CLIMATE-SMART FARMING

Is supporting farmers in generating income through sustainable farming by learning to manage integrated production systems

SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE

Ya’axché is helping farmers adopt climate-smart and environmentally friendly farming practices that will not only help decrease the cutting down of forests, but also support the livelihoods of the families in the Maya Golden Landscape. The MGL farmers practice farming techniques that are resilient to climate change, ensure food sovereignty and protect ecosystems.

SUPPORTING FARMERS

We maintain close communication with farmers to keep updated with their challenges, needs and inquiries so that we can support them in the application of climate-smart farming. In addition to providing training, access to equipment, materials and supplies, our extension team makes constant visits to provide technical and practical advice to farmers on how to establish, maintain and improve their climate-smart farms. Furthermore, the MGL farmers are growing their farms into sustainable enterprises by adding values to their farm produce. Our team is supporting farmers’ entrepreneurship by providing them with small business development plans, technical assistance and training in products and services improvements.

OUR IMPACT

Farmers across the Maya Golden Landscape are expressing the need to implement farming practices that are good for the environment and that also generate sustainable income. They realize that their farming techniques need to improve so that the environment can continue to support them and their families into the future. Responding to this need, Ya’axché is supporting the MGL farmers to implement climate-smart farming practices, such as cacao-based agroforestry, inga alley cropping, slash and mulch, apiculture and developing value-added farm products.

 

Farmers have been supported to create demonstration farms, whereby these exceptional farmers share their experiences and knowledge with new farmers. The implementation of climate-smart farming practices has prevented the loss of forest in the MGL and is providing farmers and their families with nutritious food such as fruits, vegetables, grains, ground food, herbs and spices.

 

Farmer of the Year Award

To acknowledge the good work of the MGL farmers, we award outstanding farmers at our annual Ya’axché Farmers’ Expo through the Farmer of the Year Award. The Expo started as a “Race against Fire” in 2010, where community members of the MGL participated in a bicycle race to spread awareness on the importance of an integrated fire management approach. Since the Expo has expanded its reach to other climate-smart farming practices to spread awareness on beekeeping, agroforestry and inga alley cropping, becoming  Ya’axché Farmers’ Expo.

Ya’axché Farmers’ Expo 2021

Climate-Smart Farming Practices

DOWNLOAD OUR REPORTS

The document below contain information on the different farming practices we promote with farmers within the Maya Golden Landscape.

Organic Cacao Agroforestry Manual

Integrated Farming Manual

Maya Mountain North Forest Reserve: Agroforestry Concession Case Study

Agroecological Manual

Ya’axché Community Outreach & Livelihoods Program brochure

For more resources go to the downloads section of our website.