Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua & Panama

1. Sustainable Harvest International Planting Hope, Restoring Forests, Nourishing Communities Field Program Update July to September 2010 Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua & Panama

2. The Mission Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) provides farming families in Central America with the training and tools to preserve our planet’s tropical forests while overcoming poverty.

3. Toledo & Stan Creek Yoro & Santa Barbara Cocle & Panama Oesta Kukra Hill & Kukra River • SHI works in four Central American countries: • Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua & Panama

4. Families at the Start • Currently 1,120 families* • 100 communities in 7 work areas • Average annual income: $472 • Average education level: 4th grade • Average land ownership: 2.8 acres • Currently farmed: corn, beans, cassava, taro, rice • Currently eaten: corn tortillas, rice, red beans or pigeon pea, cassava, plantains and bananas • * number is due to change as we continue with evaluation process

5. The Areas of Impact • Environment • Agroecology • Food Security • Livelihood • Learning Capacity

6. Quarterly Achievements July to September, 2010

7. Environment • Goal: To preserve tropical forests and the life-sustaining functions they provide.

8. Environmental techniques implemented by SHI families: • Reforestation • Wood-Conserving Stoves • Biodigesters • Composting Latrines

9. Environmental Accomplishments in Q1 • Wood-conserving stoves built: 153 • Composting toilets built: 3 • Trees planted: 31,209 • Acres reforested: 184 • Average number of tree species planted: 12 • Environmental workshops and trainings held: 21+

10. Agroecology • Goal: To increase a community’s capacity to practice sustainable farming that is compatible with local culture and the environment.

11. Agroecological techniques implemented by SHI families: • Cover Crops • Crop Rotation • Holistic Pest Management • Biointensive • Mulch • “I feel proud to cultivate in a way that is good for the environment because it is not necessary to damage the soil, but rather feed it. Everything is useful in this system of farming that I am implementing.” • - Aparicio Garcia Benitez, Buena Vista, Honduras

12. Agroecological Accomplishments in Q1 • Area converted to sustainable land use: 422 acres • Natural fertilizers made and applied: 1,722 • Bocashi made: 15,409 pounds • Efficient micro-organisms used: 100 liters • Sustainable farming techniques used: at least 8 per family

13. Goal: To provide access to healthy food and ensure household food security. • Food Security

14. Food Security techniques implemented by SHI families: • Home Gardens • Diversification • Animal Husbandry • Grain Storage • Seed Saving “With support of SHI, I have planted mustard greens, lettuce, string beans, tomatoes, cucumbers and more. With these harvests, every week I have something to feed my feel, plus extra that I can sell.” - Joaquina Vasquez, El Entradero, Panama

15. Food Security Accomplishments in Q1 • Locally-produced food consumed: 75% • Diversity of garden species planted: 25 (including amaranth, mustard greens, okra, squash and more) • New gardens planted: 95 • Species of livestock raised: 3+

16. Goal: To increase household income, along with the ability to purchase basic household needs. • Livelihood

17. “SHI supported me with the installation of a wood conserving oven. Each week I bake bread with little wood and am able to sell it in my community. I have income now that I never had before.” - Maria Ical, San Benito Poite, Belize

18. Average change in family income in three months: ~26% or $122(Note: Majority of families are only in Phase 2 and not yet commercializing.) • New families commercializing produce on a local or regional scale: 35 • Additional income generated by sale of produce in three months: $1400+ • New rural banks: 7 • Loans granted: $8,738 in over 69 loans • Livelihood Accomplishments in Q1

19. Learning Capacity Goal: For families to gain a sense of empowerment and willingness to innovate, and strengthen community cooperation through sustainability.

20. Learning Capacity Accomplishments in Q1 • Trainings completed by field staff: 149 • Trainings held by participants: 85 • Number of non-SHI families benefiting from participant training sessions: 165 • Quantitative changes: increase self esteem, leadership, sense of community and teamwork, environmental and health consciousness, and more.

21. Post Graduate Families • Graduates in three countries: 360+ • Average increase in annual household income: $250 • Food produced and consumed locally: 80% • Families who no longer burn: 81% • New families trained by SHI graduates: 10 families per graduate

22. Challenges • Climate change & natural disasters • Cultural barriers • Time • Opposing projects / external influences • Habit vs. tradition • Resources

23. SHI’s Accomplishments Growing slowly but surely since 1997 • Degraded land converted to sustainable uses: 15,587 acres • Trees planted: 2.86 million • Wood-conserving stoves built: 1,252 (saving 12,000 trees per year) • Community loan funds started: 23 - started with $10,000 seed capital, now manage $70,000

24. A Lot of Bang for Your Buck Supporting SHI • $18,000 supports the work of one field trainer for an entire year. • $6,000 sponsors an entire village program for a whole year. • $500 provides a family with technical support and materials for one year. • $100 sponsors a village school program in a rural community working with SHI. • $50 buys the materials for a wood-conserving stove that will save 100 trees.

25. Thank You!

26. Planting Hope, Restoring Forests, Nourishing Communities Online at: sustainableharvest.org • Sustainable Harvest International