VII. Agricultural Production Program

The farmers of the communities that CESSMAQ impacts are the small coffee farmers who have cultivated coffee for decades, without any technical skills. Their production is low in quality and quantity.

The driving force of CESSMAQ's agricultural program is to optimize the resources and the work of the farmers, achieve productivity and economic income to improve the quality of life and confront poverty by sustained self-management.

1. Objectives

1. Improve the quality of life of the farmers and their families, optimizing the use of their land, agricultural resources and their work, and achieve major agricultural production in quantity and quality to obtain better economic income.
2. Raise the consciousness of the farmer in the use of natural resources and the use of cheap techniques or income producing, respect and conserve nature in a culturally acceptable manner. Obtain clarity in the necessity to produce and conserve to elevate the current standard of living and that of their children in the future.

2. Goals

• During the life of this partnership agreement, from 2001 to 2005, train 375 farmers annually from 25 communities in production techniques of coffee, corn, chile and bananas. In five years, 1,875 farmers will be trained.
• Make changes in the current production of 80 to 300 pounds of bad quality coffee grapes, produced in a cuerda of 625 square yards, to production of 1000 to 1500 pounds of high quality coffee grapes in the same area.
• Annually, 375 coffee farmers in 25 communities replant 375 cuerdas of unproductive coffee (1 cuerda per farmer), to productive and high quality coffee. In five years, 1,875 farmers in 25 communities will have replanted 5,625 cuerdas (3 cuerdas per farmer) that will be in production of high-quality coffee.
• Improve the cultivation technique of bananas, chile and corn planted strategically with the coffee to generate better production and provide additional economic income.
• In five years, train 1,875 farmers, 375 farmers per year in 25 communities, in techniques utilizing their own available resources, with a focus in organic agriculture.
• Promote reforestation projects in 25 communities.
• Organize farmers to promote financial resources in quality loans for the renovation and technology of coffee.
• Organize the communities to design and execute reforestation and environmental projects.
• Organize the farmers to develop processes and alternatives to commerce.
• Look for and promote other agricultural alternatives.
• Encourage the involvement of the families in the process of training and production.
• Provide Biblical-theological reflection, on the relationship between man and nature.

3. General Activities

• Each year CESSMAQ and the local trainers plan the operative work according to the present plan and the achievement of SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).
• Training and formation of the agricultural promoters in the agricultural organic techniques and of coffee.
  
  In addition, they are trained in social, economical, political and biblical-theological themes, to develop the program in a realistic context.
  
  
• Implementation of the plan of the work by the promoters in each community, in which the farmers receive training in the planned process
• Quarterly and end of year evaluations
  - With promoters
  - In each of the communities with the farmers
  

4. Budget