Socio-economic, political, and institutional sustainability of agroforestry in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

Promoting sustainable agricultural practices such as agroforestry (AF) could improve long-term productivity, enhance a sustainable rural livelihood and reduce pressure on natural resources and ecosystems in the tropics. However, AF seems to have adoption problems due to external market forces, lack of skills, financial resources and know-how ending in low flexibility and discontinuity of farmers in practicing AF. The objective of this study is to identify social, institutional, and economic factors that influence the adoption of AF on the household and community level, taking the region Alta Verapaz in Guatemala as a case study. Alta Verapaz is amongst the poorest regions in the country but also a tropical biodiversity hotspot where current agricultural practices are threatening forest environments and social development objectives. Our study explores how capital accessibility and institutional incentives are related to farmer’s livelihood sustainability and AF compositions. The methodology is composed by semi-structured interviews with nineteen farmers and field observations. The interviews have been analysed based on a qualitative content analysis by using the inductive category development. Based on these outcomes, the study found that human and economical capitals are favoured in communities were institutions are present especially through AF training offers, creation of farmers cooperatives and economic incentives. The role of institutions resulted to be crucial in the promotion of organic AF methods, forest protection and creation of long-term income. The combination of agricultural diversification with institutional incentives is one key livelihood strategy adopted by the farmers in order to achieve a socio-economic and ecological sustainability of their households. The further promotion of community forestry projects, expansion of networks and ongoing agricultural trainings as well as the diversification of agricultural systems could be beneficial for farmers in Alta Verapaz

Botanical diversity, structure and composition in cocoa agroforest systems in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

The tree composition in cocoa agroforestry systems (CAFS) in Guatemala is valued for providing a number of ecosystem services. Despite the importance of the trees in these systems, little is known about the tree species richness and its contribution to the conservation of diversity. We studied the botanical composition of CAFS of different ages in the Alta Verapaz department of Guatemala. In total, 70 survey plots with a size of 2500 m2 were established. An inventory was carried out in each sampling unit, recording the tree species present and measuring the diameter at breast height (DBH 1.30 m) and the height of each tree. The Importance Value Index (IVI) was calculated and species richness and the similarity between sites were evaluated. A total of 2519 trees, belonging to 59 species and 34 families were identified. The species with the highest IVI was Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth. The CAFSs with the highest and lowest species richness were those of 9-12 and 27 years old, respectively (H´=1.99, H´=0.34). This behavior can be explained by the fact that growers work to enrich the agroforestry systems with a broad diversity of species in the first years which they then begin to harvest at around 16 years of age. A discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) and the Jaccard Similarity Index were used to show that several AFS were similar in terms of composition and botanical diversity. Given the tree diversity within the CAFS, these can be acknowledged as areas with good potential for the conservation of overall biodiversity. We recommend education programs for local growers about the benefits of shade management during the production cycle of cocoa to preserve the botanical composition and structural complexity of the AFS

Utilization of agricultural and forestry resources in Central Guatemalan Highlands: a case study

This paper analyses some key findings emerged in the study of the Mayan community of S. José Sinaché, located in the Guatemalan Highlands. The research highlights how colonial and post-colonial legislation influences the actual land tenure and hampers the development of the community. Little land ownership together with high demographic growth lead to insufficient crop production. As a consequence, human pressure on S. José forest and seasonal migration to sugar cane plantations of the Pacific Coast is carried out by householders in order to ensure subsistence to their families. A multisectorial approach must be implemented in order to give socio-economical and environmentally sound answers. New cropping and agroforestry techniques have to be coupled with the reformation of land property distribution and the participation of indigenous communities to decisional processes

Socio-ecological distribution conflicts in the mining sector in Guatemala (2005-2013) : deep rooted injustice and weak environmental governance

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552This study characterizes ecological distribution conflicts (EDC) related to the mining industry and derives a series of political implications for Guatemala. The characterization includes a placement in the context of Central America, regional location, intensity of the EDC and the trends in social and environmental consequences, with special emphasis on the groups of social actors affected and the degree to which the institutional framework does not provide effective means of participatory environmental governance. The time period covers 2005 to 2013. In order to understand trends in actor behavior and diverse moments of high intensity we introduce the use of action and response timelines as a methodology for EDC analysis. We propose the notions of embedded conflicts to describe their relation with the structural social conditions prevailing in the country and swarms of conflicts to describe their escalation through time. We conclude that conflictivity is inherent to the unsustainable characteristics of metallic mining and is aggravated by Guatemalás history of social inequality and power concentration. The attempts to reduce "conflictivity" through CSR have been insufficient in addressing these structural conditions. EDCs may have helped create a positive environment for creative forces to seek sustainability and justice in Guatemalás development model

Women’s human agency and self-determination in Guatemalan tourism development

Tourism is often identified as a strategy to ameliorate the wellbeing of poor communities and their most vulnerable members – women and their children. Women’s ability to get involved in and benefit from tourism is, however, conditioned by traditional gender roles and consequent education handicaps. Development programs often target women to mitigate these disparities. Thispaper examines whether an intervention by the Peace Corps resulted in improved human agency and self-determination among indigenous Q’eqchi’ women in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. The paper reports the accomplishments and shortcomings of the intervention and elaborates on the practical and theoretical implications of the findings

Climate Smart coffee in Guatemala

Guatemala is the second-largest coffee producer in Central America after Honduras. The coffee sector is a driver of the rural economy, providing incomes for over 122000 farmers, 98% of whom are smallholders. Guatemalan coffee production generates half a million jobs in the rural economy, nearly 10% of the national active labor force. Approximately 3.3 million 60kg bags of coffee beans are produced annually. Shade grown high-quality arabica coffee for international markets is the norm in the fields of the caficultores (coffee farmers). Consumer demand has driven the growth of exports of Strictly High Bean, the highest quality produced in Guatemala which accounts for approximately 83% of exports. The total value of exports makes up 14% of the total export value or 651m in USD. It is the second most important agricultural product after sugar in terms of foreign revenue earnings. Current coffee production areas are projected to experience a gradual increase in temperatures towards more extreme ranges as well as periods of drought and heavy rainfall. Annual temperatures are projected to increase by 1.7ºC-2.0ºC and total annual precipitation is projected to decrease between 0.8% in the southern coast and 6% in the border between the north and northeastern regions. The climate-smart agriculture (CSA) concept reflects an ambition to improve the integration of agriculture development and climate responsiveness. It aims to achieve food security and broader development goals under a changing climate and increasing food demand. CSA initiatives sustainably increase productivity, enhance resilience, and reduce/remove greenhouse gases (GHGs). While the concept is new and still evolving, many of the practices that make up CSA already exist worldwide and are used by farmers to cope with various production risks. Mainstreaming Climate Smart Coffee (CSC) requires critical stocktaking of the sector fundamentals, already evident and projected climatic developments relevant to coffee production and promising practices for the future, and of institutional and financial enablers for CSC adoption. This CSC profile provides a snapshot of a developing baseline created to initiate discussion, both within countries and globally, about entry points for investing in CSC at scale

Global policy and local outcomes: a political ecology of biofuels in Guatemala

The thesis is an investigation of how global processes intersect with local contexts to shape the outcomes of biofuels for different social groups within Guatemala. Its theoretical stance is drawn from political ecology, which argues that phenomena such as the development of biofuels cannot be understood in isolation from the political economic contexts within which they are embedded. The analysis begins with a description of the European Union’s evolving biofuels policy framework. It then turns to an examination of the outcomes in Guatemala, a country that has taken advantage of the opening up of global and specifically European markets for biofuels. The EU is by design one of the few markets to address the sustainability impacts of biofuels and the thesis examines the question of whether its objectives are being met. Since 2006, the production of biofuels, specifically sugarcane ethanol, in Guatemala has increased from almost nil to more than 94 million litres per year in 2011-12. Virtually all of this production was destined for the EU market, which has been an important driver of this growth. This makes Guatemala an excellent case study for examining not only the impacts of increased global demand for biofuels, but also whether sustainability governance, as developed by the EU, adequately captures those issues that are salient to producer country contexts. The main empirical basis of the research is a series of more than seventy interviews, field visits and personal observations drawn from eight months field work in Guatemala. Interviewees ranged from the ex-Minister for Energy to peasant farmers. There are also interviews with EU officials. The thesis argues that given Guatemala’s history of civil conflict, weak governance and unequal land tenure the likelihood of developing an equitable and sustainable biofuels sector as envisioned and understood by European policy actors – one which would deliver rural development and environmental benefits – appears limited

Chachaklum, a viable initiative?

Due to poorly functioning local and regional markets, the smallholders in San Francisco, Petén, were dependent on intermediaries that took advantage of the smallholder’s distance to markets. In an attempt to secure income and strengthen their bargaining position, 189 smallholders joined forces through the creation of a social smallholder network, held together by a community based enterprise. This enterprise was initiated in 2011 with the help of government incentive programmes and NGOs that within a few years will leave the enterprise to auto regime. This study treats the sustainability of a community forest based enterprise, Chachaklum, in northern Guatemala. The study identifies factors that enable smallholders to organize themselves in order to obtain business practices that support an improved standard of living. The viability of the enterprise and its relation to external business partners are analyzed through a stakeholder approach. The findings of this study shows that the development of Chachaklum is highly dependent on a large number of stakeholders to which it has created very positive relations. One determining success factor was found to be that the business idea plays well with the municipal development plan. It was also found that the social idea of the enterprise appears to have a positive effect on stakeholder relations with NGOs and government representatives. The conclusions drawn in this study are that even though Chachaklum has not reached economic sustainability, the social vision of the enterprise and its currently strong stakeholder relations creates many possibilities. It was found that Chachaklum’s future viability cannot be predicted by solely consider its auto sustainability since the enterprise may not need to be auto sustainable within a forseable future. Its complex stakeholder relations also require an in depth analysis since Chachaklum does not function as an independent entperprise but is created by several stakeholders and for several goals. This study has also found that there is a general need for more studies of community based enterprises.Whether the model would be successful or not in other communities was found to depend on several determinative factors which are considered throughout the study.Till följd av dåligt fungerande lokala och regionala marknader, var småbönderna i San Fransisco, Petén, beroende av mellanhänder som utnyttjade böndernas isolering från marknader. Med mål att säkra inkomster och stärka sin förhandlingsposition, gick 189 bönder samman och skapade ett socialt nätverk som sammanhålls av ett samhällskooperativ. Företaget startades 2011 med hjälp av statliga stöd och ideella organisationer vilka inom några år kommer att lämna företaget att klara sig på egen hand. Den här studien behandlar överlevnadsförmågan för ett samhällskooperativ, Chachaklum, i norra Guatemala. Studien identifierar faktorer som tillåter småbönder att organisera sig och skapa företagsformer som stödjer bättre levnadsförhållanden. Företaget undersöks ur ett intressentperspektiv. Studien har funnit att Chachaklums utveckling är högst beroende av flertalet externa intressenter och att företaget, för tillfället har goda relationer till dessa intressenter. En viktig framgångsfaktor som har identifierats är att företagets vision sammanfaller väl med kommunens utvecklingsplan. Företagets sociala mål har också haft positiv påverkan på dess relation med ideella organisationer statliga och organ. Slutsatserna av studien är att även om Chachaklum inte har uppnått ekonomisk hållbarhet, så innebär dess sociala vision och i starka relationer till dess intressenter många möjligheter. Studien fann även att Chachaklums framtida hållbarhet inte kan mätas genom att endast beakta dess självständighet eftersom företaget inte kommer att behöva vara självständigt inom en förutsebar farmtid. Dess komplexa relation till sina intressenter, kräver också en omfattande analys eftersom företaget inte fungerar som ett självständigt företag utan är skapat av flera intressenter och för flera ändamål. Den här studien har även funnit att det finns ett generellt behov av fler studier som behandlar samhällskooperativ. Huruvida modellen skulle vara framgångsrik i andra samhällen beror på flera påverkande faktorer inom vilka beaktas genomgående i studien

A Paleoethnobotanical Perspective on Late Classic Maya Cave Ritual at the Site of Pacbitun, Belize

This thesis presents the results of paleoethnobotanical investigations conducted at nine karst sites associated with the Maya site of Pacbitun in western Belize. The archaeobotanical remains were deposited during the Late Classic period and the site was abandoned at some point during this same time (c. A.D. 900). Paleoenvironmental data from the Maya Lowlands indicates that human activity contributed to regional climate change during the Late/Terminal Classic period. However, site-specific research has demonstrated a variety of responses to these social and ecological changes. The archaeobotanical data from this study is used as a proxy for understanding how people at Pacbitun ritually responded to macro-regional environmental stress. Ritual plant use at the cave sites does not conform to behavioral ecology models that predict biological, cost-fitness related responses to resource scarcity. Instead, the data supports a model of behavior based on culturally motivated ritual practices