Educating 38 women in organic farming methods increases Household Incomes, Agricultural Productivity, Economic Growth, Gender Equity. Increased harvests will provide money for food, medicine and school tuition. Small plot women farmers across Guatemala are struggling in the face of rising costs and threats to their crops The effects of climate change threaten future harvests. Many farmers have seen their expenses double, as they pay more for fertilizer, pest and disease control.
The Ixil region of Guatemala produces some of the best Arabica coffee in the world. While rising global demand for coffee presents an opportunity for farmers to earn more from their crops, women coffee farmers will only be able to seize it if they have access to the necessary information and technical skills. There is no local community resource to teach these skills to women coffee farmers. Climate change has trapped them in poverty with no resources for learning the new skills required.
A vocational skills training program will provide opportunity for 38 women coffee farmers to learn the knowledge and technical skills required by climate change in workshops in their own Ixil language as recommended by, Anacafe, the national coffee association, in plant nutrition, safe use of organic fungicides, pruning, eco-friendly management of coffee waste, water recycling, forest, wildlife and soil conservation. Certified Roya fungus resistant seeds and supplies will be provided,
Women coffee farmers focus on nutrition and educational needs of children. Successful harvest gives women a stronger decision-making voice in the home and community. Investing in women is a key way to promote food security for individuals, families and entire communities.Ak Tenamit Students return to Chajul to establish community development. The women's coffee project will bring their knowledge to help meet the challenge of climate change in rejuvenating coffee production in the Ixil region
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
