The lower-middle income country Honduras is the second poorest country in Central America. It accounts for high levels of income inequality and underemployment. Agricultural exports, mainly based on bananas and coffee, have traditionally been the backbone of exports, but recently the export base has been widened to apparel and automobile wire harnessing.

Almost one-third of total land is cultivated, mainly producing bananas, coffee, citrus and corn. The agricultural sector as a whole contributes to nearly one-seventh of total GDP and provides a livelihood for nearly half of the total labor force. In order to meet the internal demand slightly more than half of the cereals consumption is imported.

Receiving a score of 0.606 on the HDI (2014), Honduras ranked in the medium human development category. Nevertheless, the living conditions are rather critical taking into account that one-fifth of the children under five are stunted and one-sixth of the total population lives in extreme poverty. Yet, according to the GHI (2015), hunger severity is considered to be only a moderate risk for the population.