Practices for Community Development

Guatemala is a country with vast natural wealth, which often is not properly utilized. Irresponsible practices endanger crops, and sensitivity toward organic products, due to technological development in our society, is increasingly diminishing.

Creating social awareness is a difficult task, but not impossible. The Renace Hydroelectric Complex is one of the Guatemalan companies that believes in environmental practices for the development of our country. That is why it has designed environmentally significant projects that focus on training residents of rural communities so they can develop various practices that help improve their health, nutrition, and economic conditions, while also contributing to environmental conservation.

Agricultural Excellence is one of the programs that works with 18 communities in the area of influence of the hydroelectric project, where specialized technicians train groups of neighbors from San Pedro Carchá, Alta Verapaz, in the best agricultural practices. Through community plots, they teach soil conservation techniques, agroforestry systems, and irrigation systems, so families can replicate them by creating their own home gardens and sharing the knowledge with other residents. These actions are helping develop family and community agriculture, with more than 100 projects, including nurseries, plots, and gardens supported by Renace.

Home gardens, mostly worked by women, promote dietary diversification through foods such as tomatoes, chard, beets, onions, bell peppers, corn, and beans. Additionally, within a community plot, people can work with crops linked to the economic chain, such as coffee, cacao, and cardamom.

According to Alfredo Maul, architect and environmentalist, it is possible to have a home garden in a very small space. An open area is not even necessary; with a good source of light and proper care, crops can grow in any space, reducing basic food costs. This represents considerable savings, and in addition to growing healthy and organic food, families can also grow medicinal plants.

The main goal is to strengthen the nutrition of rural community residents through self-consumption. As a secondary benefit, families can exchange or sell surplus crops.