Farmer Association Examples
White Horse Association of Integrated Development
Numbers of Growers in Associations: 65
Average farm size: six acres
Location: Caballo Blanco, Retalhuleu, Guatemala.
The White Horse Association of Integrated Development has 65 farming families in its membership body. These farmers are located on the coastal plains of Retalhuleu and their main crop is corn. The association has been active for many years and has evolved to the point that the leaders are now organizing to obtain credit for purchasing an abandoned coffee farm. Most of the farmers in White Horse Association own enough land to rent tractors for mechanized production. They currently rely on chemical inputs (chemical fertilizers and pesticides) combined with crop residue burning and mechanized tilling. The consequences of these practices are poor and compacted soil structure with diminished organic content and signs of nutrient leeching. These properties all contribute to an increased vulnerability to drought and erosion. Dry periods are frequent in the Caballo Blanco (White Horse) region, and even one week without rain can cause corn production to drop by 10 percent or more on such croplands.
Due to 2009’s devastating droughts and attendant famine, White Horse Association’s farmers have begun seeking ways of improving crop resilience to severe weather conditions and for rejuvenating the land’s vitality. Their search led them to the government agriculture department, called the MAGA, which referred their organization to us.
Action Research with White Horse Integrated Development Association
White Horse Association’s established leadership structure and strong organization make it an excellent partner for Semilla Nueva.
The research will include the following sustainable agriculture components:
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Conservation Tillage Farmers can use this practice to protect against drought, increase production, reduce agrochemical use, and decrease use of fossil fuels. Conservation tillage is a way of growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage. Read More... |
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Macuna Pruriens (Velvet bean) as intercrop and green manure This quick-growing nitrogen fixing bean is perfect for intercropping and green manures. Read More... |
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Organic soil amendments These amendments stimulate beneficial microbial life in the soil and organically return nutrients to the land. Read More... |
Guatemala’s drought of September 2009 left half a million families without food, proving that a feasible model for drought-resistant agriculture is necessary for food security. Working with White Horse Association provides the opportunity to develop such a growing model that is applicable for Guatemala’s corn farmers along the drought-prone coastal plain.
Beyond improving the land and livelihoods of these 65 families, the association wants to work together to establish a Saturday field-school for other farming families in the region. With tuition costs of less than a dollar per Saturday, farmers throughout the area will have access to learning the advanced methods we are collaboratively implementing. Compared to the universities which cost over $100 per month, White Horse Association’s agriculture class will be affordable while generating a small income for the association. This work will also generate a forum for farmers to trade and sell seeds, organic agriculture inputs, and organic farming tools. As we collaborate to develop increasingly advanced systems with White Horse Association, these sustainable approaches and technologies will be shared throughout the surrounding region.
Development Foundation Association
Numbers of Growers in Associations: 800+
Average farm size: two acres
Location: Asintal, Retalhuleu, Guatemala.
Development Foundation Association represents over 800 small farmers in Asintal, a town in the coastal regions of Guatemala. These farmers have united in order to address their vulnerability to unpredictable agrochemical prices, soil degradation and declining yields. These farmers’ environmental and social conditions make access to low-cost and sustainable growing solutions vital. Currently, they rely extensively on toxic pesticides, fertilizers containing heavy metals, and burn their crop residues before planting.
Together, these practices destroy their soil structure and kill the soil’s beneficial organisms. These impacts are magnified by their sloping croplands which leave their soil susceptible to erosion. As a result, the land has become less productive despite increased applications of fertilizers, trapping farmers in a cycle of poverty due to low-yields and chemical fertilizer reliance. In the end, a farmer’s success often hinges upon government or charitable intervention to provide aid for seed and agrochemicals.
Action Research with Development Foundation
The farmers of Development Foundation are one of the most inspired and motivated associations we have encountered. Upon visiting with community leaders and members, we were met with overwhelming enthusiasm and many farmers offered their land for our collaborative studies. Through our dialogues with Development Foundation leaders, we have jointly selected two farmers with whom to implement our systems, and a study group of 15 farmers who will participate in the trials. The research will include the following sustainable agriculture components:
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Living Barriers and Contour Ditches Living barriers are rows of fast growing, deep rooted plants that catch and hold soil so it is not washed away by rains. Contour ditches are hand-dug furrows that follow the curvature of a hillside. Read More... |
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Macuna Pruriens (Velvet bean) as intercrop and green manure This quick-growing nitrogen fixing bean is perfect for intercropping and green manures. Read More... |
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Organic soil amendments These amendments stimulate beneficial microbial life in the soil and organically return nutrients to the land. Read More... |
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Quality Protein Maize (QPM) seeds With 90 percent the protein of milk, these hybrid (non-GMO) corn seeds can solve a devastating nutrition problem. Read More... |
This collaborative research will help us develop sustainable and profitable growing systems that serve some of Guatemala’s poorest agricultural communities.
Beyond of our technologies listed above, our work with the farmers of Asintal will open the door to more advanced research. By next year, our hope is to build on our current work through research on integrated pest management systems, crop rotations, and more nutritious crop varieties—allowing us to help farmers use even less carcinogenic chemicals and increase their families’ nutrition and income.
