Seeds to Grow 100 Tons of Needed Food in Honduras

As the year comes to a close, it's time for reflection! To look back and capture a whole year of work is hard, but sometimes we like to hear and share the small stories instead of the big statistics. Here's one photo (and the story behind it) from each of our partnerships in Honduras made possible with your support.

In the first picture is Mrs. Martinez from near Santa Rita, Honduras, delighted with her harvest of radishes to which the whole family contributed. There, SPI vegetable seeds are distributed along with technical support by Mennonite Social Action Committee (CASM). Their team has developed a training program that includes appropriate irrigation technology, use of bio-enzymes, and pest control and nutrition using organic fertilizers.

The second photo shows a father and daughter near the town of Copan, harvesting beans. Our partner (via the Rotary Club of Copan Ruinas) is World Vision Honduras. Compared with cash/export crops and grain crops, vegetable-growing is typically done in small mixed plots close to the house, so is a mode of agriculture especially conducive to working together as a family. We're all about alleviating malnutrition and poverty . . . but we are so often reminded that intangible benefits--such as strengthening family bonds, healing from crises, or personal pride in having new knowledge--are even more important in the long run.

The final photo was provided by FIPAH, our partner about 5 hours farther east, working in the mountains around Jesus de Otoro. FIPAH's program is highly focused on teaching village-level groups to not only produce food, but also to produce seeds for next year's harvests. This couple is checking on their mature cabbage seed crop. 

I wish you a great 2016 and we look forward to sharing even more results from this important work in Honduras.