By US | President
Now that Seeds' participating families have their family gardens well established as a daily source of high-nutrition vegetables and greens, we are adding protein by introducing home-raised rabbits. This is a very important step, because in Guatemala, malnutrition is primarily caused by lack of vital minerals, micronutrients and protein, and rabbits are prolific producers of nutritious, delicious and easy-to-prepare meat.
To support the introduction of rabbits, the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer Program funded a teaching visit to Chocolá and the Seeds Team in late May by US rabbit expert, Robert Spencer, an Urban Regional Extension Specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
"During my time in Chocolá and surrounding areas, I was part of 7 workshops, 5 meetings, 2 interactive sessions and 17 local farm tours which meant physically walking from household to household and visiting each small operation,” Spencer reports. “While all my international experiences have been fun and a learning experience, this ranks up towards the top."
"It appears,” said Spencer, that “the staff of INCAP and Seeds for the Future have done an outstanding job of educating and motivating participating farmers to do the best possible with available resources. Overall progress with the producers is outstanding. Seeds for the Future technicians are doing an outstanding job of educating producers and conducting frequent follow-up visits and support."
Spencer noted that what impressed him most was "that all of the farmers kept the area under the cages cleaned of animal waste and there was no odor…and they all understood the importance of using the waste as fertilizer and organic matter in their square foot gardens." The Seeds' team has done a great job getting the families started and will be helping them implement Mr. Spencer's recommendations.
Can you help these families add protein and other micronutrients to their meals, to help them fight against malnutrition?
Your support will help the families build the additional hutches needed to keep their rabbits healthy and productive, and will help Seeds sponsor field days when groups of families come together to learn tasty recipes for preparing yummy rabbit meat!
Your continuing support is vital -- your generous gifts make it possible for us to continue to help rural families fight against malnutrition!
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