Ecuador
Capital: Quito
Population: 14,573,101
Population below national poverty line: 38.3%
Bóthar in Ecuador:
Bóthar has one large and on-going project in Ecuador that we have been supporting since 2003. While the farming of animals makes up the central part of the project, its focus is also on the preservation of the environment and in particular the sustainable management of the dry forest ecosystem of the area. The protection of the environment is seen as having a direct link to the profitability of the farmers and to the long term success and sustainability of their farms.
Ecuador Project Profile
Project title:
Peru/Ecuador Border Bi-National Project
Location: Piura (Peru), Loja (Ecuador)
Number of families: 948
Animals: Goats, sheep, bees, chickens, cows and pigs
Other inputs: Tree seedlings, cooking stoves, hand-dug wells, water catchments, micro-irrigation system, fencing, silos, mills
Training: Forest & water management, marketing, agro-ecological production, semi-zero grazing livestock management, strengthening of local organisations and leaders
Brief synopsis: In association with Heifer Ecuador, a bi-national project is taking place that straddles the border between Ecuador and Peru. This project is aimed towards the preservation and sustainable management of the dry forest ecosystem. The 948 families currently involved are being trained in the management of their natural resources and how to implement a reforestation program and resources are being provided for fencing to prevent forest loss. The families are also being provided with improved stoves which will reduce their reliance on firewood while water sources will be protected using micro-irrigation systems. The families will also be provided with a number of different animals including, goats, sheep, bees, poultry, beehives and pigs and will receive training that relates to the correct management of their animals. It is hoped that by the end of this project, that the number of families involved in the project will double.
Pass-on obligations: Beneficiary families will pass-on animals and resources equal to what they received themselves in the beginning. To facilitate the material pass-on, a revolving fund is being established.
Expected benefits: The reforestation and protection of the dry forest ecosystem has multiple benefits for the farmers, the forest holds the soil in place against the elements and through transpiration, increases humidity and rainfall in the locality. The forest, when carefully managed, can also become a sustainable source of fuel for cooking purposes.
Co-financing partner(s): Heifer International Ecuador and Heifer International Peru
Local partner(s): Unitarian, Provincial Federation of Farmers, Organization of the South and the Loja Women's Popular Union
Other relevant data: Given the former border conflict, the project is part of a joint agenda and strategy within a mutually founded context of peace and reconciliation
