Protected agriculture, statistical gaps, and territorial monitoring of SDG 2.4.1: preliminary evidence for agricultural sustainability in Guatemala

Resumo

Protected agriculture can advance agricultural sustainability by increasing productivity, reducing exposure to extreme weather events, and improving resource-use efficiency. However, Guatemala still faces major statistical limitations for assessing its contribution to Sustainable Development Goal 2, particularly indicator 2.4.1 on the proportion of agricultural land under productive and sustainable practices. This study analyzes available information on protected agriculture in Guatemala, focusing on tall protective structures such as greenhouses, macro-tunnels, and mesh houses, and evaluates their potential relationship with national sustainable development goals. The methodology combined a review of prioritized SDG targets and indicators, an assessment of national agricultural statistics, a diagnosis of sectoral information, and the integration of georeferenced data on protected structures in four departments. Results reveal a critical lack of official data for measuring SDG indicator 2.4.1. A total of 491 ha of tall-protective structures were identified in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Santa Rosa; among areas with confirmed crop and market destination data, 87% were oriented toward export markets and 74% to non-food crops. The study concludes that protected agriculture can contribute to territorial monitoring of agricultural sustainability, if information systems, geographic traceability, and environmental, social, and economic assessment frameworks are strengthened.