Ahuachapán, El Salvador, Advances Towards More Resilient Agriculture with 900 Hectares of Agroforestry Systems for Basic Grains

• This initiative strengthens the sustainable production of basic grains and improves the livelihoods of 750 families in San Francisco Menéndez.

The transformation of the agricultural sector in San Francisco Menéndez, Ahuachapán, El Salvador, is progressing with the implementation of 900 hectares of agroforestry systems (SAF) for basic grain production. This initiative aims to strengthen community resilience to climate change and improve food security for approximately 750 farming families.

The project is financed by the Adaptation Fund (AF), with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as the development partner. Its implementation is led by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) and the Environmental Investment Fund of El Salvador (FIAES), while the CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) is responsible for its technical execution.

Key Advances in the Territory

To date, the project has achieved significant milestones in the implementation process:

• Planning and productive land management: A total of 246 farm plans have been updated in nine communities within the cantons of La Ceiba, El Jocotillo, and El Sacramento, covering a total of 300.90 hectares. These farms belong to 246 families, of which 48% are led by women.
• Infrastructure for sustainable production: Two structures (storage sheds) for the production of agroecological inputs have been built, each measuring 5x8 meters. These are located in the communities of Los Violantes (La Ceiba canton) and El Amatal (El Sacramento canton).
• Technical support for farmers: A total of 88 follow-up visits have been conducted with the same number of farmers covering 62 hectares, as part of efforts to strengthen agroforestry production in the region.
• Training and capacity-building: Eight workshops have been conducted to train farmers on the SAF technique for basic grains, with 272 participants, 48% of whom are women.

Óscar Gómez, a farmer and community promoter in the district, highlighted that the project will promote sustainable production by training farmers in the preparation of organic bio-inputs for maize, beans, and sorghum cultivation.

This initiative is part of the ESCALAR Project: Scaling Climate Change Adaptation Solutions for Resilience and Migration Reduction in the Central American Dry Corridor, led by CATIE with funding from Swedish Cooperation.