Food Security Guatemala Project #49703

Planting the seeds of a better future in Guatemala

by Basaid Organisation

Project Report | Aug 4, 2022
FINAL project report

By Basaid | Project sponsor

The project successfully ended in May 2022! We want to thank all donors for their contributions.

Once the project is closed the communities in Guatemala continue their agricultural activities in a more sustainable way and assistance is still provided for the next months when required

By providing the seeds, other materials and technical support, 300 families started to improve their livelihoods by growing, tending and harvesting their own crops as the basis for their food needs. And a well-nourished, healthier population is the first step toward a better future in the Huista region. According to the four work components established in the project the below activities were executed

1. Organizational Strengthening Overall 15 meetings took place between July-Sep, 2021 with selected persons from the groups. The group meetings were affected by the Covid restrictions, who prohibit people from holding meetings with more than 10 (for some time even only five) people. This meant that only parts of the groups could attend. The monitoring visits planned throughout the project have been also affected by the Covid situation. Monitoring was done via telephone and from time to time by visiting group directors in the field.

2. General Trainings Generally the project aimed for a participation of at least 95% of the project members in all workshops. However, due to the Covid situation not all members of a group from a community were always allowed to attend. So, we trained part of a group with the obligation for the participating members to repeat this for their local communication groups. In November workshops were held on women's rights and legal mechanisms and procedures for their defense; in light of organized crime, drug addiction and alcoholism. A representative of a commission for Human Rights in the district was present.

3. Technical Trainings The purchase of local native creole corn and bean plus herb seeds was carried out and distributed to each groups, taking advantage of the starting rainy season in July 2021. Each of the group members carried out the preparation (cleaning or stubble burning) of their available land.

4. Technical Assistance As mentioned in the second report local corn and bean seeds were planted by all group members in July. Due to the characteristics of this native creole seeds the harvest was carried out in most places at the end of September and in colder regions in October. The families were quite happy for the good harvest, because unlike in other years, the rainy season 2021 did not show a shortage or excess of rain or pests, so they obtained an average of 4 sacks of corn and 30 pounds of beans.

Links:

search for us on google, our ONG is located in Switzerland

Attachments:

Planting_the_seeds_for_a_better_future__Final_Report.pdf (PDF)

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Apr 2, 2022
Report 3 March 28 2022

By Hans Barz | Project leader

The direct beneficiaries of the project are 300 Mayan families (1,500 people) from 13 women's groups organized in 12 communities in three municipalities: Nenton, San Antonio Huista and Petatan in northwestern Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

According to the four work components established in the project, during the second resp. third project quarter (mid of August 2021 - mid of December 2021, mid of December 2021 to mid of March 2022) the below activities were executed.

1. Organizational Strengthening

The activities of this component were mostly carried out during the first quarter; only five group meetings took place in the 2nd quarter with selected groups directives in the municipality of San Antonio.

The monitoring visits planned throughout the project have been affected by the Covid situation due to the rebound of the disease in the region and the restriction measures imposed by the authorities of the different municipalities, who prohibit people from holding meetings with more than 5 people. Monitoring is done via telephone and from time to time by visiting group directors in the field.

2. General Trainings

All three training workshops with group directives were executed in the 2nd quarter one workshop was run during the 3rd quarter.

Eleven workshops out of thirteen were executed by the agricultural technician on the selection and preservation of corn and beans seeds plus techniques for vegetable cultivation as visible above.

During the second quarter, a workshop on natural medicines which covered also the exchange on used natural medicines which are being used in the different communities. This included the exchange on natural medicines to handle Covid.

In 2nd and 3rd project-quarter workshops were held on women's rights and legal mechanisms and procedures for their defense; in light of organized crime, drug addiction and alcoholism. The most affected sector are women's rights, who in most cases do not dare to denounce their perpetrators and remain silent. One of the main causes of this silence, as expressed by the participants themselves, is the lack of knowledge of their rights, which are valid in Guatemala and of the legal mechanisms that must be followed when this type of situation arises; they also spoke of the need to provide this training to their partners, since men often act violently out of ignorance.

The workshop with young women on Reproductive Health and Gender is delayed to Covid.

3. Technical Trainings

Eleven of the thirteen Agroecological practices on Management Techniques of the Medicinal Garden and techniques for the elaboration of medicines were carried out with the different groups. With 2 groups it was not possible due to the increase of Covid. Most of the participants recognize and value the timeliness of these trainings given the relevant role that natural medicine is taking in the region also for the treatment of Covid; as part of this activity, information was exchanged on how to prepare medicines based on medicinal plants that are produced in the region, such as: Ginger tea with garlic, purple onion, juice, oregano and Creole lemon peels, cinnamon; baths and eucalyptus leaf infusions, among others.

12 of thirteen Agroecological practices on Farm Management and poultry care were executed. With one group it was not possible due to the increase of Covid

4. Technical Assistance

As mentioned in the second report local corn and bean seeds were planted by all group members in July. Due to the characteristics of this native creole seeds the harvest was carried out in most places at the end of September and in colder regions in October. The families were quite happy for the good harvest, because unlike in other years, the rainy season 2021 did not show a shortage or excess of rain or pests, so they obtained an average of 4 sacks of corn and 30 pounds of beans.

Many members asked in addition to the planned citrus trees for avocado trees. Since it was understood that a diversity of their fruit trees is valuable we negotiated this with the supplier. This required more time to deliver the trees which happened in November when the dry seasons started. Together with the delivery education was provided how to best grow the trees.

At the beginning of December the poultry were delivered to the groups and the training was provided in 12 practices.

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Dec 1, 2021
Project update report-30Nov2021

By Ruben Lopez Herrera | ADSOSMHU Coordinator

According to the four work components established in the project, the following activities were carried out during the second quarter (August - October 2021):

a.- Organizational Strengthening: The activities were mostly carried out during the first quarter; for the 2nd quarter, 5 group meetings for organizational strengthening that were pending were carried out, these meetings were carried out with organized groups in the municipality of San Antonio.

The monitoring visits planned throughout the project have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic due to the rebound of the disease in the region and the restriction measures imposed by the authorities of the different municipalities, who prohibit people from holding meetings with more than 5 people. Monitoring is done via telephone and from time to time by visiting group managers in the field.

b.- General Training:

-Of three training workshops with group directives planned, during the 2nd quarter two were held, with one workshop pending which is expected to be held during the 3rd quarter.

- During the second quarter, a workshop on Agroecology in the Context of the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Huista region was held with representatives of Board of Directors and Promoters. This workshop was scheduled for the first quarter; the participants were very satisfied and grateful because, in addition to analyzing the effects that the pandemic has had on the economic, political, social and cultural life of their communities, they were able to exchange valuable information on natural medicines that are being used in the different communities to cure the disease.

-In October, a second workshop was held for representatives of boards of directors and promoters on women's rights and legal mechanisms and procedures for their defense; given the increase in organized crime, drug addiction and alcoholism, the most affected sector is that of women, who in most cases do not dare to denounce their perpetrators and remain silent; One of the main causes of this silence, as expressed by the participants themselves, is the lack of knowledge of their rights, of what the laws of the country establish and of the legal mechanisms that must be followed when this type of situation arises; they also spoke of the need to provide this training to their partners, since men often act violently out of ignorance.

a.3.- Technical Training:

Out of thirteen agroecological practices on Management Techniques of the Medicinal Garden and techniques for the elaboration of medicines to be carried out with the different groups, 11 practices were achieved with the participation of only and members of boards of directors and promoters; with 2 groups it was not possible due to the increase of cobid-19; Most of the participants recognize and value the timeliness of these trainings given the relevant role that natural medicine is taking in the region for the treatment of Covid-19; as part of this activity, information was exchanged on how to prepare medicines based on medicinal plants that are produced in the region, such as: Ginger tea with garlic, purple onion, juice, oregano and Creole lemon peels, cinnamon; baths and eucalyptus leaf infusions, among others.

Another 13 agroecological practices on farm management and poultry care are pending for the next quarter.

a.4. Technical support

Corn and bean crops: During the first quarter, the cultivation of 300 cords of corn and 150 cords of beans was implemented; due to the characteristics of the local native and creole seeds used (breves), the harvest was carried out at the end of August and September; it remains to harvest in places with cold weather where the seed (tardona) is sown, which is called de año; The families that were benefited with seeds and inputs for these crops expressed their satisfaction for having achieved a good harvest, because unlike other years, in 2021 there was no shortage or excess of rain or pests, so they obtained an average of 3 and 4 sacks per string of corn and between 25 to 30 pounds of beans.

Delivery of fruit trees: During the second quarter, fruit trees were delivered to the different groups and beneficiaries; as ADSOSMHU we received a request from several groups that we should not deliver only citrus trees and that if possible we should give them avocado trees, since it is very important for them to diversify their fruit trees; we negotiated with the supplier who agreed to deliver a portion of citrus and another portion of fruit trees.

Due to Covid-19 difficulties, it was not possible to expedite deliveries and this activity was completed at the end of October.

Planting vegetables and medicinal plants: Based on the experience of the groups and communities, it is not advisable to plant vegetables during rainy periods, so this activity is planned, as well as planting medicinal plants during the third and fourth quarters of project execution; the seeds are already available for delivery at the most opportune time.

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