Scampis learning notes

SCAMPIS Learning Notes

©Cecilia Ruberto Page 2 SCAMPIS Learning Notes

Content
Why the Learning Notes? ................................................................................................................ 5

Introduction to the articles ................................................................................................................ 6

1. Strengthening women and youth through improved nutrition, health and hygiene in
Guatemala ........................................................................................................................................... 8

1. Strategy adaptation of the project: introducing micro-irrigation systems in school gardens
in Guatemala ..................................................................................................................................... 18

2. Scaling up integrated strategies for micro-irrigation through coffee producers ...................... 30

3. “The first experience lasts forever”: Bijaya Kumar experience as Scampis promoter.............. 38

4. Role of promotion strategy for introducing the MIS innovation .............................................. 43

5. Scaling up of micro-irrigation systems – Integrating MIS in Indian National Programme for
Livelihood improvement: complexity and opportunities.................................................................. 54

6. Micro-enterprise for MIS – the born and the consolidation of Innovagri................................ 62

7. Breaking the small farmers vicious cycle of debts through micro-irrigation systems .............. 67

8. Scaling up micro-irrigation systems in Madagascar: opportunities and constraints ................ 72

9. Measuring the Scampis project change dimension .................................................................. 78

3 SCAMPIS Learning Notes
Guatemala Story ............................................................................................................................... 85

India Story ......................................................................................................................................... 90 Page

About the Seminar “Micro-irrigation for food security: the untold stories of forgotten
stakeholders”

Untold stories of forgotten stakeholders and project implementers from India, Guatemala and
Madagascar will highlight the importance of dimension change in pro poor development
through the introduction of micro-irrigation systems (MIS).

MIS are effective tools for addressing rural poverty and improving the lives of smallholder
farmers. The Scampis project (2009-2012) has changed the lives of 30.000 vulnerable farmers
which have adopted low-cost, user-friendly MIS technologies.

This innovative technology has seen farmers embrace other strategies such as organic
fertilization, natural pesticides, appropriate agricultural practices (longer growing seasons,
lower application of agro-chemicals and (re)introducing native species and different crops)and
changed knowledge and behaviour on nutrition and health.

Women and youth have formed strong livelihood groups to explore the manifold impacts.

Scampis put in motion an holistic development chain from the manufacturer through the
retailer shop to the farmer and sales of exceeds in local markets.

Sustainability is a matter of affordability of choice–hence use of subsidies, accessibility of
extension and rural finance services, as well as availability of marketing linkages.

Together with policy dialogue they lead to scaling-up in the 3 countries.

Scampis Website: http://www.ifad.org/english/water/scampis

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Special thankS

Cooperninc; IFAD; All Scampis staff; IFAD Countries offices; friends and families that have
constantly supported us.

Why the Learning Notes?
August, 2012

The Scampis project has been a very special project. What made the experience so “special”
has been the incredible dynamic attitude of all the people involved, the staff and the same
beneficiaries. The project piloted innovative strategies to introduce micro-irrigation systems
(MIS) in India, Guatemala and Madagascar. In this 3 countries, organizations that for various
reasons get in contact with the project showed interest for it and developed their own
strategies to integrate MIS in their activities.

Among the various project achievements, the learning has been very important. The learning
happened constantly at the field level, at the organizational and at the cross-
countries/international level.

This publication wants to collect some informal contribution of actors that have been key in
the project development. Clearly there are many more people that play a central role in this
story, we hope that photos and future learning notes will give them voice & justice.

Dear reader, go through this publication with the spirit of a story reader, with more

curiosity than scientific expectations, be aware that our objective is to share experiences and
let raise questions to reinforce a continuous “learning” process and to facilitate direct
interactions with our authors.

The “Scampis Learning Notes” is an informal collection of home-made-working-papers &
stories about real life experiences. This experiences and much more will be shared during the
World Water Week seminar: “Micro-irrigation for food security: the untold stories of forgotten
stakeholders”.
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Enjoy your reading!

Introduction to the articles

Now, more than before, we can say that the micro-irrigation technology is an extremely
powerful tool for improving livelihood condition in rural areas, especially if appropriately
linked to integrated strategies for rural development. The micro-irrigation can offer satisfying

results in relative short time (Measuring the Scampis project change dimension, Cecilia

Ruberto).

During the last 3 years of the Scampis project implementation different strategies have been
developed and many challenges faced, this Learning Notes wants to give insights on some
aspects that should be kept in consideration when we think using micro-irrigation in our
strategies. The learning and the social dimension are important aspects ( Strengthening

women and youth through the correct nutrition, health and hygiene in Guatemala, Magalí
Ávila; Strategy adaptation of the Scampis Project through School Gardens in Guatemala,
Santiago Girón) as well as the technical and market dimension (Development of local

manufacturing chain for micro-irrigation technologies: born and the consolidation of the micro-
enterprise Innovagri, Randriambelo Lova; Role Of Promotion Strategy For Introducing The MIS
Innovation, Tapan Kumar Pattanayak ). When an innovation is introduced, sufficient time
should be allocated to consolidate the cultural, habits and to perceive economical and
environmental improvements, for this reason the scaling up of MIS into larger programmes

for livelihood enhancement is very important (Scaling up of micro-irrigation systems in

Madagascar : opportunities and challenges, Christin Ramaroson; Integrating micro-irrigation
into the National Programme for Livelihood improvement in India : opportunities and
challenges, Susanta Nanda; Overall scaling up of integrated strategies for micro-irrigation and
scaling up with coffee producers, Mynor Maldonado). Finally, to develop effective and efficient
strategy, nothing is more important than listen at real experience of field staff and
beneficiaries (My experience as Scampis promoter, Bijaya Kumar Rout; Breaking the small
farmers vicious cycle of debts through micro-irrigation systems, Fenomanantsoa
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Andriamanalina, Most Significant change stories from Guatemala and India).

All the articles are “home-made – working papers” pulled together in this informal publication
to “immortalize” important experiences, feelings and to create opportunities for further

discussions.

The Scampis Project
Scaling up micro irrigation in India,
Guatemala and Madagascar

Country India Guatemala Madagascar

Impleme IDE-I (International Development Funcafé (Fundación de la Caficultura para el AVSF (Agronomes et Vétérinaires Sans
nting Enterprises – India) Desarrollo Rural) Frontières)
NGO

 10.000 beneficiaries expected by  10.000 beneficiaries expected by the end of  10.000 beneficiaries expected by the
the end of the project the project end of the project
Benefici  15.107 households achieved  13715 households achieved and 128  4670 beneficiaries directly achieved;
aries among them 9.108 use natural school gardens established 4618 with partners
fertilization
 Developed equipment markets  Developed new school gardens using MIS  Developed equipment markets: from
where none previously existed in and natural fertilizers Worked through manufacturing to distribution and
Koraput and Gajapati groups of farmers and coffee producer promotion at village level
districts,Orissa region cooperatives  Proposed client-specific subsidies policy
 Worked with self-help, village  Complemented micro-irrigation practice 
Strategic innovations

Created new job opportunities in
based micro-finance group of 10- with capacity building in nutrition manufacturing, promotion and
30 women (nutritious recipes and more diet diversity), profitable farming

 Implemented promotional health and hygiene  Worked with groups of farmers,
strategy from district to village  Connected local retailers to national independent farmers and agro-
level providers of low-cost micro-irrigation cooperatives
 Collaborated with regional rural technologies  Brought together a wide range of
development programmes: Orissa stakeholders and clients to ensure
Tribal Empowerment and sustainability
Livelihood Programme and  Linked to a number of projects to scale
Integrated Tribal Development up micro-irrigation (Capfida; PPRR; EU;
Agency AROPA; FAFAFI; PROSPERER; AD2M)
 Locally produced 100 m2 and 20  Downsized the commercially available 600  Adapted design and local
m2 MIS: farmers find it extremely m2 MIS to 100 m2 and 50 m2 MIS for manufacturing of 100 m2 and 50 m2
Technical innovations

easy to use and to maintain vulnerable smallholders MIS
  
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Surface treadle pump to lift water Introduced natural fertilizers (vermiwash Designed and locally manufactured
Introduced

from a stream or well: farmers and vermicompost) to maintain soil fertility pedal pumps using recycled plastic
are less dependent on rainfed and increase production material (registered innovation)
farming  Introduced natural pesticides to reduce  Built capacity for sustainable extension
 Natural fertilizers (vermiwash and crop losses at little cost • Provided filters services in intensive cultivation, crop
vermicompost) maintain soil for drinking water to ensure water quality diversification and synergies between
fertility and increase production  Introduced practices for intensive crops
 Introduced natural pesticides to cultivation, crop diversification and
reduce crop losses at little cost synergies between crops

1. Strengthening women and youth through improved nutrition,
health and hygiene in Guatemala
Magalí Ávila, Nutrition & Health Technician, Funcafé, Guatemala. Mail: choscomagali@gmail.com

Summary

The working experience with SCAMPIS Guatemala from 2010 to 2012 has been a learning process,
carried out with families, women and youth.
The methodology that was used was learning by doing; the micro-irrigation system (MIS) has

been a tool to show how to produce and prepare their own food, in a more nutritious way and low
costs compared to what they were used to do before the arrival of Scampis in that rural area: the
east side of Guatemala, covering 6 regions and 12 municipalities.

Funcafé has within its strategic plan to continue working on three main areas: Education, Health
and Feeding and Nutritional Security; this work shares the United Nations millennium
development goals.
In the Education area identified the objective to contribute with the raising of competitions in
order to have a productive and competitive life, the actions were considered from pre-school,
elementary school, middle school, and high school, applying innovating methodologies, with
efficacy and efficiency, relevance and pertinence.
In the Health area it was worked with prevention and protection levels; recovery to improve
health conditions in order to have a pleasant and extended life.

In Feeding and
Nutritional Security
In 1981 the Government created instances of the Inter-
the goal was the American Women Commission-National Women Office
improvement of nutritional (ONAM) in August 1982 it was ratified by the Convention of

conditions of people in the rural area, the United Nations the elimination of all discrimination ways
against women. All the plans, programs and projects were
there were set out actions to improve:
developed in order to contribute to the strengthening of
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availability, access, consumption and women and youth and as consequence improve the future of
use of biological food. the families of the rural area of the east side of Guatemala.

Women and Youth in Guatemala

th
According to the 5 National Enquiry on Maternal-Enfant Health women with higher fertility are
the ones who are part of the groups of ages from 15 and 19 years old and 45 to 49 years old,
although fertility is higher in women from the rural area. In the same enquiry it is noticed that
fertility increases when women have less education.

The difference in the fertility observed in the enquiry and the one wished by women is always
higher in women from the rural area, in those who belong to an indigenous group and also in
those who belong to a lower level of education. Women in fertility age who do not wish to
procreate are still exposed to the ‘risk’ of being pregnant because they do not have a family
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planning method, reproductive guidance and also due to cultural aspects and low education.

Historically women in our Guatemala have been unlucky, mainly, women from the rural area and
especially indigenous women. Male chauvinism, lack of education and the few participation spaces
set them in a disadvantage place. In 1981 the Government created instances of the Inter-
American Women Commission-National Office of Women (ONAM) and in August 1982 was ratified
by the United Nations Convention on the elimination of all of discrimination ways against women.
Through presidential programs and different departments, the Guatemalan Government also
began with a series of programs designated to women. International Organisms have appeared to
alleviate the poor and marginal condition in both areas for women and their families. The process
which ended with the signature of the Peace Agreement allowed the creation of spaces for social
and political participation by the Guatemalan Government in the compliance of the agreements,
pacts and conventions have been signed and/or ratified in order to respect women human rights.

How did SCAMPIS execution began?

The hired working team for the execution of tasks in the field get in contact and met the different
institutions and authorities present in the areas where they would have worked to introduce
themselves and the project.
It began by making a diagnosis of the communities based on health, education and feeding and
nutritional security. With this information FUNCAFE diagnosed the different needs that women
and youth had in the area covered by SCAMPIS.
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The project was presented at the town level in the meetings with the City Hall Development
Council (COMUDE), Municipal Commission of Feeding and Nutritional Security (COMUSAN) and

Communitarian Development Council (COCODE). This allowed having the support from the
community leaders in the identification process of the priority groups and community
organization.

Considering the participation statistics of women in Guatemala we decided to be part of the daily
living of the families for the strengthening of women and youngsters in the working process with
SCAMPIS.

The organization was a fundamental part of the objective achievements; women were part of
these strengths for being housewives, mothers of children and also for being the ones who spend
more time with them, for this reason it was considered to include women in the user groups of
SCAMPIS Project. Most women were the ones who at the moment of learning about SCAMPIS
Project showed more interest in participating to learn and improve their living conditions.

When FUNCAFE arrived at the communities did not find community organization, there was a low
credibility on governmental projects. This situation represented an initial challenge for the
introduction of SCAMPIS and it took a while to introduce the practices and approaching strategies
that were going to be implemented in a community level, this made also more difficult that the
technical team earned the confidence of community members.

By looking at the interest that women showed, it was considered that it was going to be possible
to have better achievements working with this age group, it was then organized five women or
five men but each of them represented a family and they were organized by similarity.

Another point of view that was considered was that the land in which they were going to work had
to be close to the homes so the vegetables were close to the homes too and they could control in
a better way the team in which they were assigned.

Another requirement was that the families had a 100 square meters land. Each group was
organized and each group representative was the owner of the land. The groups signed a
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commitment letter with their 4 family participants. This was done in order to take the
commitment of working and also to use in proper way the micro irrigation system equipment that

was given to them as initial capital. Additionally to this the families were committed to give the
proper maintenance and correct use to the micro irrigation system and also to participate in the
educational and technical sessions.

This action allowed consolidating the organization in family, neighbor and community level which
is so needed in rural areas, because the Communitarian Development Council (COCODE) does not
have a wide knowledge of its functions due to the same level of education and lack of training in
its functions. Having the support of COCODE allowed to have bigger capacity of announcement
and inclusion of the project within the communitarian activities.

The micro irrigation system –SMR- came as a tool that was introduced in working experiences. It
was proceed to the implementation of family horticulture with the support of irrigation
technology, identifying that team work made easier the practices and cultural tasks in the
horticulture land and also made easier the initial tasks of preparation of the land. While the crops
were growing, women actively participated in the trainings that the educators in health and
nutrition gave to them in subjects such as feeding and nutritional security, hygiene and sexual and
reproductive health.

These subjects were given in order according to the sequence of the work that the communities
carried out such as: hygiene, cleaning and self-esteem.

Why did it begin with these subjects?
Many of the participating women were historically abused and the opportunity to participate in

the training process was limited. Being aware of this reality the educators of the project began to
use participating methodologies and even to improve self-esteem, and also increased their
leadership and strengthening. These educational talks achieved increase in the participation and
acceptance of the project.

Why is it important to train about Self-Esteem?
In Guatemala there exists a war history, 36 years of intern armed conflict caused deep structural
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poverty, discrimination and violence which mostly affected women, children and indigenous
towns.

This is the reason why we find some cases where women have never even experienced how to
color a drawing, look at themselves in the mirror, jump to catch a balloon, such small things but
before the project they did not have the opportunity to do so. These practices of improving their
self-esteem widely contributed with the disposition of women toward more sensible social
subjects to be discussed and which also approached real life situations within the homes, also in
communities where talking about sexual and reproductive health is still a taboo, self-esteem
subjects and leadership were also essential.

Culturally speaking families have grown in a vicious circle of poverty and for them life is still the
same with or without opportunities, because for their way of thinking, there is no difference in

having or not opportunities to have a better life. There exists a high level of conformism toward

poverty derived from low self-esteem that years of limitation have marked. These families live
with a lot of conformism, because probably to the majority of them maybe during their childhood
had to face malnutrition problems and now being adults it is difficult for them to learn and
understand what they need to change in this poverty circle.

When it was the time to train on subjects like cleaning and hygiene; it was done with due care in
order not to hurt them, mainly with women in the Chortí area who belong to families with limited
resources, because they live in poverty situation and extreme poverty. The workshops were given
with the correct context tools, lifestyle and available resources in the communities.

When we were teaching them how to wash their hands properly and also how to maintain daily
personal hygiene conditions, at their homes and with their food they felt it was a little hard to
achieve in the beginning. During the process there were observed meaningful changes that they
began to achieve for example: cleaning their homes everyday, recognizing that they need better
areas to prepare their food, introducing bags, cardboard boxes or any other thing to put the trash,
not only in their homes but also in their community stores; it was also showed to them that it is
important to recognize that hygiene is part of the health of all the members in the family and in
the community, among others.
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To educate women through trainings while they were harvesting their food became very
important to them, because while they were waiting for the harvest to be ready to learn how to
prepare new recipes with the food, it was also taught to them subjects like the importance of
horticulture production and fruit in order to improve family feeding.
These were the subjects given during the training process:

 Feeding and Nutritional Security  Sexual and Reproductive Health
 Hygiene and Cleaning  Gender and Self-Esteem
 Nutritional Food Content  Leadership
 Family Diet Diversification  Reproductive Risk
 Nutritious Meals  Responsible Fatherhood and
 Feeding for 2 year-old children Motherhood
 Food Conservation Methods  Family Planning Methods
 Safe Water  Brest-Feeding Importance
 Other subjects that they required

Now we are able to tell you the experience with the Feeding and Nutritional Security and

Sexual and Reproduction Health Subjects!

In the Feeding and Nutritional Security Subject families are now aware of the lack of hygiene that
they personally had before the project, they know of better methods to prepare their food.
Knowing that each vegetable, fruit and herb has a very important nutritional content, which is
essential for the good health of the family. During the approach of the subjects on Feeding and

Nutritional Security it was noticed that women did not know the nutritional content of vegetables.
After SCAMPIS, female beneficiaries of the project now talk about the importance of the
consumption of their own herbs, fruit and vegetables and it is even more important that now they
have all of them near home and together with the micro irrigation system which allows them to
produce during the scarcity water season.

The preparation of diverse recipes was easy because we used everything that they had in their
community, later it was quantified the production costs for each recipe and they realized how
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little money they invested and how healthier they were eating.

Now women tell how their children ask them to cook vegetables, herbs and fruit that they did not

eat before, because they used to cook them only with water and salt; they now have color and
flavor and that is very interesting for all the family at the moment of food consumption. During the
process we realized of the importance of the consumption of safe water. There were done
bacteriological studies of water and we realized that they did not have safe water for human
consumption.

FUNCAFE by considering the need of complementing the subject of Feeding and Nutritional
Security –SAN-, introduced the project of water purification filters for the same families that were
working with horticulture production through micro irrigation system. The families were trained
on the installation of the filters and their use and hygiene, in order to reduce stomach problems
mainly diarrhea in children and adults. It was identified that when a woman was sick she did not
participate and did not feel the desire to work. For the process of the project it was important the
active participation of everybody involved, for this reason it was taught to the women to visit the
health assistance centers closest to them to have their reproductive control.

The filter was a novelty especially for women because they did not need to buy chlorine to purify
the water, they were also environmentally improving because they stopped using wood to boil the
water and it is easier for them to fill the filters at night and the next day they have safe water to
drink for all the family without the need of using more time being able to use it for other chores in
the house.

Now we can listen to many women stating: “my children no longer drink water from the faucet,
they are used to go to school and drink water from the filter” now they do not like any other type
of water, there are families who have taken the filter as one more member for them because they
even dress it up (they use a cover and it looks like a dress, they protect it from the animals and the
kitchen smoke with a blanket).

Sexual and Reproductive Health Subjects
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Culturally talking it is not really well seen that women talk about this subject within the family and
it is even worse to have a conversation like this with the husband. For men in the community the

woman must have as many children as God allows her to, women say that men state that a
woman who does not have many children is not a good wife. When they were educated they
began to know this reality more and more, it was implemented the education on sexual and
reproductive health. Besides it is recognized that sexual and reproductive health has a high
importance level because it contributes to the reduction of maternal and neonatal death.

Family Planning (PF)

Family planning in Guatemala
During the years from 1950 to 2000 Guatemala presented a demographical growth in a 385% above all
the regions in the world during the same period. Yearly, there are added about 354,000 new children to
the Guatemalan population. In the rural area women are having an average of 1.5 more children that
the ones they really want. ENSMI 2008.
Several studies reveal that exists a relationship between the fertility rate and poverty, and for
Guatemala this relationship is very well marked, where 60% of a wealthier population plan their family
with a fertility rate of 1.9 compared to the rural poor population, where the fertility rate is 7.6. As
consequence, family planning must be considered a priority in the creation of development plans.
These actions were integrated as fundamental part by FUNCAFE.

In order to introduce the subject on family planning, mainly about the methods, it was needed to
make a clarification that there were only to be shown the ones that there exist and how they are
used as well as the importance of using them, because it was very important to talk about the
subject and the connection that they have with feeding and nutritional security.

The capacity-building began with concrete examples: the differences between five-member-
family compared to a ten-member-family: how they are fed, dressed, how they buy their shoes
and how their health is, comparing the costs and consequences. The community members were
sensitive on the importance of the use of methods and they agreed that they contribute and help
the families. Another subject which is considered a taboo is fatherhood and motherhood
responsibility because for the parents it is very difficult to approach this subject with their
children, derived from the lack of training and education that they have about it. At the moment
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of approaching the subject on fatherhood and motherhood responsibility with the parents it was
interesting to them because it allows them to educate their children in an easier way.

This subject gave women a lot of ideas and new knowledge, mainly because mothers are the main
advisors for their daughters; although these pieces of advice are limited to the experiences that
the mothers have lived and that unfortunately have not found the best solutions. Now mothers
have a wider knowledge in order to advise their daughters and by this way they would be the ones
who have the opportunity to make positive changes in this ignorance circle on the sexual and
reproductive health subject which exists due to the same lack of education on these
transcendental life subjects as well as the development of the families and communities.

Women with better knowledge on the feeding and nutritional subject and sexual and reproductive
health subject are now able to discuss and to take certain decisions and they also have more
criterion on deciding on some issues and doubts that were inside their minds but that was difficult
for them to express and practice them.

How is the youth involved and strengthen in this experience?
Development of competition for Life
When we talk about competitions it is referred to the group of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, and
values that allow people to know how to be, how to do something and how to live within a society
which is more and more complex, demanding and competitive every single day. It is important,
needed and strategic to invest in the development of competitions through formal and informal
education. This is the reason why FUNCAFE works on kindergarten, elementary and middle
education levels teaching them about the basic competitions for life, which respond to the
demands of the labor market.

Youth has a great potential on attitude and behavior which can be reached in a short and middle
term and for that reason it was decided to work at schools. In our level, schools have been very
interested in working on several training subjects, mainly the ones related to agriculture activities
which are a fundamental part of the family roots in the rural area. FUNCAFE through SCAMPIS not
only introduced agriculture subjects but also included improvement by showing new technological
practices which made better the rural production system.
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It is difficult for schools to work by themselves on agricultural subjects. In spite of being in the
middle of the rural area, education is mainly focused on the improvement of pedagogical attitude,
and teachers do not have the needed knowledge on agricultural subjects. These difficulties
become a problem because knowledge on the best agricultural practices and technologies in order
to improve the production on rural area are on hold; as consequence it is increased the feeding
and nutritional insecurity within the communities.

By knowing these types of weaknesses and that young people who are attending school are the
future of the communities, besides that they represent the opportunity of change in the
development process, it was decided to work with them through school gardening. FUNCAFE

leaves a legacy in the families of the intervened communities with SCAMPIS, because the new
generations are going to create their own families with better responsibility and knowledge.
All of the actions performed by FUNCAFE in the communities were backed up by the local and
national authorities and for this reason it is considered that the actions were performed together
with the vision of an integral development. FUNCAFE through SCAMPIS Project left a high
strengthening level in women and youngsters on fundamental life subjects for the rural area,
because it was provoked inside the communities a positive change on the behavior of the
participant families.

CHARD ROLLS
INGREDIENTS
30 leaves of chard; 4 eggs; 1 cup boiling water; 1 pinch salt ; 1 cup oil
PREPARATION: Wash leaves one by one and put 20 minutes in salted

water, drain the leaves. In a cup of boiling water blanch the chard
leaves. Beat eggs until stiff. Heat a pan with oil. Make bunches of
Swiss chard leaves and dip the 4-with beaten egg. Put the pan fried in
heated oil. Serve with tomato sauce.
Preparation time 40 minutes.

CARROT DRINK

INGREDIENTS
2 large carrots; ½ cup sugar; 2 liters of water ; 3 oranges
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(juice)
PREPARATION: Wash and grate the carrots, then melt it with
1 liter of water. Mix carrot juice with the remaining water
and orange juice. Add sugar. Serve.
Preparation time 20 minutes

1. Strategy adaptation of the project: introducing micro-irrigation
systems in school gardens in Guatemala
Santiago Girón, Project Coordinator, Funcafé, Guatemala. Mail: santiago.ggdl@funcafe.org

ABSTRACT

In Guatemala 1 of each 2 children suffer from chronicle malnutrition, which locates the country as the
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fourth in a global level with presence of chronicle malnutrition in children under 5 years. The Fundación de
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la Caficultura para el Desarrollo Rural (Coffee Foundation for Rural Development) –FUNCAFÉ- , social
branch of the national coffee producers, aware of the need of making actions in the fight against chronicle
malnutrition in Guatemala, reorients the intervention strategies to integral actions in order to beat the
negative effects of chronicle malnutrition in the country. The project Using the Micro Irrigation Systems –
SCAMPIS- in Guatemala initially proposed the possibility to introduce the micro irrigation technology of low
cost to the small producers living in poor and extremely poor situation. Using the help of this technology;
increasing the production levels of food for self-consumption, as well as the selling of surplus.

FUNCAFÉ decided to integrate SCAMPIS Project within the Food and Nutritional Security Area in order to
improve the production systems of micro producers of the rural area and for this reason used the help of
three intervention models; working together with the private sector, with a governmental program, a city
hall, and an association of exporting horticultural producers.

Over 10,000 families know and use the micro irrigation technology to produce food for self consumption

and the sale of surplus, improving with this method their productivity levels. From these families at least
the 70% were trained in sexual and reproductive health subjects, food and nutritional security and safe
water for human consumption. As continuous elements it was introduced the micro irrigation technology in
124 schools allowing that over 11,000 students were able to know the technology, get related with it and

use it as a learning process at school. Funcafé has the certainty that leaves a wider opening and
acceptance to the micro irrigation technology in Guatemala, water purification systems, for the sexual and
reproductive health subjects and food and nutritional security, in the intervened places through SCAMPIS
Project, at individual and family level and at organizational and community level.
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FUNCAFE- social branch of the Guatemalan coffee producers The Project SCAMPIS introduce low

Funcafé as social support for the coffee producers sector is based cost micro irrigation technology to
in three fundamental and strategically axis; health, education small farmers living in poor and
and food and nutritional security. In the food and nutritional extremely poor situation. Using this
security issue (SAN) FUNCAFE’ intervention logic is based on
technology the levels of food
four pillars agreed in the Food Global Summit Conference 1996:
production for self-consumption
Availability, Access, Consumption and Biological Use, pillars that
were adopted in the National Policy on Food and Nutritional increase, the families can also sell
Security in Guatemala as a commitment of the Guatemalan the surplus at the market. The
Government toward the feeding right that every human has.
project started also developing a
According to the National Policy on Food and Nutritional local market chain for the irrigation
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Security , Funcafé begins efforts to improve the conditions of technology and to make it more
availability, access, consumption of biological use of the food for
accessible to the community
the less favor families of the rural area of Guatemala.
members.
In 2010 UNICEF released alarming information in Guatemala
indicating that 4 of 10 children in Guatemala suffered chronicle Funcafé aware of the need of
malnutrition and the levels were higher for indigenous children making actions to fight against
living in rural areas with 8 of 10 affected. In 2011 Guatemala was chronicle malnutrition in
declared as the fourth country in a global level and first in Latin
Guatemala, changed the
America with chronicle malnutrition presence. UNICEF in its
global enfant report for 2012 indicated that the situation is
intervention strategies to integral
getting worse by having 1 of each 2 children suffering chronicle actions in order to beat the
malnutrition in Guatemala. negative effects of chronicle
malnutrition in the country.

The East side of Guatemala has been identified as Scampis main intervention area, this area is

hevily affected areas by chronicle malnutrition, also affected for long periods with high and very
high risk of drought and vulnerability to climate change, decrease of the quantity and quality of
the water and the deregulation of the cycle of water resources, lack of protection and vanishing of
water sources as well as the high vulnerability of the territorial division.

The main idea was to educate on the creation of family gardens for the horticultural production

in their backyards, using the micro irrigation system in order to reduce the amount of water used

during the production process. This horticultural production is intended to be used for self
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consumption and the sale of surplus. The designated area for each family was 20 m2.

There were defined 12 towns from the east side of Guatemala located at Chiquimula, Jalapa,
Jutiapa, and Zacapa, 1 town in Alta Verapaz and 1 town from El Quiché.

For the towns located in the east side were stated alliances in order to intervene 7.000 families
with the national program FIDA-East and Asociación Nacional del Café (Guatemalan National
Coffee Association) –ANACAFE- 1 these partners would support with technicians and components
for the family gardens and SCAMPIS Project with the introduction of the micro irrigation
technology. In Cobán, Alta Verapaz alliances were made with the City Hall of Cobán to support
1.500 families and in San Miguel Uspantán, El Quiché with Asociación de Agricultores “El
Sembrador” 1.500 families.

Faced Challenges in the Beginning of the Intervention

One of the biggest faced challenges in Guatemala in the beginning of the intervention was the lack
of availability of units for the micro irrigation dimensions of 20 m2. In Guatemala there are
irrigation systems for industrial methods, established for surplus producers with productive units
of 7.000 m2 or larger. In 2010 there were no small irrigation units. The smallest unit was 600 m2
and the model was from Israel, although this one had a high cost for the target population of the
Project.

There was performed an offer study for micro irrigation in Guatemala and was also launched a
proposal to the national suppliers for the production of units of 20 m2, although it was
unsuccessful due to the fact that any company was interested in the production of those models.
The small producers in Guatemala before 2010 did not have access to this technology, for that
reason was totally unknown its use in a small scale.

It was finally reached a supplier company that was interested in the creation of an irrigation model
of 1000 m2, there were made adaptations of the irrigation models available in Guatemala and was
also implemented an assembly of national products and some imported materials, mainly hose
and the filtration system.

Another great challenge especially in dry corridor zone was the lack of culture for vegetable
production; there was a high level of ignorance about the production of horticultural types. The
family diet and production systems were mainly based on corn and beans. There were
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1
ANACAFÉ, for further information www.anacafe.org

inappropriate practices that affected the efficiency of the vegetable production, due to the lack of
knowledge on the agricultural management of these types.

The designated families for the project were grouped in teams of 5 and that was how the
implementation began for the production of family gardens in 100 square meters worked by 5
families.

Cultural aspects as well as behavior patterns directed to individualism marked a large gap between
the expected objectives of the project and the actual execution in the field, in other words eastern
families were not initially willing to join the groups of 5.

Strategy Implementation

There were performed a few field tours to the communities to be intervene, establishing the
possibility of the project and also socializing with the targets that were initially pursued. It was
achieved the goal to make some community leaders become interested, although it was little
compare to the goals that were expected to reach in the first year.

It was strategically decided to implement demonstrative plots in 100 communities, one plot of 100
m2 worked by 5 families for the implementation of family gardens, using the micro irrigation
technology of low pressure. The community leaders were trained by agriculture technicians and
group representatives about vegetable production, also on the installation, use and correct
maintenance of the micro irrigation system, and there was also given orientation to these groups
for a productive cycle (6 months) since the preparation of the land until the use of the harvest.
During this demonstrative period, there were invited other producers to visit the demonstrative
plots as interchange through the methodology farmer to farmer.

The demonstrative phase allowed to be known the functioning of the irrigation technology, its
advantages and more efficient use. Also the demonstrative phase allowed to be known the
agricultural practices of horticultural growing as well as the using methods of the same. The
horticultural using practices were given with the support of a team of health and nutrition
educators.

There was made a diagnosed of the intervene community needs through domicile visits made by
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the educators and it was determined the imminent necessity to educate in sexual health and

reproductive subjects, hygiene practices, healthy feeding, methods for food preparation, among
other subjects directed to home improvement.

It was also determined that the main source of water for human consumption en those
communities was through non purified water through pipes, about 20% did not have distribution
systems; for that reason they used superficial sources of water as well as underground and the
consumption was done without purification.

Funcafé as an alternative to supply the basic needs of SCAMPIS users, it invites to its partners to
intervene on health and education issues and projects focused on safe water supplying for human
consumption. A partner of Funcafé becomes interested and he joins to the effort of SCAMPIS
Project in order to improve the living conditions of the families of the intervened communities
mainly in the east side of Guatemala.

With this support it is possible to invest in practices in order to improve education in 56 schools
being able to train students and teachers improving by this mean the education quality through
the active rural school methodology, applied for multi-grade schools and also through education
campaigns were given school materials and school libraries.

There were introduced education subjects focused in the improvement of the knowledge on
sexual health and reproductive of the community members and also subjects related to food and
nutritional security with strong emphasis in the hygiene subject and safe water. The families were
supported with health campaigns and water purification filters.

With this integral support SCAMPIS Project in Guatemala was able to go beyond the introduction
of micro irrigation technology, there were also implemented good self consumption practices and

biological food use, good sexual health and reproductive practices and there were also achieved
the improvement on water consumption methods.

Over 10,000 families were introduced and used the technology to produce food for self
consumption as well as surplus sale, improving in this way their productivity levels. From these
families at least 70% were trained in sexual health and reproductive subjects, food and nutritional
safety and safe water for human consumption.
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Introduction of Technology through School Gardens

Funcafé, implements actions in order to improve the education quality with the active rural school
methodology, adapted to the context of rural school of Guatemala. It is based in the principle of
learning by doing. There was developed a practical guide on food and nutritional security to
implement actions within the school. A concrete action was the implementation of school gardens
with a productive and business approach.

In the east side of Guatemala, through SCAMPIS Project Funcafé is able to identify 124 schools in
the intervention communities. In these 124 schools is designated the intervention of SCAMPIS
Project for the implementation of school gardens with a food and nutritional security approach.

Different to the actions that Funcafé developed before 2010 in schools, for the implementation of
gardens, there were introduced the principles of bio-intensive agriculture “to produce more in less
space” and the micro irrigation technology for the horticultural production during the time of
water shortage. It was performed a training process and the education of students and teachers
on the design and implementation of school gardens, preparation of natural fertilizers and
pesticides, cultivation methods and cultural practices for the horticultural production. It was given
education on the identification and production of native plants and it was able to introduce them
to the school gardens.

Students and teachers were also trained on sexual and reproductive health subjects, hygiene and
cleaning, safe water for human consumption and diet improvement through the horticultural
consumption and native plants. The 124 schools received the needed tools in order to implement
the school gardens as well as filters to purify water; these components were also accompanied by

a training process and education on the proper use and maintenance for the same.

It was also considered the implementation of the strategy of SCAMPIS Project in a school level
mainly because it is constituted in one continuing element of the good practices developed
through the project. In a family level it was used the participation of people over 40 years who
have never seen a micro irrigation system and who had never had the chance to use it. For this
reason it was decided to implement the school level technology.
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Students and teachers were the main actors in their own learning. All of the practices were
participative. Students and teachers were involved in the design and implementation of the
garden, the installation of the micro irrigation system and the filters for the purification of water.

The arrival to the school allowed advancing with the introduction of the technologies and also
allowed to give a huge step in the introduction process for better practices in the food production.
The younger students began exploring and experimenting new learning techniques as well as
advanced technologies to improve their productivity levels. For these reasons it is considered to
have taken a right step in the introduction of the technology and good practices in food and
nutritional security in the communities.

Initial Challenges in School Gardens

There was performed a disclosure process of the objectives that Funcafé has set out for the
introduction of school gardens in the east side of Guatemala. The technical team introduced the
project to the directors and teachers of the schools. The teachers submitted the project for
consideration to the parents and general alumni and it was reached the first approval.

In the implementation of the practices, especially for those that required a bigger effort, like the
preparation of the land, the parents demonstrated some sort of resistance due to the fact that
they considered that the tasks were too hard for the students. This first obstacle was resolved by
involving the parents in the process of the preparation of the land, which had a greater acceptance
and allowed better advances.

Some schools did not have a land of their own to develop the practices for the school garden. This
problem was resolved because some of the parents gave as loan some areas to create the practice

gardens.

Generally the schools have different study schedules from Monday to Friday, although they
remain closed during the weekends. The schedule is usually from 4 to 5 hours and it is regularly
during the mornings. The students organized their own school meetings, there were created
support commissions and there were also assigned roles and specific tasks in order to maintain the
tasks and cultural labor of school gardens including during the weekends.
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School Gardens as Demonstrative Plots

School gardens became demonstrative plots and they brought the interest of the community
members. Generally in the schools from the rural area they have open fields for recreation and in
some cases some areas without any specific use. These areas were identified for the
implementation of the school garden. In some schools the areas without use had been polluted by
solid remains.

Through the introduction of school gardens was able the recovering of these areas and turned into
productive sites. The students were trained in the handling of solid remains and the separation of
organic remains, inorganic, papers and toxics. Through environmental workshops students were
taught about the reduction, recycling and reused of remains generated at school.

The parents were able to participate in the different implementation practices of the gardens. The
participation of the parents had multiplying and retorting effects, because they also became
interested in the implementation of gardens in family and community level.

Schools were used to give some workshops on food and nutritional security and sexual and
reproductive health. The mothers of students were incorporated to SCAMPIS Project, which
allowed that the students were part of a learning process and improvement not only at school but
also at home.

Methodological Development of the Implementation of Gardens and Introduction of the Micro
Irrigation Technology at Schools

In order to begin with the implementation of school gardens it was given an education process

and training to the teachers and students. It was
assigned an agricultural technician for the development
of workshops to train about the design and
implementation of school gardens. The workshops were
theoretical and practical, and the students were
educated on distance and cultivation methods,
according to the condition of the land that each school
had.
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Training for teachers and students about design and
implementation of a school garden.

The schools were granted with 7 horticultural types adapted to the soil conditions and weather of
the place. The students and teachers were guided about the preparation of the land as well as
the horticultural cultivation explaining step by step on the distance besides direct and indirect
cultivation method.

There were performed practices in order to educate students on the preparation of substratum
for seedbed, elaboration of seedbeds and preparation of natural products to fertilize, plague
control and disease control.

Students and teachers were technically helped
since the beginning of the preparation of the land
until the harvest season. There was given a guide to
the school about the preparation of the vegetable
garden so that at the moment that they need to
they could make any practice without the technical
help, and just by using the reference material to
consult. This guide has the best practices for the
elaboration of horticultural gardens and makes easier Boys and Girls learning how to sow in a seedbed.
the implementation of these practices through the
use of images.

In the production process of the school garden, teachers and students were trained on food and
nutritional security subjects emphasizing the good practices of hygiene and cleaning, diet
improvement, method of best horticultural use, the consumption of safe water and purification
methods for water, among other subjects that were focused on the four pillars of food and

nutritional security: availability, access, consumption and biological use.

Horticultural harvests from school garden were used to make practices on preparation of
nutritional food. Students and teachers learned how to take advantage in a more efficient way of
the harvests of the school garden. It was prepared a recipe book of food produced on horticultural
gardens and this was taken as support material so the recipes could be included in the student’s
lunch boxes.
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In the schools there were also introduced sexual and reproductive health subjects. These subjects
were mainly approached for teenagers from 12 and older, during this age they are studying the six
level of elementary school. There was a little resistance level for the approaching of these
subjects; in the Guatemalan communities there is a high level of ignorance and also an infinitive
list of taboos related to sexual and reproductive
subjects.

It was able to reduce the resistance to the subject
informing to the teachers and parents in general on
the importance of the approaching of these
educational subjects in teenagers. Thanks to the
level or power of the educators of health and
nutrition with their communities it was possible to
Students participating a the Food and Nutritional Safety
reach the 124 schools of the project and there were
Workshop given by Funcafé Technicians
given these subjects not only for students but also for
teachers.

The main subjects related to sexual and reproductive health were: family planning, planning
methods, productive risks in women, responsible parenthood and motherhood and sexual transfer
diseases. It was interesting to know the level of interest that the students demonstrated on the
subject.

Final Comments

Teenagers between 12 years and older, have several

doubts related to sexuality and reproduction. Sadly in the
Guatemalan communities it continuous to be a hidden
subject that the parents hardly talk about in a responsible
way with their children. For that reason at the moment

Some students using a micro irrigation system in a of the approach at school, students took the time to ask
horticultural garden
questions and expressed their multiple doubts on the
subject. As Funcafé it is expected that in a middle and long term this generation be more
responsible with its sexuality and that the acquired knowledge be transferred to new generations.
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The introduction of micro irrigation technology was strategically, students and teachers
demonstrated a greater interest in the use of technology. Each school was given with an irrigation
system of 100 square meters. With this technology they were able to produce three cycles of
horticultural harvest and in some schools where the teacher lived in the community and the
students actively participated, they were able to produce a fourth harvest cycle.

There exists a high interest at Ministerio de Educación and other programs for food and nutritional
security in Guatemala for the development of school gardens in the country and they look for
Funcafé as leader process.

Parents came to the school with the desire to know a little more of technology, there they were
able to observe its functioning and use. Through the introduction of technology in schools, there
was an increase on the demand of the families for more micro irrigation systems and they were
also more interested in the use of this kind of technology for the production of horticultural
gardens, and also to be able to improve their production system. Students are more curious and
they discover the benefits of the use of technology easily, they execute an influential level in their
parents and achieve that they improve their habitual
practices in the field.

It is expected that over 11.000 students that met the
micro irrigation system technology may be able in the
future to improve their productive systems and also be
able to reduce the resistance to the use of this technology
as well as the future technologies, in order to improve their Students showing the harvest of the horticultural
garden
food production systems. That these students be aware that

there exist new methods that help them produce more units and that they must be accompanied
with the updating process in order to face the challenges of the future, in the endless search of
food.

Funcafé continuing with its constitutional mandate and focusing its efforts to achieve its vision-to
promote human development in the rural area- expects to have contributed in the improvement
of life quality of the families participating in SCAMPIS Project and also expects that this
improvement process, for the new generations that were able to participate in the integral
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implementation of the actions of SCAMPIS, use the learned actions and continue the learning
curve in order to improve their own living conditions.

Funcafé has the certainty that is leaving a wider opening and acceptability of the micro irrigation
technology, water purification system, subjects like food and nutritional security and sexual and
reproductive health, in the intervene places through SCAMPIS, in an individual level, family level,
organizational level and community level.

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2. Scaling up integrated strategies for micro-irrigation through
coffee producers
Mynor Maldonado, Executive Director, Funcafé, Guatemala. Mail: mynor.dmm@funcafe.org

Abstract

Scampis Guatemala Project began as a part of a Feeding and Nutritional Security Area and was developed in
three intervention modalities: Alliance with a City Hall; Alliance with an Association of exporting
horticultural producers; direct attention to the user families in the community.

Scampis project in Guatemala focused on the feeding and nutritional security where irrigation technology
represented an innovative strategy that can contribute the food security improvement.

The intervention of the project was designed in an integrated way with actions that allowed adding and
complementing technical, human and financial resources; looking for an individual and collective behavior
change in the intervention communities through these resources. As consequence Funcafé arranged
additional resources in order to integrate the actions and strategies from which were considered five
approaching strategies: integration of technical components; methodological approach; working with
women; differentiated attention and formal education on feeding and nutritional security.

The integration of actions as well as the implementation of irrigation system technology was institutionally
adopted within the Feeding and Nutritional Security of Funcafé in a way that the new projects for the next
five years consider the good practices and lessons learned through Scampis FIDA Project.

For the sustainability of future actions it is hoped to be able to work with Small Producing Organizations,
Cooperatives and Coffee Associations and it is also defined a goal of 5000 individual systems of 50m² a total
of 25Ha under micro-irrigation production intended for the self-consumption and 1.000Has with
greenhouse system through irrigation with a commercial production focus. These families belong to
organizations of producers who are linked to an agricultural chain (coffee and horticultural production).

The learned lessons through Scampis Project were systematized and the experiences are being incorporated
in the new actions as a continuous improvement process in the rural developing management.
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The Fundación para la Caficultura para el Desarrollo Rural (Coffee Foundation for Rural
Development)-FUNCAFE-2 as social branch of Guatemalan coffee producers, works in three
strategically areas: Education, Health and Feeding and Nutritional Security.

Scampis Guatemalan Project was designed under the Feeding and Nutritional Security Area; it was
also developed in the intervention modalities:

1. Alliance with a City Hall: Cobán, Alta Verapaz3 City Hall made the selection of communities
and families, and gave technical advising as well as seeds for the production of vegetables
which were sold in the local market.

2. Alliance with an Association of exporting horticultural producers-AGRISEM-4: in this case
AGRISEM, made the selection of families, the technical assistance and granting of seeds,
which most of the producers used to cultivate small vegetables for exportation.

3. Direct attention to the user families: in this third modality the technical personnel from
Funcafé did all the execution process with an integrated attention; this integrated
attention considered organization actions as well as community participation, preventive
health, with emphasis in sexual and reproductive health; maternal-enfant health;
nutritional education for mothers, children and teachers; vegetable garden production
training under bio-intensive agriculture and also the implementation of micro irrigation
system as the technical innovation of the project.

During the execution was present the personnel who gave technical assistance on each of
the approached subjects. It was integrated an educators team with higher education in

order to have additional help and monitoring within the communities that received the
advising from the expertise on vegetable gardens, nutrition, adult education and
preventive health.

2
FUNCAFE, was established by coffee producers in 1994.
3
Cobán, Alta Verapaz is a place North Guatemala City, with an Indigenous-Mayan population from Queqchí
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ethnic group.
4
AGRISEM is an Agricultural Association located at Uspantán, El Quiché, and Indigenous-Mayan population
from Quiché ethnic group.

It was also monitored the advance of the project each trimester and the coverage was extended
with the participation of local agents like city halls, non-governmental organizations and producer
cooperatives.

The integration of actions as well as the implementation of irrigation technology, was
institutionally adopted within Feeding and Nutritional Safety from Funcafé, in a way that those
projects for the next five years consider the good practices and learned lessons from Scampis FIDA
project.

Integrated Strategies

Scampis Project in Guatemala focused on
feeding and nutritional security, where
irrigation technology represented an innovative
method to contribute in one of the feeding
security pillars, as for food production,
especially for self consumption.

In order to have a greater impact in the
intervention of the project it was designed an
integrated way with actions that allowed adding
and complementing technical, human and Demonstrative workshop in school V-gardens
financial resources; looking for an individual and
collective behavior change in the intervention communities through these resources. As
consequence Funcafé arranged additional resources to integrate the actions and strategies from

which were considered five approaching strategies: differentiated attention and formal education
on feeding and nutritional safety.

1. Technical Components: preventive health; feeding and nutritional security; education.
Each technical component was designed and assisted by the professional responsible
within the Foundation. It is important to clear up that the main financial support from
Scampis was designated to the implementation of irrigation technology by irrigation.
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2. Methodological Approach: learning by making. The implementation process in the field
was under the philosophy of learning by making, this was applied by children, teachers

and community members. Schools were constituted in demonstrative centers and the
bonding of children learning at school through the practical classes with everything that
their parents were doing at home, for the production of food.

3. Working with women: organization and training in situ. Most of the community groups
were integrated by women (60%). The participation of women turned out to be
strategically due that the irrigation systems were for small areas (from 50 to 100 square
meters) and also because of the feeding care of the children and mostly, for the rest of the
family is in the hands of the mothers.

4. Differentiated Attention: individual, family, community and organizational. Users received
differentiated attention and advising, according to age, region conditions, idiosyncrasy,
especially for the sexual health and reproductive subject. As family level it was
emphasized in home hygiene, harmlessness in food, consumption of safe water and it was
given to several member of the family. In the community it was given according to their
needs and interests and it was also respected their community values. As organizational
level it was heard and known their interests, it was negotiated the support for the greater
use of the financing and it was concreted the support
by responding to the objectives of the project and
benefits of the organization.

5. Formal Education in Nutritional Security: training to
school teachers, organization and children training,
educational material at classrooms as part of the

education program from rural elementary level. It was
incorporated technology at schools, considering that
schools are an excellent demonstrative and learning
mean. Technology was also accompanied with training
to teachers as well as technical advising in the production of school horticultural gardens,
which allowed in a practical way to teach children the feeding and nutritional security
principals. There were designed reference and advising books for the application of the
principals at school, by the families and in the community.
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6. Generation of Knowledge: Scampis Project strengthened the capacity to systematize the
good practice actions and their learned lessons, as a way to generate knowledge as well as
organizational learning. Derived from this strengthening it was defined the management
unit structure of projects that consider the design, monitoring and evaluation of the
projects within Funcafé.

Scaling up with coffee producers in Guatemala

Asociación Nacional del Café (Guatemalan National Coffee Association) –ANACAFE-, within a vision
of rural development defined a new strategically plan 2013-2017 of the Productivity and
Development agenda. This agenda considers production elements and competitiveness of coffee
chain and social development subject which by orders of farmers must be performed by Funcafé.
So the new interventions during this period of work will be closely coordinated between the
technical-economic and social matter.
As consequence of the above, the first project to replicate the learned lessons and practices of
Scampis Guatemala, will be supported by the United States Government (USG) aimed to reduce
poverty, hunger and malnutrition.

The project will be performed through a consortium between ANACAFE, Confederación
Guatemalteca de Federaciones de Cooperativas (CONFECOOP),5 FUNDASISTEMAS6 and FUNCAFE,
where Funcafé is the responsible for implementing the food security component. That is why this
project called Rural Value Chain –RVC- is centered around a design that addresses several aspects
concerning to the development, incorporating the elements listed below.

 Make a juxtaposition of economic growth with improvements in nutrition, not as coincidence
but looking at them as independent goals;
 Requires implementing a participatory and strong approach, from bottom-up, to achieve
behavior changes that affect nutrition and economic status;
 Give attribution to the private sector to generate equitable economic growth in the
agricultural area.
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5
High organization of small producers organized in cooperatives.
6
Foundation with experience in business development.

The expected results include increase incomes of producers through innovations in production
techniques and market access, along with improvements in nutrition levels through changes in
behavior based on educational approaches. Here are some highlight elements of the proposal.

The Consortium: ANACAFE will be the organization that leads a Consortium of producers
and entities working in favor of development. This provides greatest ownership of the
project and builds capacities in local organizations. Together with its partner CONFECOOP,
ANACAFE becomes the leader of a value chain that includes more than 15,000 producers
in the objective Departments. They have been major players in the process by which
Guatemala managed to enter, and even stood out prominently, in the specialized
international markets of coffee crops and vegetables. The Consortium will play several
roles within RVCP, including where they become beneficiaries, as designers and executors
of the project, contributors in the role of a counterparty organization and also they
become the vehicle to achieve a sustainable development that extends beyond the life of
the project (LOP). The fact to have incorporated small producing organizations of the rural
area since the beginning is a way to strengthen their participation in defining the
objectives of the program, as well as strengthening its commitment to share the costs and
responsibilities of the project.

Technical Support and Business Development: The Consortium partners are the main
organizations to provide technical services to our target groups of producers and
entrepreneurs. The models we are going to use to provide the technical support and
business development incorporate a number of processes that will bring as result that the

beneficiaries will “graduate” from the program, leaving behind the benefit of a subsidized
service. By graduating a number of beneficiaries, the provided assistance will have the
chance to incorporate new producers and entrepreneurs to strengthen programs and,
thus, will expand the process made on issues of productivity, quality, profitability, and so
on.

Communications: The design we use for RCVP manages to incorporate a combination of
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strategies previously tested, with innovative practices of Guatemalan institutions.

Technology Expansion (SMR)
Working with organizations of small producers, Cooperatives and Associations of coffee under this
new project will allow the implementation of the irrigation technology on a level of individual
systems of 50m2, with a total of 25Ha under micro-irrigation; this production will be destined for
consumption and 1.000Has with irrigation under greenhouse systems, for commercial production
purposes. It aims to cover at least 5.000 new families in the western rural area. These families
belong to organizations of producers that are linked to an agricultural-food chain (coffee and
vegetables).
Working with women
Chronic malnutrition in children under five years of age
has a direct correlation, - although this is not due to –
the educational level of the mother. Recent
information in Guatemala indicate that chronic
malnutrition rates of children with mothers who have
an education equivalent to high school education is
15.8%; the rate of those mothers with elementary
school level is 43.3%; and the rate of those mothers who did not attend school is 62.9%.
The poverty and chronic malnutrition issue will be addressed as a complement to the
governmental activities that promote habit changes and nutritional practices of this group. It is
going to be emphasized in the work with mothers because they constitute a key factor in the field
of production to self consumption, selection and preparation of food for the family.

Main future actions

The main actions under the new proposal include:
 School and family gardens with micro dripping
irrigation.
 Training on health and nutrition issues for
elementary school teachers.
 Training in health and nutrition.
 De-worming
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 Alternative methods for the handling and processing of safe water.
 Firewood saving stoves for smoke-free family spaces.

Monitoring & Evaluation
A lesson learned in Scampis project is the correct definition of indicators, outputs, outcomes and
impact. This involves the removal of a baseline that allows defining the starting point and the
conditions of people, families and communities before the project intervention and objectively
measuring the contribution of the project to improve the lives of families. As well as the
evaluation of the effectiveness cost of implemented practices.

Conclusions

The execution of Scampis Project Guatemala, allowed:

 Spaces for users “rural community club” theses spaces made easier the sharing of
knowledge, experiences and collective learning.

 Opening of rural population to unknown technology.

 Implementation of 27 hectares of agricultural production under the micro irrigation
system, low pressure systems to accessible prices for the rural population.

 To learn and optimize the water resource for the production of food.

 To generate a positive change in behavior before the production of agricultural food in
areas where did not exist horticultural production culture.

 To diversify the diet and increase the availability of food in the user families.

 To learn how to treat the water human consumption in a safe way.

 Irrigation technology represented a good practice, which was instituted by Funcafé in its
Feeding Security Projects for the coffee growing area in different regions of the country.

 The learned Lessons through Scampis Project were systematized and the experiences are
being incorporated in the new actions as a continuous improvement process.
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3. “The first experience lasts forever”: Bijaya Kumar experience
as Scampis promoter
Bijaya Kumar Rout, Scampis Business Associate, IDEI , Orissa, India. Mail: bijaya1970@yahoo.com

Who am I?
I (Bijaya Kumar Rout) belong to a small tribal village called
Chandragiri in Gajapati district of Odisha State. Born in a poor
family of seven members I somehow managed to complete my
graduation in 1990. After two years I got an opportunity to work
as program staff at Chandragiri under Suara Development Agency
(SDA), Government of Odisha. There I was involved in various
Socio-economic development programs and served 15 years for
the development of Primitive Tribes. I went to the field with
other staff to meet the tribal people. They were facing many hardships including the almost
absence of health facilities and huge language barrier. They live on hilltops and engage only in rain
fed agriculture. They are very simple and hard working people. Lacking suitable irrigation facilities
and lack of knowledge about modern agriculture practices are the key factors for their under
development. In my interaction with them I can say that agriculture is their main livelihood. As far
as agriculture is concerned, irrigation is their key constraint and they cannot afford electric, diesel

or petrol pump sets.

It is said that first experience lasts forever. I would like to briefly talk about my first field

day experience. I was travelling with my Motor Bike to village Gumiguda which is 34 Kms from my
location. I reached there around 9 am. I was a bit anxious about meeting people and sharing with
them about the project & products. But to my surprise, there was not even one male member in
the village. They were engaging in terrace cultivation and therefore not present in the village. I
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thought to myself- “now what to do”? I just walked around in the small village and saw some
fields. I found barren land everywhere. Then suddenly it struck me- let’s start from the scratch and

here in this village itself. Then I selected one of the many barren fields and decided to install Micro
Irrigation System. At the same time a small boy came and started to make enquiries about me &
what I was doing. I came to know that the boy is the son of the land owner.
I asked to bring his father. Then the farmer came and I got an opportunity we both discussed in
detail about the use and benefit of MIS sitting in the field. A smile appeared on his face. But he
expressed his inability to purchase the MIS. Then both of us went to dealer shop to get the system
on credit with a condition that he must return his contribution amount in a week time as the
farmer contribution because of the subsidy is very less. Finally the dealer agreed and the rest as
they say is history.

The day after, I installed a Drum Kit in his field and Chilly, Brinjal & Tomatoes seedlings were

planted. I supported him by providing proper guidance to take care of his plants. Then LOF
prepared and installed in his field and in due time it applied to the plants. When the plants
appeared in full of green and crop the farmer was very happy and expressed his gratitude. But I
reminded him that actually it was because of his own positive attitude and a great deal of trust on
me. After few days the farmer started harvesting the crops for his family members and

inclusion of vegetables in their diets was thrilling! He started to share his joys with others and
started selling surplus crops to the village people & in local markets. He earned more money
gradually. He earned approximately INR 5, 000 from that single crop in a season. He spent money
on purchasing good clothes for family members and repaid old debt. Since then he has been
cultivating vegetable crops in every season by using MIS and receiving more financial benefits.
With continued use he has been able to converting his thatched house to a new tin roofed house,
purchased land and ornaments etc. and living with his family happily. Bijaya Kumar Rout IDEI; July

2012
Moreover, the SHG members were not aware about vegetable cultivation. After my joining in
SCAMPIS I have mobilized more than 40 SHGs about 500 women members. They are now involved
and are using our technologies have enhanced their knowledge on vegetable cultivation,
preparation of LOF i.e. Pot manure, Magic Tonic & Vermi Wash. All SHGs have cultivated and
harvested different crops like Tomato, Brinjal, Okra successfully and developed their economic
condition. They are following our recommendation on cultivation.
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