Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) is an organization operating in Central America that provides technical assistance and training to rural farming families to help them produce food in more sustainable ways.
Founded in 1997 by Peace Corps volunteer Florence Reed, SHI is based on the premise that environmental degradation and rural poverty are linked. The nonprofit works with food producers in Belize, Honduras and Panama, providing them with tools and training to help them feed themselves and their land.
The organization seeks out communities to work with based on poverty and food insecurity, potential for environmental restoration, proximity to SHI offices and willingness to try new farming methods. It holds information sessions to find family farmers willing to participate in its five-phase program, which lasts about four years.
“We identify families based on their interest in learning new farming practices, their willingness to dedicate time to the program, and the likelihood that they will develop a long-term commitment to sustainable farming practices even after completing the program,” Tania Roa, SHI’s communications and outreach coordinator, tells Food Tank.
SHI works with field trainers who “build relationships with the partner farmers,” Roa explains. Together, they try to create a plan that works for the farmer, his family and the wider community. The field trainer visits each family regularly to check progress, address any issues that arise and identify successful strategies.
“Every partnership involves dialogue, time and a lot of listening,” Roa tells Food Tank. “Restoring each farm’s environment is just one part of our program. Each farmer has social and economic goals that we take into account, and that helps determine what crops they grow or how much of each crop they grow.”
Dionicio Rayes Andrade is one of SHI’s partner farmers who, with SHI’s support, switched from chemical to organic fertilizers. His farm is also working to reduce tillage – a practice that can lead to soil erosion.
“The very fact that we can grow, produce and consume products organically is a great achievement because it improves the health of our family and improves some techniques as a farmer that we were not using before,” Andrade tells Food Tank.
This agriculture-specific approach allows SHI to find tailor-made solutions for each individual and their land. But it “also requires a lot of flexibility and understanding of local conditions. This also means that what works in one area does not necessarily work in another,” explains Roa. “Every country, every community, every family has a unique economic, social and cultural background.”
Since its inception, SHI has reached more than 3,000 families and planted over 4 million trees. But the organization has even bigger ambitions: by 2030, it aims to transform one million farms, plant one billion trees, sequester 18 million tons of carbon dioxide, regenerate 8 million hectares of land and achieve food security for 5 million people.
Roa believes SHI is “on track,” but notes they need more partners to get there. Their pilot program, Promoters 4 Change, is designed to help them reach their goals by training community leaders who will then take on outreach to neighboring farmers. These leaders are already deeply embedded in their communities, Roa explains, which allows them easier access to farmers and more frequent farm visits. SHI believes this model will allow a single field trainer to support the transformation of 100 farms, rather than the 35 they currently support.
SHI is currently going through a review process to assess how it can achieve its goals. This process has been prompted by setbacks, including staffing issues in Belize. Roa stressed the importance of intensifying efforts, which has led to a comprehensive review of finances, staffing and program tactics.
Roa also believes that innovation will be the key to future success. “The most important thing is to try new tactics because we feel that it is time to look for new ways to reach more farmers as we expand,” says Roa. As part of this commitment, SHI is managing several other pilot projects and intends to launch even more in the future. These projects can be created in countries where the organization is currently active, but can also be expanded to new countries and communities.
SHI is currently considering expansion into other Central American countries and hopes to eventually reach South America.
“Fortunately, all of our partners share the same vision: to feed communities and the planet,” Roa tells Food Tank. “This shared vision allows us to focus on a common goal that transcends cultural and social differences.”
Articles like the one you just read are only possible thanks to the generosity of Food Tank members. Can we count on you to be part of our growing movement? Join today by clicking here.
Photo courtesy of Sustainable Harvest International
