Farmers Serving as Agents of Change

In Nicaragua people depend greatly on corn and its derived products as staples in their diets. Self-Help International (SHI), in its commitment to helping people help themselves, has taken on the challenge to introduce to farmers a new variety of corn that has high nutritional value and is more productive.  Besides a high protein content, the INTA-Nutrader seed has a good  flavor and consistency plus excellent storage qualities.

In addition, SHI promotes a new form of planting known as the double-row technique. On a small area of land it is possible to harvest two to three times the production obtained with the traditional  varieties, utilizing a denser planting population and adequate fertilization and pest control.

Some farmers from the community of Caño Luis, located 35 km from the SHI headquarters in San Carlos, shared their experiences partnering with SHI.  All of them agreed that by using the INTA-Nutrader variety and new growing practices they are making a change in their community.  Other farmers learn by observing the results they obtain on their plots.  

Now the growers say “We are going to be an agent of change in our community, teaching our relatives and neighbors. We thank Self-Help International for taking the time to not only introduce us to a new high-quality variety of corn but also to support us with training and with credit to purchase the necessary inputs to realize its potential.”

Farmer Testimonies

Emilio

Emilio, who is the leader of the Caño Luis community and a member of the group, shared with us that Self-Help International donated 4 pounds of INTA-Nutrader seed corn to him for a demonstration plot on his farm.  “The seed and the planting method were new to me and the other farmers. After giving it the care recommended by the technician, the moment came when the corn could be harvested and eaten.  When we consumed it, we noticed that it was very different from the corn we had been consuming. The INTA-Nutrader corn had a sweet taste and satisfied the stomach. My wife cooks it preparing tortillas and other foods. We like that it can last a long time without preservatives or refrigeration, because here we do not have appliances that can preserve our food.”

“I obtained good results despite the presence of pests, with the help of the SHI technician’s recommendations. We managed to cope with the pests and obtain a yield of 350 pounds from the four pounds I received. From this harvest I have already used 50 pounds as seed to plant one hectare in the next growing season. The rest I saved for household consumption. I feel satisfied with the new variety, and I have noticed that it does not need much application of chemical products, so I know that it will generate a profit for me, even on a small plot. One of the biggest impediments that we have as farmers is the lack of cash, but with this variety we are using fewer inputs. Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to be part of this program.”

Antonia

Antonia, another farmer, shares with us: “I am part of the group from the community of Caño Luis. I am a farmer that likes to know about all types of crops. I also experimented with the demonstration plot supported by the technician of the Self-Help International agriculture program.  From the four pounds of seed that I planted I obtained 300 pounds of corn, which is a very good yield.  From this amount I have already set aside 100 pounds for the next planting season.  I also gave my daughter 100 pounds of this corn to plant.  The rest I have saved for our consumption at home. With the seed that I set aside to plant and that I gave to my daughter, I am making sure that for next year we will have quality corn and enough for everyone’s consumption.  I also know that I can sell the surplus or use it for feeding chickens and pigs. I will sell them once they are fattened, to help myself financially. I will sell them at the time of celebration, especially in the month of December for Christmas, and get a good price. I want to thank you for including me in this agricultural project and for providing us with knowledge through training, follow-up visits and supervision. When we are left on our own, we get discouraged and do not follow the recommendations, but the SHI technician always supports us with visits and phone calls.”

Jose

José is a producer who cannot hear, but he has a great ability to learn and work in the field. He is 37 years old and always follows the example of his relatives. They are also part of the of the Caño Luis group.  José says that he likes the new INTA-Nutrader variety because it is fast to harvest.  He has never seen corn that could be planted so close and survive. Even though there was a large population of plants he only used 10 pounds of urea to fertilize it, and he did so only once, yet the yields were good.  From the four pounds of corn donated to him by SHI he harvested 350 pounds. Of this, he kept 50 pounds to plant in the next growing season and saved the rest for consumption at home.

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