News...
Presentation of the Findings from the Community Census of Agriculture and Irrigation to the Food and Agriculture Organization of The United Natios, FAO
On July 31, 2013 Fundación Cimas del Ecuador presented the Methodology for Studies of Agricultural (Farming) Production at a parochial Level and the findings of the Community Census of Agriculture and Irrigation, CECAR (Censo Comunitario Agropecuario y de Riego) held in the La Esperanza Parish, at the kind invitation of FAO in Quito, Ecuador.
The Community Census of agriculture and irrigation (CECAR) held in all productive units (1,991 sites) of the La Esperanza Parish, Pedro Moncayo County, conducted by Fundación Cimas del Ecuador and funded by FAO in 2012, identified that the 43.92 % had high levels of soil degradation, and 27.62 % have irrigation, which remain vulnerable to the effects of climate change. The 83.86 % uses organic fertilizer (animal, stubble, green manure)1.
These data demonstrated that the establishment of new codes of conduct in the process of agricultural development, especially in the La Esperanza Parish could contribute to the modification of the productive matrix and to support food safety processes in the county and the Pichincha Province.
The same reference study showed that only the %8.9 of the producers from La Esperanza parish are associated, reflecting a low level of associativity and a low level for facing new challenges of production to meet external needs for the production of products considered exotic in European countries such as the strawberries and the gold-berry fruit (uvilla); this trend could be reversed with training, technical assistance and support to the producers from the county through the implementation of an agroecological demonstration farm to be implemented in the parish of La Esperanza2.
The main idea is to incorporate the agricultural producers from the Pedro Moncayo county and enterprising families that have territory plots with 5.000 square meters minimum, based on the experience acquired by the President of the Gobierno Autónomo Descentralizado Parroquial Rural de la Esperanza and the demonstrations done in "situ" to representatives of several international organizations such as the FAO and the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO, which were held on August 15, 2013; the results showed a financial and health improvement as evidenced by a pair of elderly adults from La Esperanza county, whose economic income increased and currently they only buy salt, soap and lard, considering that in their plot they are able to harvest the food needed for their daily sustenance and the surpluses are sold every weekend in the agroecological fair, which has been implemented at the edge of the La Esperanza – Tabacundo highway3.
1. Foundation Cimas-FAO. Incorporation of Agricultural Variables in the Local Community
2. Project submitted to the European Community. August - 2013.
3. Morocho Hilario. Visit agroecological farm, Chimbacalle with FAO officials, 15-Aug-2013.