PRR - Programa de Reconstrucción Rural

 

Name in English - Rural Reconstruction Program

 

Location

Central Honduras (In the provinces of Santa Barbara and Comayagua)

 

Program Participants

Subsistence farming families living in central Honduran highlands.

 

Program Overview

• Agriculture & Economic Development: PRR provides training, agricultural inputs & technical support to groups of subsistence farmers (famer groups) for diversification, sustainable agriculture, and seed development. Education about GMOs, seed banks & knowledge exchanges between farmers. Support to enterprise development (e.g. animal raising).

 

• Micro-credit: for grain storage silos; construction of wood saving stoves, and purchase of collective land by farmer groups.

 

• Community Organizing: operational and technical support to community groups and farmer groups; support to the formation of new groups.

 

• Education: Literacy and primary school certification for adult farmers.

 

On Honduras

Honduras has a population of 8.3 million. Almost 2/3 of the population live below the poverty line, and 1/3 live in absolute poverty – most in rural areas. Honduras is the 3rd poorest country in the Hemisphere. 72% of Hondurans can’t afford the basic food basket. The main sources of income for the country are remittances from Hondurans living overseas, agriculture and outsource manufacturing (3rd largest sector in the world). All have been hurt by the recent economic downturn. Out-migration rates are high due to widespread unemployment (almost 1/3). Despite the rapid depletion of resources, Honduras has vast resources and biodiversity for a small country

 

PRR Program Participants

PRR works in the Lake Yojoa region of Honduras - the largest lake in the country, an ecologically sensitive and valuable resource. PRR works primarily with small high-land communities. Most of the participants are involved in subsistence agriculture (corn and beans), using traditional methods. Low productivity and the increasing cost of agricultural inputs have made this livelihood less profitable. Many families also farm coffee. A typical family’s income is $3-4 per day. The World Bank has named Central America as one of the regions of the world most affected by climate change. Erratic weather patterns are already making food production more difficult.