Promoting Food Security in Bolivia's highlands

Summary

Through technical training, leadership development and community organizing, this program helps 1,800 peasant families in 68 villages become food self sufficient and conserve natural resources.

What is the issue, problem, or challenge?

Irregular rainfall, erosion of steeply sloping land, and poor animal health reduces ability of indigenous Quecha speaking people living in remote mountainous area of Potosi, the poorest region of Bolivia, to feed themselves. Other problems include deforestation, overgrazing, lack of roads, water supply, markets, schools and other basic infrastructure. Seventy percent of the people are illiterate.

How will this project solve this problem?

Training in leadership, planning, and agricultural management.

Potential Long Term Impact

Improve food security and nutrition, peasant families will apply undertake soil and water conservation, agroforestry, organic manure, animal health, vegetable growing and testing new seed varieties.

Project Message

These farmers have made tremendous achievements, living in some of the most extreme conditions of poverty in Latin America. Food security has increased. A broad base of leadership has been created.
- Steve Sherwood, Andean Area Advisor for World Neighbors

Additional Documentation

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

Resources