Seeds to Grow 100 Tons of Needed Food in Honduras

• Doña Isidora from Ojo de Agua is reproducing onion seed with what she learned at the field school.
• Doña Magdalena from Guayabal has started to test methods of reproducing lettuce seed.
• Doña Ignacia from El Injerto is reproducing turnip seed.  

Nothing could make us happier! Here at SPI, we provide seeds so that those facing malnutrition can grow some of the food they need. But when people like these three Honduran women learn to select, grow, save, and store seeds for their neighbors, in addition to growing food, we are thrilled to know that the day is coming soon when we will be out of a job, in that region . . . and this is the best possible outcome of our work. 

We've received a report from our partner FIPAH in Honduras, regarding the first half of 2015, and the news of seed-saving efforts is only part of the story.

We often talk about our programs as diversifying diets that are too heavily dependent on starchy foods that fill bellies but give incomplete nutrition to grow, thrive, be productive, and be healthy. But in this case, vegetables were often the ONLY food. Honduras saw an especially strong El Nino weather pattern this year, which brought severe drought. As a result, 50-100% of the staple maize and bean crops failed. 

Ever-shifting weather patterns make small farmer families rightfully anxious as they look into the future. Our partner writes, "Small vegetable plots provide one option for food security for farm families given the uncertainty of future grain harvests." 

With your help, knowledge, tools, leadership, and seeds are being delivered daily in the Honduran highlands - a complete package that supports life and livelihood. In total this year, farmer groups in 59 communities received seeds, and planted 349 vegetable gardens. Vegetables included tomato, sweet pepper, carrots, cabbage, beans, radish, lettuce, jalapeno, beets, pumpkin, eggplant, okra, green beans, turnip, chines cabbage, watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, onion, spinach, and beets. Thank you!

The connections and learning achieved with your support and generosity are opening new doors. In the past few months, Seed Programs International has forged several new partnerships in Honduras. 

Two of the partnerships were achieved through the powerful international network of Rotarians. Here in Asheville, North Carolina, Asheville Rotarians travel yearly to be hosted by the Copan Ruinas club in Honduras. The team includes dental and opthamology professionals who provide dental and eye care for hundreds of children and adults who have never received such services.

Last year, local Rotarians asked Rotary counterparts in Copan whether vegetable seeds would make a difference in these rural mountain communities. The answer was a resounding YES, and partnerships were formed with two local NGOs who had the capacity to distribute the seeds and support their use. 

Seeds were received in Spring and have been distributed and planted. Farmer support is provided by Mennonite Social Action Committee (provider of the photos attached to this update) and World Vision Honduras.

Impact: enough seed and support to grow more than 600 vegetable gardens. Thank you!