Guatemala

 General Information

The Motagua River basin, shared between Guatemala and Honduras, is one of Central America’s most environmentally stressed watersheds. Agricultural expansion, industrial discharges, and inadequate sanitation services have severely degraded water quality, impacting biodiversity, public health, and downstream livelihoods. Small and dispersed communities, particularly in the upper and middle basin, often lack the technical and financial resources to manage water sustainably, making integrated watershed management a national priority. 

Through GEF CReW+, Guatemala strengthened governance and technical capacity for watershed management. The project updated and published the Guide for the Preparation of Micro-watershed Management Plans (PLAMIM), modernizing an outdated instrument with climate change considerations, governance tools, and participatory approaches. To ensure its uptake, the program organized a national workshop to socialize and consult stakeholders on the guideline, fostering alignment between government institutions, municipalities, and civil society. In addition, GEF CReW+ developed a capacity-building toolbox on integrated water resources management and application of the PLAMIM Guide, providing municipalities and local organizations with practical instruments to design and execute plans. Building on this foundation, the project trained municipal authorities in diagnosing, preparing, and implementing Integrated Micro-watershed Management Plans, and accompanied selected municipalities in the Motagua basin in carrying out priority activities from their plans. 

These efforts not only improved technical capacity at the local level but also created replicable models for integrated watershed governance. By linking updated national guidance with hands-on support in the Motagua River basin, GEF CReW+ delivered tangible progress toward more resilient, community-driven water management in Guatemala.