Guatemala: Potato cultivation, a driver of agricultural development in the eastern part of the country.
In the El Botadero community of the municipality of Jutiapa, a land preparation workshop for potato cultivation was held, with the participation of KOPIA Project professionals and beneficiary women farmers.
Promoting high-quality potato production and strengthening food systems in the eastern part of the country are objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food (MAGA), which, with the support of the PCT KOPIA Technical Cooperation Project, is developing technical and training activities in the departments of Jutiapa, Jalapa, and Chiquimula.
These activities contribute to improving the productive capacities of farmers and strengthening food security in priority communities.
JUTIAPA
In the El Botadero community of the municipality of Jutiapa, a land preparation workshop for potato cultivation was held with the participation of KOPIA Project professionals and beneficiary women farmers. Key topics were discussed, including:
• The nutritional importance of potatoes and their derivatives.• Agronomic care of the crop.• Artisanal management and processing of derived products.
Subsequently, the soil was prepared for planting, benefiting 10 women farmers, as part of the effort to include rural women in productive and cooperative activities.
Meanwhile, a group of farmers from the El Botadero and Los Anonos communities learned mechanized farming practices using rotary tillers, promoting the use of modern technology for tillage and soil conservation. Technicians from the Directorate of Support for Community Food Production (DAPCA), farmers, and KOPIA project staff participated. Among the topics covered were:
• Proper use of tillage machinery.• Pest and disease control.• Soil conservation practices.• Management of agricultural inputs.
Twenty-five farmers participated in the activity, reinforcing the field school model for technical support, training, and direct monitoring of the plots.
JALAPA
In the community of Altupe, in the municipality of Jalapa, a technical monitoring exercise was conducted on 15 comparative project plots to maintain fertile soils and evaluate new certified potato varieties. The activity included training in soil conservation with contour lines and the use of the Type A level, benefiting 25 farmers. In total, an estimated 500 farmers in Jalapa, Jutiapa, and Santa Rosa are participating in this technical validation process.
CHIQUIMULA
In the community of Santa Rosa, municipality of San José La Arada, a theoretical and practical workshop was held on the traditional handling of potatoes and their connection to food security. In addition to promoting the cultivation of high-quality potatoes, alternatives for transforming the tuber into products such as potato atole and clarifying soap were explored, with the aim of generating local entrepreneurship.
The activity benefited 16 female farmers, strengthening the role of rural women and diversifying family income sources.
These actions are part of the MAGA and KOPIA Technical Cooperation Project, which aims to improve sustainable potato production, generate added value through agroprocessing, and strengthen the technical capacities of farmers and technicians in the eastern part of the country, with a focus on family farming, sustainability, and the empowerment of rural women, because dignified people come first (VA/ea).
Fuente:
