Ya'axche Conservation Trust focuses part of its work on helping local, small-scale farmers in southern Belize transition to more sustainable farming practices. Not only does this help farmers improve their income and food security, it also helps the environment by reducing deforestation and sustaining the health of soils and watersheds. Through this funding we will be able to provide direct support to the local farmers that we work with, such as a technical visit, seedlings, or farm tools.
The Maya Golden Landscape is an area of biologically rich protected areas and culturally significant communities. This area provides ecosystem services to the majority of the nation's indigenous population, Q'eqchi' and Mopan Maya. These communities rely heavily on farming for subsistence and income, but unfortunately, the traditional practices and these community's livelihoods are threatened by climate change, rapid population growth, and decreasing land availability.
Ya'axche Conservation Trust works closely with the farmers in these communities to teach them about more sustainable agriculture practices, such as cacao and coffee based agroforestry, inga-alley cropping, and beekeeping. Not only are these practices more resilient against climate change, they also help provide for the farmer's families and increase their income. After farmers are trained, Ya'axche continues to provide technical and material support to ensure the farmers are successful!
Even though this project is just the beginning, it will provide 5 farmers with the knowledge, technical, and material support to begin new, sustainable agriculture practices. With technical support from Ya'axche's extension team when needed, the farmers will increase their income and create a more resilient future for themselves, their families and future generations against climate change while protecting the natural resources they continue to rely on.
