FARMER TO FARMER: HONDURAS

Background: Since 1991, Partners of the Americas’ Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program has been transforming lives in over 30 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia. F2F connects specialized volunteers from the United States with farmers, cooperatives, agribusinesses, extension services, government agencies and other institutions. F2F is funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Ethos of Engagement has partnered on a volunteer basis with F2F on projects taking place in Honduras, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

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Date: 2013 

Partner: Partners of the Americas

Local Partner: Sustainable Harvest International

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The mission of Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) is to provide farming families in Central America with the training and tools to preserve their tropical forests while overcoming poverty. EoE’s volunteer assignment with Foundation of Sustainable Harvest Honduras / Fundación Cosecha Sostenible Honduras (FUCOHSO) was to provide small business capacity-building workshops in two separate regions and six rural communities to members who have been selected to be part of a project conducted in five phases: 

• family selection, orientation and planning; introduction to nutrition, organic farming and crop diversification

• improving crop diversification and introduction to business

• identifying markets and strengthening entrepreneurial skills

• family graduation and self-sufficiency. 

Each phase was executed with the intention also to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of practices such as field burning and chemical pest control. EoE’s services came into play in phase three with the formation of associations and the commercialization of their products.

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