Agros Blog

One of the greatest pleasures of my job is to take site visits to the countries where Agros works and see our field staff in action in the different villages we serve. Starting last Saturday I began my most recent site visit to El Salvador (and am continuing on in Honduras now) for four days. During my time there I was able to spend time with the Agros El Salvador staff, including our new Director Rafael Huezo.

Rafael has built a strong team to work with the four Agros villages in El Salvador. All of the villages are benefiting greatly from the work that is being done and the guidance they are receiving. Fernando and Miguel spend their days out in the fields with the farmers, showing new techniques and teaching about new crops, while Tania works with the women and the youth to set up their own productive activities and learn what it means to be organized and work together. Patty, and now Alvaro (the newest member of the El Salvador team) work with the families on their business plans and payment plans, to help ensure that they use their investments wisely and are able to make enough profits to support their families, improve their livelihoods, and pay their loans to become landowners. This team (as well as the ever diligent office staff of Tricia and Jimena) is extremely dedicated to the Agros villages and the families they serve… and the results are showing.

El Salvador Village Updates:

El Milagro - The first Agros village in El Salvador, this community is now well on their way in producing a variety of crops on their land. They are also beginning to work more in groups, and currently there are thirteen farmers working on a large pineapple project as well as beginning another round of tomato and green peppers in groups. They have a new community board of directors who are taking their new roles very seriously.

San Diego - To take advantage of the last months of the rainy season, the families in San Diego are preparing to plant a large area of vegetables, including green peppers, tomatoes, onions, cabbage and radishes. They plan to harvest them in December when there are good prices as people prepare to celebrate the Christmas season. La Esperanza - After a successful tomato crop, nine farmers from this community recently planted a large cucumber crop. They are working on plans to begin cultivating on 15 acres with a variety of crops and animals, and are working to finish the assessment process with the Agros staff to make the best decisions about this project.Nuevo Renacer - As the newest Agros village in El Salvador, each family in Nuevo Renacer recently planted 50 cashew trees as part of their long-term economic development plan. In three years these trees will start producing cashew fruit which can be processed and sold for both the fruit and the nut inside. During my visit they proudly showed off their tomato and green peppers plant seedlings that are nearly ready to be transplanted in the 1.5 acre plot they have prepared.

As with any community in any country, these four communities have challenges to face and barriers to overcome. Yet I know that the Agros El Salvador team will be right there to help them through it, and guide them towards the goal of sustainability and land ownership.