
Timely information matters, too. Weather forecasts and early-warning systems are most useful when farmers have the resources and plans to act on them.
How Heifer International Is Working Toward Greater Climate Resilience
Heifer International works with smallholder farmers and producer organizations to strengthen livelihoods and build more resilient agricultural systems.
Our existing climate and environment work includes supporting climate-smart and regenerative agricultural practices, connecting farmers with financial tools and improving access to agricultural information and services.
With the current El Niño threatening communities across Latin America, Heifer is also developing a proposed preparedness initiative focused on producer organizations in Guatemala, Honduras and Ecuador.
The proposed approach would help farmers and agricultural businesses identify their greatest climate-related risks and determine what they can protect before conditions worsen.
It would also explore practical ways to use weather information to guide timely decisions, such as adjusting harvesting activities, protecting storage facilities, improving drainage and safeguarding livestock.
Learn about Heifer’s climate and environment work
A Global Challenge With Different Local Effects
The effects of El Niño extend well beyond Latin America, but they do not look the same everywhere.
Research released by WaterAid in November 2026 identified contrasting risks across Africa. Parts of Southern Africa face heightened drought risks, while several areas of East Africa could experience unusually heavy rainfall and flooding.
Such differences illustrate why local information and preparation are essential. A measure that helps farmers manage drought in one community may not address the threats facing farmers elsewhere.
The need to protect agricultural livelihoods against climate shocks is global. But effective preparation must be grounded in local conditions.
Source: WaterAid’s November 2026 research
Helping Farmers Protect What They’ve Built
For farmers like Milexi, a farm represents far more than crops or livestock. It is a source of income, food, opportunity and a future for their families.
When drought or flooding destroys that progress, the consequences can last for years.
But preparing before disaster strikes can make a difference. Investments in infrastructure, skills, information and locally appropriate agricultural practices can help farmers protect their livelihoods and recover more effectively when conditions change.
As the current El Niño intensifies, the challenge is helping farmers preserve the progress they’ve already made – while helping them respond to what happens next.
Learn how farmers can prepare for El Niño and how Heifer is working to strengthen resilience.