By Angelia Lane | Project Leader
This year is off to a busy start already here in southern Belize! Farmers are finishing up any last-minute planting and preparing to watch their crops grow in the dry season. This has given Ya’axche Conservation Trust some time to give a few trainings and check in on some of our farmers that we have been supporting.
While campaigning, we introduced to some of our donors one of your motivated and hard-working farmers, Mr. Mateo Ack. Recently, he was able to begin his adventure in inga-alley cropping, a more sustainable agricultural practice that can build his resilience to climate change and improve his long-term income. This practice is a great alternative to the traditional slash and burn method, which is becoming unsustainable. Mr. Ack established his inga plot about 9 months ago, and he is already seeing great results. Our experienced extension officers have been able to visit him a few times already this year to help him maintain his plot and provide other technical support to ensure that his plot is successful.
Mr. Ack is just one example of a farmer that has been provided with technical or material support this year. Other farmers have also been provided inga seedlings which have been planted to improve their livelihoods. Farms with more fertile soils saw a rapid growth in the fast growing inga plants while farms with less fertile soils are growing more slowly. Inga alley cropping is a great farming technique that rehabilitates degraded soils and allowing farmers not to cut down new forests in search of fertile soils. Farmers, such as Mr. Mateo Ack, who has taken the lead in alley cropping farming received technical support to manage his plants. He will continue to inspire new farmers who want to invest in soil for healthier food.
Ya’axche has also been able to host farmers involved in beekeeping to provide information in hive management, tool usage and harvesting. Their first harvest will be made around May! information sharing sessions, and farmers have also been provided with materials to help them establish at least one of the practices Ya’axche is promoting in southern Belize. These sessions will continue throughout the year, but the work that has happened so early in the year could not have happened without your support! Ya’axche cannot thank our amazing international friends and family enough for continuously supporting our work and supporting these hard working farmers in southern Belize! Keep up to date on our work by visiting our website, Facebook, and Twitter!
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