Beneficiary Testimonials

José Vásquez Hernández	Jose Vasquez and his family in front of their field where they grow diversified crops.
58 Years old
Farmer
Family: Three children, aged 5, 16, and 18. Wife, 51 years old.

Why did you decide to participate in the project?

I've been participating in Coordinadora projects for a long time, including housing and growing organic sesame.

Have their been any changes in your life as a result of your participation in the project? How has it affected your family?

Now with the credit I received, my farming activities have more stability, though the majority of the fruits remain dedicated to feeding my family. The profits that we have earned have served to purchase basic foodstuffs. In the short-term, the volume of ourproduction will grow thanks to the irrigation system we installed with credit.

Before participating in the credit program, my family's hopes were limited to growing traditional crops like sesame, corn, and white beans. Today, we have a brighter outlook as new possibilities have opened and we hope to plant medium and long-term crops, and increase our income.

Gregorio Ventura tending his radish patches. Note the tidiness and healthyness of his crops.

Gregorio Ventura's 1-acre plot of bell peppers.

How have your plans for the future been affected by your participation in the project?

Before installing the irrigation system, our growing potential was limited to the rainy season: harvesting corn at the beginning of the season, and beans and sesame at the end. Now we can make bigger plans. After paying for the irrigation system, we plan to apply for more credit so that we can diversify our crops, using short, medium, and long-term crops. By making these changes little by little, we can slowly build our income without getting too much debt.

What is the importance of the project to your community?

The community recognizes the quality, low price, and freshnesses of our produce. Although we haven't done so yet, we could work to help other farmers in our community to use the same techniques that we are using.

Has your participation in the project changed your role in the community? How?

I was vice-president of the community's cooperative before the project, and I continue in that role today with equal or more efficiency.

Please add any additional information you would like to tell us about yourself and the project.

My family is making more plans for the future. We're considering increasing our investment in irrigation, and building a little house next to our field that will allow me to sleep there and keep a close eye on it. Our economic situation will improve only by using diversified agriculture.

Jesús Reyes Fuentes	Jesus Reyes Fuentes and his younger children, at their home. His wife and other children do not appear here.
46 years old
Farmer
Family: Six children aged between 6 and 21 years, with education levels between 1st and 10th grade.

Why did you decide to participate in the project?

Through my participation as a Production Leader (through the Agriculture Training School), I became involved in the credit project.

Have their been any changes in your life as a result of your participation in the project? How has it affected your family?

My family's income has improved in both the cultivation of short-term crops (like peppers and cucumber) and long-term crops (which are becoming more economically sustainable). The credit I received through this project is helping us to move from barely covering our needs to having a larger and growing income. My fields provide work for all of us.

Jesus's field, where he grows cashews, bananas, papaya, maracuya, oranges, limes, and other fruits. He also grows crops like chiplin (an herb used in soups) and white beans.

How have your plans for the future been affected by your participation in the project? Our plans for the future have grown due to his participation in the Coordinadora's projects and the financial assistance we is receiving. I undertand sustainable agriculture better now thanks to help from the Coordinadora's agronomists.

What is the importance of the project to your community?

The community benefits by having better produce at lower prices and with less contamination (due to organic growing techniques). I talk to interested farmers so that they can learn the techniques I am using to grow diversified organic crops.

Has your participation in the project changed your role in the community? How?

I've been active in community since we settled here at the end of the war. I served as president for a while, but now I spend more time working on improving my farm. But I often participate directly in the community Directorate's decision-making process when it comes to developing and executing projects.

Please add any additional information you would like to tell us about yourself and the project.

Growing diversified crops requires a lot of dedication. Anyone who wants to use these techniques should fully understand this requirement, because without it they will not meet their goals.