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Promote Sustainable Agriculture in Chiapas, Mexico

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Summary

Help train subsistence farmers on eco-friendly farming methods. This improves the income and health of families, protects the rainforest and conserves resources for future generations. progress reportread updates from the field

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More Information About this Project

Project Needs and Beneficiaries

Over one million Mayan indigenous people live as subsistence farmers in the resource-rich state of Chiapas, where poverty rates are the highest in Mexico. Despite a strong indigenous rights movement, marginalization, malnutrition and illiteracy are still the norm. With the support of DESMI, Mayan communities are organizing their own sustainable development projects.

Activities

DESMI will provide loans and training for organic coffee, corn, vegetable, livestock, and wood-saving stove projects. Training topics include ecological issues, gender equity, health and nutrition, and financial management.

Funding Information

Total Funding Received to Date: $4,543
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $19,595
Total Funding Goal: $24,138

Additional Documentation

This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).

Resources

Why this Project is Important

Potential Long Term Impact

• Improved health, nutrition, and self-sufficiency of families & communities • Expanded habitat for birds & other wildlife though organic coffee practices • Rainforest protection through sustainable cattle collectives and wood preservation from sto

Project Message

Thanks to DESMI, we are working collectively and progressing to improve the health conditions of the families that live in our community. You can see the unity of humanity when they work together.
- Adolfo, San Antonio LaReforma Development Committee Member

Who is Running This Project

Contact

Yael Falicov,
Director of Programs
827 Valencia Street, Suite 101
San Francisco, CA 94110
United States
415-824-8384
Email:

Project Sponsor

International Development Exchange (IDEX)

Organization

Econ & Social Development of Indigenous Mexicans
APDO. Postal 65
C.P. 29200
San Cristobal d.l. Casas, Chiapas 
Mexico
52-967-67-81248
http://www.laneta.apc.org/desmiac

Learn more about Econ & Social Development of Indigenous Mexicans and the project team.



Where this Project is Located

Country

This project is located in Mexico and can also be found under Climate Change (GG Green).

For more information about Mexico, read the Human Development Report on Mexico or the Wikipedia entry for Mexico.

When this Project was Updated

Last Updated

This project was last updated on September 04, 2008.

Date Added to GlobalGiving

This project was added to the GlobalGiving project catalog on September 20, 2004.

Latest Update from the Field

DESMI Constructs Ecological Training Center

By Katherine Zavala - Coordinator of Programs, September 04, 2008 06:43 PM

DESMI worked with community collectives to build a training center in Agua de Leon, a community in the municipality of San Cristobal de las Casas. While groups from 14 communities are initially using the center, eventually it will benefit 48 communities in the southern zone of Chiapas.

The center is designed to be a model for promoting ecological sustainability. It includes a greenhouse for germinating organic vegetable seedlings and saplings for reforestation. There is also an organic garden for hands-on training, composting toilets and rainwater harvesting tanks. To accommodate villagers from across the region there is a dormitory and a kitchen (including a wood-saving stove) for hosting multiple day workshops on-site.

Read 5 more "Updates from the Field" | Comment on this update

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