The foundation for rural community development is small NGO, working in a 5 km2 indigenous reserve - characterised by ecological and economic crises. In this area the foundation has built up a centre for research and community services (CISEC - Centro de Investigacion y servicios comunitarios).
CISEC operates an experimentation and training center in the reserve where large demontration/production area also exist. For 15 years CISEC has provided training to local promoters in the fields of sustainable land use and health care. Workshops are held and a team of specialists guarantee continuous supervision and technical assistance for land users. The specialists plan the approach and the development of the technology. Its design and the precise implementation steps ate clearly prescribed.
The overall purpose of the approach is to raise the living standard of the marginalized indigenous people through alternative development opportunities. This is achieved by focusing on four principle areas
- Promoting an alternative land management system ensuring sustained and diversified production based on the principles of organic farming
- Improving basic health services, sanitation and promoting balanced nutrition
- Training, education and capacity building at three levels
(a)Integration of sustainable land management as a topic in the local college - directed by CISEC
(b)Basic training on technology implementation, ecological processes and accounting for all participants
(c)Special workshops to train local promoters who continue to advise land users after the implementation stage through various means, including development of teaching materials, libraries, workshop courses, farm visits and demonstration sites.
- Economical dimension: a new initiative within the programme focuses on marketing of organic products.
Participating land users have to adhere to specific requirements and fulfil certain conditions. For example the layout of the agroforestry system has to be done to plan, groups must be organized and a schedule for implementation developed. Participatory identification of problems and needs takes place in community assemblies and through individual talks between extensionists and land users. To facilitate the implementation and ensure the continuation of SWC practices, land user groups manage a revolving fund based on the subsidised provision of manure (manure for work) during the establishment phase of the technology.
