Building Resilience to Environmental Challenges
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Building Resilience to Environmental Challenges VOLUME 37 2016 The Inter-American Foundation (IAF), an independent foreign assistance agency of the United States government, was created in 1969 to promote citizen-led development by awarding grants directly to organizations in Latin America and the Caribbean. Its operating budget consists of congressional appropriations as well as resources derived through the Social Progress Trust Fund, channeled through inter-agency agreements and contributed by exter- nal donors. The Inter-American Foundation The IAF prints Grassroots Development in English and Spanish and posts Robert N. Kaplan, President English and Spanish versions on www.iaf.gov. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the IAF. Original material produced by the IAF and pub- Board of Directors lished in Grassroots Development is in the public domain and may be freely Eddy Arriola, Chair reproduced. Certain material in this journal, however, has been provided by Juan Carlos Iturregi, Vice Chair other sources and might be copyrighted. Reproduction of such material may J. Kelly Ryan require prior permission from the copyright holder. IAF requests notification Jack C. Vaughn of any reproduction and acknowledgement of the source. Back issues are Luis A. Viada available online. Roger W. Wallace To receive the journal, e-mail [email protected] or write to the follow- ing address: Grassroots Development, Inter-American Foundation, 1331 Grassroots Development Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Suite 1200 North, Washington, DC 20004 Journal of the Inter-American Foundation Managing Editor: Bryon Wells Assistant Editor: Cloud Spurlock Photo Editor: Mark Caicedo Design and Printing: U.S. Government Publishing Office Cover and opposite page: An unidentified man swings a machete to clear a tree felled by Hurricane Matthew shortly after the storm in October in Les Cayes, in the Sud department of Haiti. Photo: Courtesy of Keziah Jean of Glenglobe Productions in Haiti. Printed on recycled paper using soy-based ink. 2 Grassroots Development 2016 37 VOLUME 37 2016 Contents Building Resilience to Environmental Challenges When Resilience isn’t Enough David Einhorn .................................................................................................. 2 Let’s Talk Roya Seth Jesse .......................................................................................................... 7 Tackling New Challenges with Old Practices in Rural Honduras Sarah Stewart and Mary DeLorey .................................................................... 12 Seeds for the Future Luis Eduardo Merino ...................................................................................... 16 Photo Essay Maguey Spinners of the Mezquital Valley Bryon Wells and Keith Dannemiller ................................................................ 22 At the IAF An Eye for Beauty in Challenging Environments Bryon Wells .................................................................................................... 30 In the Field: Living with Drought David Ivan Fleischer ....................................................................................... 34 Book Review: Open Borders to a Revolution Seth Jesse ........................................................................................................ 39 2016 IAF Fellows ............................................................................................... 40 Building Resilience to Environmental Challenges limate change, and the environmental chal- Nations in 2015 to endorse the sustainable develop- lenges it creates, is an issue for communities ment goals. They included it among the specific targets Caround the world. This is evident in many of for 2030 that provide the basis for monitoring progress. the places in Latin America and the Caribbean where According to World Bank estimates, climate change the IAF works. Environmental phenomena, including could push more than 100 million people into poverty both persistent droughts and severe storms, represent by 2030 unless communities worldwide embrace effec- an urgent, tangible threat to poor communities that tive mitigation measures. bear the brunt of the impact. We are proud to report that the Finca Humana In this issue of the Grassroots Development Journal, approach to agriculture, the farmer-to-farmer method- we explore how our grassroots partners are building ology for sustainable practices championed by the late resilience to cope with this ever present problem. Elías Sánchez, is helping Honduran families weather The risks from climate change are many and prolonged drought while enhancing quality of life. diverse. Some hazards develop rapidly. Others develop slowly over many years with effects that are not easily predictable. Rising sea levels contribute to flooding and population displacement along coastlines. Prolonged drought threatens food supply and increases the risk of wildfire. Fluctuating ocean temperatures provide an engine for more extreme weather events. Seasonal storms and massive hurricanes can wipe out entire towns — like we saw in October 2016 in Haiti. The cover photo for this issue reflects the resolve of Haitians to respond to Hurricane Matthew. The article inside focuses on how our Haitian partners are working to rebuild their communities. For decades the IAF has collaborated with Haitians who have come together to improve their own communities through projects focused on food security, education, health, small business development and sustainable agricul- ture — all priorities that they identified. As we mourn the lives lost in several of those communities that were hit hardest by Matthew, the IAF will also continue to strengthen networks built over time to give local people more agency over their future. Being prepared to respond quickly when disaster strikes can save lives. It is also important to work ahead of time to improve community resilience. World lead- ers recognized that disaster prevention and mitigation is a development issue when they met at the United practice of cultivating agave in the Valle del Mezquital in Hidalgo state, transforming their crafts into popular cosmetic products sought by clients across the globe. In Colombia, the onset of desertification in the Andean departments of Tolima and Cauca is compli- cated by invasive mining practices that divert precious water resources. Mono-agricultural practices that reduce diversity of plants and animals increase reliance on chemical fertilizers and may ultimately decrease yields. The story “Seeds for the Future” shows how an IAF grantee partner is bridging communities with different interests through model farm schools that promote environmentally friendly agricultural prac- tices. In the process they have built understanding and cooperation among neighbors through the creation of seed banks for the recovery, conservation and manage- Sánchez’s legacy, showcased in the article “Tackling ment of native seeds. New Challenges With Old Practices in Rural Honduras,” The article “Living With Drought” describes showed these families how to increase and diversify pro- how communities in the semiarid northeast of Brazil duction using organic and other technologies that are are adapting to cope with historic, lengthy periods less invasive and conserve more water. Building commu- of little or no precipitation. They are building water nity, they cultivate mind and spirit as much as the land. cisterns and rainwater catchment systems. They are The effects of climate change in Latin America and planting agroecological gardens and switching to the Caribbean can have national and regional secu- livestock that are more resilient to drought. Native rity implications for the United States when it forces beekeeping and honey production, and small enter- people to leave home. For example, the U.S. Strategy for prises have enabled them to improve rural livelihoods Engagement in Central America includes the drop in in spite of the drought. household income associated with the damage caused Grassroots Development will continue to high- by coffee fungus among the root causes of migra- light grassroots perspectives on promoting resilience tion from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. In to environmental challenges in Latin America and the the article “Let’s Talk Roya,” we explore how grantee Caribbean. Working with local civil society organiza- partners in the region are taking steps to counter tions in the hemisphere for more than 45 years puts pervasive coffee rust infestations that are increas- the IAF in a unique position because we work directly ing due to warmer, wetter weather. With the IAF’s with the people who are most affected. They know help, innovations to fight Roya, such as organic reci- firsthand what’s at stake to lose. The stories in this issue pes for natural fertilizers and fungicides, have spread catalogue some of the ways they are addressing those from Central America to Mexico and the Dominican challenges to help their communities thrive. Republic. Similarly, providing our grassroots partners an opportunity to share their experiences has helped smallholder farmers begin to reduce vulnerability by diversifying their agricultural production to include fruit, vegetables, tubers and livestock. Resilience can also involve using traditional knowl- edge to bring ideas to the global market, as we see in a Robert N. Kaplan story in this issue from Mexico. A photographic essay President and CEO tells how collective work is generating supplemental Inter-American