Project Narrative

CONTEXT Pintze is an afforestation and reforestation project, located in the hilly region of Huehuetenango, alongside the Mexican border. In this region, coffee is recognized for its high quality beans. It is grown by small-scale farmers on the hillsides of Vista Hermosa, Esperanza and down. Average size of coffee farm is close to 1.0 ha. Coffee trees are growing on highly steep terrain, where soil erosion (due to important water runoff and heavy rains) threatens both the quantity and quality of coffee yields. Reducing soil erosion becomes critical in order to maintain productivity and quality.Additionally, the majority of small-scale farmers has been badly hit by rust in the past and is constraint to renew its coffee fields. Enhancing the coffee production resilience in terms of yields and quality, through an agroforestry project, constitute the best strategy to support economically local communities.The project has been implemented in the influence zone of associations from Huehuetenango cluster and started with ADESC, ASCAFCA and UPC farmer associations. BENEFITS Planting trees within the plots will ensure regeneration and soil fixation, preservation of biodiversity, improved productivity and quality of coffee, and diversification of income for local communities.The agroforestry program was launched with several producers’ organizations: ADESC, UPC, ASCAFCA, ASDEFLOR, Comal and ADIESTO ASOPERC. These two latter organizations are composed of small coffee farmers with an average of 75 producers per association. They are engaged in the production of AAA quality coffee, which is exported to European countries. In two years, Fruit and forest trees have been planted with two main objectives well defined: generate environmental services and contribute to the economic development of local organizations and coffee producers of the Huehuetenango area.