Guatemala
In June 2018, when Guatemala suffered one of the most devastating disasters in Latin America with the eruption of the Fuego Volcano, WCK activated our Chef Relief Team to lead a comprehensive emergency food response.After serving 500,000 meals to affected communities we conducted an agricultural assessment that shed light on the current state of smallholder agriculture in Guatemala and helped identify and target the communities most affected by the eruption of the Fuego Volcano – and those that would most benefit from participation in the Food Producer Network.The Assessment ultimately identified three departments for the program: Sacatepéquez, Chimaltenango, and Escuintla. The eruption of the volcano exacerbated many problems faced by smallholder farmers in these three departments, the most common of which are limited access to capital, lack of training, lack of infrastructure, and no access to new markets.
FPN in Guatemala by the numbers
Invested
Grants Distributed
ASPROC
ASPROC
ASPROC is an association of over 90 Kaqchikel Mayan farmers who specialize in greenhouse production of organic tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables using organic inputs prepared on site. With WCK’s support ASPROC built a 2,300-square-meter greenhouse to produce salad tomatoes, harvesting approximately 90 tons of tomatoes every 90 days. Since joining FPN, ASPROC has become an invaluable partner to other producers seeking to improve their greenhouse production and implement sustainable farming practices.
El Comalote
El Comalote
El Comalote is a food business in Antigua that produces corn tortillas, nachos, tostadas, tacos, dough, tamales, and more from surplus native corn. By working with native corn they are both providing nutritious products for the city as well as improving food security through a sustainable agricultural system that benefits rural economic development and preserves native crops. With WCK funds, El Comalote purchased industrial processing machinery and improved their post-harvest handling with new corn silos and moisture detectors, resulting in a 600% increase in production.
Lacteos Pachioj
Lacteos Pachioj
Created by Isabel, Lacteos Pachioj is a family run goat farm that implements cutting-edge, nature friendly grazing techniques to promote holistic and sustainable production of delicious goat milk, cheeses, and yogurts. With its grant, Lacteos Pachioj will improve the entire production process. Isabel will install fencing to rotate her flock between paddocks. New water collection and irrigation systems will help maintain the paddocks during the dry season and a new pasteurizer and refrigerators will increase production. Isabel will also install a kitchen to showcase the farm’s products.
