Improving food security for small-scale farmers in rural areas of western Honduras

The long-term goal of the project is to improve food security of marginalized farmers and their families in six communities, municipality of Nueva Arcadia, Province Copan, Honduras.

The Project aims at reducing the effects of climate change on agricultural production through building of technical and production capacity of the farmers and implementation of sustainable production techniques.

The partner organization will work with 120 families in the rural areas ensuring that at least 600 people will benefit from the project, since most families have at least 3 children.

Climate change and related extreme weather events such as severe droughts and floods are threatening food security for the poorest families. Although producers have tried to take preventive measures, production losses have been considerable, including for staple crops for food production, reducing the opportunities for producers to farm on the steep hills in the area. Sustainable agriculture practices, to adapt to or mitigate the effects of climate change are the most viable alternative for small producers in western Honduras.

For many years, farmers have used conventional farming techniques with negative effect on the ecosystem, leading to soil degradation. This has resulted in a decrease of food security for rural families, which is further increased by the impact of climate change. Limited access to water resources, poor agricultural practices (such as excessive use of agrochemicals, crop burning and contamination of water sources, etc.), and the lack of appropriate waste management practices have resulted in reduced agricultural productivity with negative effects on food security of the rural population.

Expected project outcomes:

1. Climate Change Mitigation: Increased agricultural production capacity of 120 families of small-scale farmers with focus on adapting to effects of climate change.
2. Expansion of Market Access: Improved access for farmers to alternative local markets to sell the surplus they were able to produce due to improved agricultural practices.