El Mirador Agro-Ecological Farm. This project began in 1972 with an extension programme for water and soil conservation run by Marcos Orozco from World Neighbours for the farming communities of San Martín Jilotepeque, among them the family of Marcos Huz, present owner of El Mirador.
The project helped families purchase plots of land to use as teaching centres for agro-ecology and sustainable agriculture, using the “farmer-to-farmer” method, where farmers teach each other, experiment and share ideas and experiences about useful farming and livestock techniques, traditional Maya practices, and water and soil conservation methods. During the civil war, the project was scaled back and many families were forced into exile, such as the case of Marcos, who continued to help with teaching and his family’s survival from abroad.
In 2003, the Huz family returned to El Mirador, where they worked to recover their land and faced new challenges. Now, after so much adversity and injustice, El Mirador is once again healthy and full of potential! The family maintains their mission of building an exchange centre to promote the sustainable use of natural resources to improve the quality of life of men, women and children. They still contribute to the original Farmer-to-Farmer program, basing their work on its four basic components: community, livestock, farming, environment. In addition to this, family togetherness, living in harmony with nature, respect, love, spirituality, and strength in the face of adversity have all helped this enriching experience to improve the environment, food security, quality of life, the family economy, and organizing the farmers. This and much more has been achieved through the participation and efforts of the farmers themselves.
Chimaltenango, 20 April 2010
Santiago Ameigeiras
EQUIPO COMUNICÁNDONOS
