The Nourishing the Future Program Builds Resilience Among Tilapia and Pig Producers in Honduras
When Hurricanes Eta and Iota made landfall in Honduras in 2020, the Nourishing the Future program supported smallholder producers of tilapia and pig to improve their production and recoup the losses experienced from the hurricanes. Nourishing the Future has been implemented for over a decade between Cargill and CARE across the Central America region, designed to ensure agricultural communities are prosperous, resilient and that healthy and nutritious eating habits are strengthened in homes and schools.
By 2022, the three-year phase of the program will reach over 1.2 million people in Central America through its transformational interventions. Nourishing the Future supports rural and micro-entrepreneurial livestock producers and their families – with a strong focus on women producers. In Honduras alone over the last 18 months, 378 livestock producers were reached directly, receiving improved livestock production training, technical monitoring, and financial support. 286 are women producers and, to date, they have produced more than 21 tons of meat and 314 tons of tilapia.
During the hurricane recovery, from February to April 2021, Cargill and CARE helped rebuild 400 family gardens and 15 tilapia ponds that were damaged by the hurricanes and delivered vouchers to 220 micro-entrepreneur families and inputs to 225 producers as part of an emergency response effort in Honduras. Tilapia production in Honduras, with a per capita income of US$3,299, was the most profitable production chain in the region despite losses suffered by heavy rains and landslides.
Cargill specialists provide technical knowledge and training while CARE and local government team members connect with communities, ensure inclusion of women and vulnerable groups, and share information with the participating producers in the community. With Cargill’s technical expertise and CARE’s network, they form an impactful team.
“In Honduras, the support of Cargill's technical specialists has been critical, they have provided technical assistance and content. In addition, before the pandemic, we held the first Tilapia Fair, in Santa Cruz de Yojoa, to give access to the market to the producers who benefited," said Edgar Medina, CARE Coordinator in Honduras.
"As producers, we are grateful to Cargill’s technicians for contributing with the first tilapia fair. We were satisfied to have participated because we became known throughout the community as a tilapia producing business and, most importantly, we were able to contact new customers”, said Magdalena Rivera, Partner of Asociación de Acuicultores del Achotal.
"It is very satisfying to see every small producer's dream fulfilled thanks to the knowledge we are sharing with them. I hope this will generate greater development and sustainability in their projects and with that, they improve their livelihoods and the quality of lives of their families," said José Tercero, Honduras Aquaculture Territory Manager at CQN Latam North.
Working with farmers and in partnership through programs like Nourishing the Future, Cargill brings its purpose of nourishing the world in a safe, responsible, and sustainable way to life, by providing producers with access to the right tools, information, and training, to succeed in their agricultural and livestock companies.