Future-proof Farms // FARM-D

In Guatemala, indigenous youth are leading action on climate-resilient agriculture.

San Juan Comalapa is one of the 16 municipalities of the Department of Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Located 48km from Guatemala City, in the central highlands, Chimaltenango sits at an elevation almost 2,000 metres above sea level.

Here, farming reigns supreme.

San Miguel Chimaltenango, Chimaltenango, Guatemala. Photo Giovanni DS/Unsplash

The majority of the population are indigenous Mayan-Kaqchikel peoples who keep alive the region’s ancestral practices, values, and knowledge. The livelihoods of families in these communities are primarily based on agricultural production, and their main income comes from their harvests.

Youth and elder working in their native plant garden. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

In these territories, youth frequently migrate to other countries due to the lack of employment and business opportunities. Young indigenous women are the most affected, having fewer possibilities to get well-remunerated jobs.

Chimaltenango is located on the Inter-American Highway, 48km from Guatemala City. Photo: Michiel Ton/Unsplash

Creating opportunities

To stem this outmigration, and provide viable livelihoods in San Juan Comalapa, the Comalapan Producers Association (Asociación de Productores Comalapenses [ASPROC]) is an organization dedicated to regenerative agriculture in the region.

With the mission to improve production processes, contributing to agricultural, environmental, social and economic development, ASPROC provides capacity-building and training activities for young farmers in the region.

ASPROC is comprised of more than 65 Mayan-Kaqchikel producers, of whom 40% are women. Young farmer in the tomato greenhouse. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

ASPROC was launched in 2011 with a group of young people looking to improve their livelihoods, as well as the living conditions of other community members.

Young farmers in their native plant garden. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

Farm-to-table

The nascent youth group began with the purpose of exchanging good agroecological practices and recovering ancestral knowledge to produce tomatoes under controlled conditions. Over time, they recognized the necessity of establishing a formal association for the production of organic vegetables – such as tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers – in greenhouses to sell in local markets.

Young farmer in the tomato greenhouse. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

One of the main objectives of ASPROC is to lead training activities for young people to strengthen their agricultural capacities for the facilitation of bio-inputs and biofertilizers to support the production of organic vegetables.

Members of ASPROC posing proudly in front of the Biofabric storehouse. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

“We are a group of young people working to achieve sustainable development. We have been trained in agricultural best practices, operation and management of the Biofactory where we prepare bio-inputs for the production of organic vegetables.” – Eddy López, ASPROC member.

All crops are produced in greenhouses owned by the organization using underground artesian water wells supplying a drip irrigation system, resulting in the strategic and efficient use of water. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

During the first year of operation, the Biofactory produced 25,000 liters of bio-inputs, which include 3 bio-fertilizers, 4 bio-controllers (insecticides, bio-nematicides, and bio-fungicides), all using microorganisms from the local mountains, basic salts, and 19 species of native plants. Photos: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

Healthy soils, fertile ground

Bio-inputs improve soil fertility, promote plant tolerance and crop productivity, and do not pose any health risks for the producers during the production or application. In addition, there is a reduction in the use of agrochemicals and pollutants that can harm ecosystems.

Youth working in the native plant garden. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

Looking to the past, investing in the future

The project also established a medicinal plant garden involving more than 19 native species that are used for the production of bio-inputs prepared in the Biofactory.

The planting and maintenance of the medicinal plant garden helps recover ancestral knowledge and restores the value placed on plants for the production of bio-fertilizers and bio-controllers.

Native plant garden. Photo: Dimas Salcaxot/SGP Guatemala/UNDP Guatemala

“We not only participate in the training, but also put all the knowledge into practice in our native garden, Biofactory and greenhouses. This is the only way we can apply the techniques we’ve learned, and replicate them with others interested in our work.” – Melany Eliza Mux Sajbochol, ASPROC member.

“We have trained youth, so that we can avoid losing our ancestral knowledge, while at the same time we generate our own income, recovering our native plants for the production of bio-inputs and reducing the use of agrochemicals and related costs of our organic vegetable production.” – Moisés Telón, ASPROC Trainer.

The bio-inputs are sold in the Biofactory and are applied on different plots, which results in high quality organic products.

This initiative is part of the Global Support Initiative to territories and areas conserved by indigenous peoples and local communities (ICCA-GSI). The ICCA-GSI is funded by the Government of Germany, through its Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV) and delivered by the UNDP GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP).

The project is titled: ‘Production and commercialization of organic vegetables produced by Mayan Kaqchikel youth using bio-inputs such as bio-insecticides, bio-fungicides and biofertilizers’.

Since 1997, SGP has supported more than 370 projects in Guatemala in the areas of biodiversity, land degradation, climate change, chemicals and waste, and international waters.

For more details on SGP’s work in Guatemala, visit SGP’s Guatemala country page.

For information on SGP’s global portfolio, visit the global SGP website.