The Harvest After

Written by Geno Teofilo, special to RedCross.org

January 24, 2002 — Farming is tough.

Having been raised in the Midwest, I've worked on a farm, shoveled manure and tossed a few hay bales. But I'm not talking about farming in the United States. I'm talking about South of the Border in Central America. This is farming without silos, without tractors, and without irrigation systems.

Especially without irrigation systems.

When the worst drought in 50 years hit Central America in 2001, farmers couldn't compensate for the lack of rain. Across Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Honduras farmers could do nothing but watch in desperation as their crops shriveled up and died. Forty people died of malnutrition, and another 700,000 people were at risk of hunger. People were forced to eat seeds usually saved to plant the next season, so they had no hope of recovering anytime soon.

The Red Cross-donated seeds came at a crucial time.

International aid groups took notice, including the American Red Cross. With other organizations in Honduras providing direct food assistance, the American Red Cross decided to distribute seeds and fertilizer to help 1,974 farming families in 57 communities get back on their feet. Providing seeds and fertilizer to these agrarian communities was crucial; the Red Cross replaced the seeds that hunger had forced them to eat. During my last visit here, I accompanied Red Cross volunteers driving over the mountains to bring seeds and fertilizer to needy farmers.

In addition to the seed and fertilizer distributions, the American Red Cross is financing an agricultural expert to work with volunteers of the Honduran Red Cross and community leaders to improve agricultural planting methods and technology used in drought-affected areas. The techniques will help drought-affected farmers maximize crop yield.

Now that it was harvest time, I was headed back to southern Honduras to see them reap what they had sowed. "The American Red Cross donated fertilizer, and hired an agricultural specialist to oversee the process," explained Del Hegerty, an American Red Cross delegate.

A coordinated process of trucks, donkeys and people facilitated the distributions to isolated communities.

We arrived in the community of El Barro to see some bean plants maturing, but not yet ready. "I haven't harvested yet. I'm going to in 15 days," said Angel Castellano, a local farmer. But in a field down the road, some of Angel's neighbors were already at work collecting their bean plants by hand and loading them into an oxcart. Thirty-seven families in El Barro had received 50 pounds of seed and 200 pounds of fertilizer each to help get them through to next years planting.

"We wouldn't have planted anything," said Juan Murillo of El Barro, talking of the situation after the drought. With the years first harvest dried up from lack of rain, most farmers would not have had this second crop without Red Cross assistance. Some would have gone to local banks for a loan to buy seeds. Even if approved, a loan here is difficult to swallow. The farmers here get loans at a whopping 36 percent rate, hardly enough to make a profit.

Without the Red Cross, farmers probably would have no crop.

Fortunately, these farmers didn't have to turn to banks as their last resort. Now that late December is arriving, the crops are coming in. "They'll use some of the seeds from this harvest to plant next year and other beans for personal consumption," explained Leslie Diaz, the Agricultural Engineer hired by the Red Cross for the project.

As I watched a group of adults and children harvesting bean plants, I asked, "Are they all in the same family?"

"No. They are neighbors," one of the locals replied.

Neighbors helping neighbors.

Isn't that what this is all about?

More Letters from the Americas

• Red Cross Works to Keep Children Healthy
• A Different Kind of Disaster: Demining in Nicaragua
• Considering Life Without Water in Guatemala