Summary and Factsheet: Socioeconomic Analysis in Puerto Parada, El Salvador
Puerto Parada is one of the poorest regions in El Salvador, with a largely informal labor market based on agriculture and fishing. Located deep in the countryside on the Jiquilisco Bay, access to education and public services is limited, leading many young people to look for work in urban centers and abroad. While the socioeconomic situation in Puerto Parada communities is clear to its residents, quantitative and qualitative data has been limited. To address these shortcomings a team of student-researchers from the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA) undertook a first-of-its-kind socioeconomic analysis in Puerto Parada.
“This report is a valuable academic contribution to understanding local development in rural coastal contexts of El Salvador. Its importance lies in having generated a comprehensive diagnosis that combines economic, social, and environmental dimensions, highlighting the structural vulnerabilities faced by the inhabitants of Puerto Parada, as well as the opportunities that emerge from their natural, cultural, and organizational resources,” said Professor Meraris López of the UCA Department and Economics.
“In terms of impact, this work offers an empirical and analytical basis to guide future interventions from an endogenous development and sustainability approach, strengthening local planning capacity, community management, and the integration of the economy, society, and environment.”
Their report, a senior thesis conducted under the guidance of López, examines the economic, social, and environmental dynamics shaping development in Puerto Parada. Using a sustainable development framework, it identifies barriers to growth, evaluates productive potential, and proposes locally driven strategies for inclusive, climate-resilient development.
The study investigated how structural poverty, limited access to education, and environmental degradation intersect to constrain development. Researchers combined available quantitative data with qualitative evidence gathered through field visits and focus groups with community members in partnership with the Asociación Cincahuite and the Jiquilisco Bay Alliance.
This study was conducted alongside an analysis of climate impacts on food security of Puerto Parada by fellow UCA economic students. Both senior theses were conducted as part of the development of El Salvador’s first Fishery Improvement Project by the Asociación Cincahuite and Jiquilisco Bay Alliance. The mission of both organizations is to support Puerto Parada residents in achieving their community-led goals of ecological sustainability and economic empowerment.
Economic Findings
Puerto Parada’s economy remains dominated by artisanal fishing, small-scale agriculture, and livestock, with limited diversification. Over 60 percent of employment is informal, leaving most families without social protections. Average income levels are well below national rural averages, and many households depend on remittances, which sustain consumption but not long-term productivity. Tourism shows potential but is hindered by poor infrastructure and climate vulnerability.
Social Conditions
Education levels are low—an average of 6.6 years of schooling and 14 percent illiteracy—limiting employability and innovation. Women and youth face systemic exclusion from decision-making and formal employment. Infrastructure gaps in water, sanitation, energy, and health services reinforce poverty cycles and social inequality.
Environmental Challenges
Puerto Parada is highly exposed to climate events such as floods and hurricanes. Deforestation, mangrove degradation, and water contamination have reduced ecosystem resilience and local productivity. Extreme weather events like Tropical Storms Amanda and Cristóbal (2020) caused major crop and asset losses. Overfishing and declining biodiversity threaten both food security and livelihoods.
Governance and Policy Context
Public policies remain fragmented, and local institutions lack technical and financial capacity. However, community organizations—particularly cooperatives like Asociación Cincahuite—play crucial roles in environmental stewardship and advocacy. The study emphasizes that endogenous, community-based development offers the most viable path forward, leveraging local knowledge, social capital, and natural resources.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The report concludes that Puerto Parada’s underdevelopment stems from the mutual reinforcement of economic fragility, social exclusion, and ecological degradation. To build resilience and equity, the authors recommend:
Promoting agroecological and sustainable fishing practices.
Strengthening education, technical training, and women’s participation.
Investing in infrastructure and climate adaptation.
Encouraging multi-level governance and coordinated NGO-government collaboration.
By aligning economic opportunity with ecological restoration and social inclusion, Puerto Parada can transition toward a model of sustainable, community-led development rooted in its unique coastal identity.
Factsheet: Socioeconomic Analysis and Productive Potential in Puerto Parada
1. Geographic and Demographic Context
Location: Puerto Parada, coastal community in the municipality of Usulután, part of the UNESCO Jiquilisco Bay Biosphere Reserve.
Population: Approximately 2,500 residents, spread across several hamlets near mangrove and estuarine ecosystems.
Environmental setting: Low-lying terrain with mangrove forests, exposed to frequent flooding and coastal erosion.
2. Economic Indicators
Main economic activities: Artisanal fishing, small-scale agriculture, livestock, and seasonal tourism.
Employment type: Approximately 60 percent of jobs are in the informal sector, lacking social protection.
Average income: Household average monthly income estimated below the rural national average; fishing families earn $4.00-$6.00 USD per day depending on season and catch.
Cooperative income: Local fishing cooperatives earn roughly $4,000-6,000 USD per month during peak season.
Dependence on remittances: About 40 percent of households receive remittances as a primary income source.
Tourism potential: Identified as an emerging sector; limited infrastructure prevents expansion.
3. Education and Human Capital
Average schooling: 6.6 years per person.
Illiteracy rate: 14.4 percent of the adult population.
School dropout: 28 percent in secondary education; less than 5 percent pursue technical or higher education.
Training and employment link: Limited vocational training restricts transition to formal employment.
4. Social and Infrastructure Indicators
Access to clean water: 60 percent of households rely on communal wells or rainwater; contamination reported during floods.
Energy access: 75 percent of households connected to the electrical grid; power interruptions common.
Waste management: No formal collection system; waste often burned or dumped in mangroves.
Health access: Closest clinic located 10 kilometers away; transportation costs limit access.
5. Environmental Indicators
Deforestation: Loss of mangrove cover due to illegal logging and shrimp farming expansion.
Water contamination: Runoff and poor sanitation have led to high coliform counts in local wells.
Climate events: Tropical Storms Amanda and Cristóbal (2020) affected 497 families, destroying homes and crops.
Flooding frequency: Average of 5 major floods per decade; estimated economic losses of over $1.2 million in the past ten years.
Decline in fish stocks: 35 percent reduction in catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) for key species between 2012 and 2023.
6. Governance and Institutional Indicators
Community organizations: Three fishing cooperatives, two ADESCOs, and a local tourism committee representing 40% of the adult population.
NGO involvement: Asociación Cincahuite and Asociación Mangle facilitate projects in fisheries, mangrove restoration, and women’s empowerment.
Government coordination gaps: 12 separate development interventions identified with weak inter-institutional coordination.
7. Development Challenges and Recommendations
Challenges: High poverty, dependence on informal economy, deforestation, lack of infrastructure, and fragmented governance.
Recommendations:
Promote agroecological production and sustainable fishing practices.
Invest in education and technical training.
Strengthen local governance and community-based adaptation.
Improve basic services and disaster resilience infrastructure.
Foster coordination among government, academia, and industry (Triple Helix model).