![Community garden families receiving food]()
Community garden families receiving food
We have an exciting new project in one of the villages being served by our training center in Sebaco. Food security is a HUGE issues in rural Nicaragua -- more than 70% of rural families in Nicaragua are subsistence farmers and with the recent drought those families are enduring severe malnutrition and hunger. In our effort to work with community leaders to pursue work on initiatives that THEY identify as priorities for change, we began a community gardening project in Albellanas. Albellanas is a rural village about 1.5 hours outside Sebaco - it is a very difficult drive (possible by 4 wheel drive only and even then it's "iffy!") The small community of impoverished families subsist on corn crops.
The rainy season typically starts in early May but this spring and summer the rains never showed. As of September the region had received less than 25% of the typical rainfall which meant that families' first crops failed. Rural families typically harvest corn which they grind into flour for tortillas to eat, and then they trade surplus corn for rice, beans, oil and vegetables at the Sebaco market. Without a crop to harvest or trade families were really suffering.
Over the summer our lead agronomist, Junior, and his technician, Jose, began talking with Albellanas families about participating in community garden project. The goal of the project is for families to work together to harvest a larger crop than they could individually, keep a portion of the crops and then split the remaining to sell or barter. Collaborating on projects is NOT a common concept in Nicaragua - or most third world countries for that matter. Understandably families are concerned that everyone share the effort and reward. After LOTS of conversations (!) we arrived at agreement by 5 families to participate in the project.
In early September we leased property from a local family and Junior, Jose and the participating families repaired a small water tank to provide irrigation lines. Hand-watering the entire property would be immensely time-consuming. The 5 families all worked together to build/repair a security fence, plow the land and begin planting the first seedlings in mid-September.
Recognizing that families are making a sacrifice by not pursuing other employment in order to give their effort to the community garden project, we are providing each family with a sack of 100 pounds of grains (rice, dried corn, beans, etc.) each month while the crops grow.
Finally in late September the rains came! Life is slowly springing back in the village and our seedlings are growing! The plants are actually growing faster than we expected because of the rain and perhaps even more importantly, the group is also learning to work together and organize themselves. It has been hard work for Junior, our field director Josh Jaentschke, and the families to all communicate even though they're all Nicaraguan and speak the same language! Cultures are very different across regions and villages but everyone has persisted through the learning experience and the team is developing well.
Because of the rain the agriculture group was able to plant the entire lot that we are leasing instead of a smaller portion as originally planned. We made the first delivery of food to the families two weeks ago to reward them for their work and incentivize them to keep up the hard work on the project! We're excited to keep sharing news of the progress we're seeing and the difference it will make in the lives of villagers living in Albellas and working with our Sebaco staff. Thank you for your ongoing support!!
![Enjoying a much-needed meal of rice and beans]()
Enjoying a much-needed meal of rice and beans
![Junior and Jose training men in gardening]()
Junior and Jose training men in gardening
![Growth is beautiful.]()
Growth is beautiful.
![Walking the land and casting vision for the future]()
Walking the land and casting vision for the future
![The fence is up!]()
The fence is up!
![Share on Twitter]()
![Share on Facebook]()
