Strategies for International Development

In Guatemala, in 2023 we continued our regional program in Alta Verapaz. Farmers in the general population are increasing their knowledge and adopting practices to help them graduate from poverty. The results for early-adopter communities are divided into three groups: (I) 40 original communities in the municipalities of San Cristóbal and Carchá; (II) 21 original communities in the municipality of Cobán; and (II) 60 new communities in all three municipalities. The 715 coffee farming families in Group I increased their income from the baseline of $106 to $828 a year from coffee. The 477 families in Group II increased their income to $542, and the 2,165 families in Group III to $452. Nearly all of the women have second businesses. They raise and sell chickens, pigs, ducks, and turkeys for meat; produce eggs; grow vegetables, fruit, and coffee tree seedlings; roast and ground coffee; and produce traditional embroidered blouses. The average earnings per business of the 824 women from the original 61 communities went from $183 to $586. The average earnings per business of the 1,145 women from the 60 new communities went from $127 to $502.

In Uganda, in 2023, we continued our regional program in the Luweero District. Farmers in the general population are increasing their knowledge and adopting practices to help them graduate from poverty. The farmers in the early-adopter villages increased their productivity from 113 to 124 kilos per 1/4 acre of coffee, sold more coffee in dried cherries, and had significant price increases. As a result, they increased their income from $227 to $487. Also, the number of participating families increased from 961 to 1,705. We added the women's program in the project's second year. 1,145 women started or expanded 28 different types of second businesses. All the women made business plans for their second businesses and evaluated their results. The average annual income for all the businesses was $88.

In Peru, in 2023 we continued to provide technical assistance to the dairy-producing families that receive loans from our micro-credit program. We helped farmers make business plans as well as improve their land-use plans. We provided technical assistance in the practices that improve the health and nutrition of their dairy cows.

We began our project in Malawi in September 2023 when farmers met in workshops throughout the region and defined 22 practices they needed to adopt in order to graduate from poverty with fresh milk. They defined 12 practices for increasing productivity through better feeding, 2 through better breeding, and 5 through better animal health, 3 for improving the quality and price of the milk, 3 for conserving soils and water, and 4 for making better business decisions.