Honduras: People's participation brings food security
Ten years ago, farmers in the department of Lempira in Honduras could barely produce enough maize, beans and sorghum to feed their families. In 1998, when Hurricane Mitch hit the country, the same farmers provided tonnes of emergency food aid to their fellow citizens in other parts of the country.
The credit for this dramatic turn-around goes to a rural
development and food security project implemented by FAO,
which introduced sustainable farming methods. More
importantly, by emphasizing the involvement of the
beneficiaries, it proved that local participation is the key
ingredient in development.
The department of Lempira, with a population of 100,000, is one of the poorest and most isolated regions of Honduras, located in hilly terrain close to the border with El Salvador. In 1990, when the Lempira Sur project was begun, 72 percent of the people lived below the poverty line, and malnutrition was chronic. The soil was poor, yields were low, and erosion and drought were common due to the slash-and-burn farming system, which forced the farmers to find and clear new plots of land every few years.
Identifying needs and
Right from the preliminary stage of the project, the people themselves were at the centre of identifying their needs and problems. Through meetings and interviews, farmers and project extension workers determined that the main problem was the degeneration of the soil because of severe water run-off resulting from the slash-and-burn farming system, which had been used for generations. As a result, crop yields had fallen dramatically.
Prior to the project's start, some of the local farmers had experimented with planting trees to prevent run-off and improve soil fertility. The farmers and the project's young extension workers built on these initiatives, and in the mid-1990s introduced an agroforestry system based on interspersing three different levels of crops.
When a number of farmers adopted the new method, they had a pleasant surprise: their yields of maize and beans increased 50 percent on average within a few years. (To read more about the new farming system, click here.)
Despite the good results, many farmers were skeptical. The big breakthrough came in 1997 when an El Niño-associated drought hit the area. The crops on the farms using the new method withstood the drought. The others did not. Since that time, 80 percent of the farmers in the area have adopted the agroforestry system.
As a result the production of maize and beans has almost doubled. And now the farmer families do not only eat more, they also have a surplus of 30 percent to 50 percent to sell on the market.
With a surplus, people
look to the future
"An increase in production does not necessarily improve nutrition and consumption within the families," says Mr. Cherrett. "Therefore, we have started new initiatives that support the families inside their homes, in their back garden and in their fields." Especially the women are involved in these new activities.
The communities' social and institutional organization has also improved during the last ten years. "Farmers' organizations, trade organizations and cooperatives have been established," says Mr Cherrett. Now more people participate in democratic processes, and two women have been elected mayors for the first time ever in Lempira Sur.
New obstacles create
But as food aid from all over the world flooded Honduras, market prices fell to an all-time low, hitting the people of Lempira Sur hard. The farmers couldn't sell their crops, and everything they had built up during the previous eight years was almost lost.
The villagers met to discuss their new problems. They realized that little could be done about the prices as long as the food aid kept coming. They identified the need to diversify their crops and find new markets, and today many of the farmers are selling their crops and livestock in nearby El Salvador, where prices are considerably higher. But this initiative raises yet another need: improved infrastructure. The roads between Lempira and El Salvador are bad or nonexistent, making it difficult for the farmers to get to their customers. So the task of improving bridges and roads is now a high priority.
The people take
What is even more important is that the people themselves now are taking full responsibility for planning improvements in their communities. Little by little, the extension workers are becoming dispensable. The changes introduced in the communities have proved sustainable. "The people of Lempira have been able to end their extreme poverty," says Mr Cherrett. "Before they could not produce enough to eat. Now they produce a surplus. They have proven that they can do the job."
To see, hear and read about the activities and the people in the Lempira Sur project, click here.
To read more about the new farming system, click here
Article about countries hit by Hurricane "Mitch"
Article about the El Niño and its impact on crop production in Latin America