| La Piedra de Horeb “The Rock of Horeb” Santa Barbara, Honduras Size: 141 acres |
 Download a Summer 2011 Village Update |
 Download a Fiscal Year 2012 Village Plan |
 Download a Fiscal Year 2011 Expenditure Summary |
In April 2002, a group of twelve landless farmers working as field workers for landowners in the northern part of the Gualala Santa Barbara region, came together to organize themselves in order to purchase land. As a result, one landowner took heart in their cause and decided to lend a piece of land to the group, hoping that the National Agrarian Institute (NAI), an institution devoted to agrarian reform in Honduras, would help them purchase the land. While actual purchase through the NAI never worked out, they nevertheless spent four years cultivating beans and corn until they made contact with Agros Honduras staff. Agros Honduras staff then spent 1.5 years sharing information on the Agros Development Model and providing training and accompaniment while the families waited for land and support.
The families have organized themselves and formed a leadership team as well as Production, Security, Commercialization and Health committees. The group has been effectively producing their own food to provide nutritional security for their families, including 46 acres of corn and almost one acre of beans. Farmers have received training in organic agriculture and improved techniques for growing basic grains and their 0.8 acre plot of plantains. Women have received training in using nutritious plants to improve their families’ health and two members of the community have been selected to receive training to serve as community health promoters. With the 141 acres of land to which they now have access, the families will be able to put into action the tools and skills that they are learning.
Projects planned for the 2011 – 2012 fiscal year include:
- Health Workshops to promote healthy hygiene, safe water consumption and nutritionally balanced diets
- Planting trees for reforestation and to prevent erosion
- Adult literacy classes to reduce illiteracy rates
- Building five new houses to provide adequate shelter for families
- The formation of a Women’s Committee to facilitate workshops on domestic violence, self-esteem and gender equality
- Installation of an irrigation system, water tank, and pump to irrigate crops and pasture areas for cattle
