Project profile — CRECER: Sustainable Economic Growth for Women and Youth in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased decent job opportunities for women and youth, especially from Indigenous communities, (2) strengthened innovative, clean and sustainable business practices in small-scale enterprises, especially those headed by women and youth, from Indigenous communities in particular, and (3) strengthened practices of key regional and national actors promoting the economic empowerment of women and youth, particularly from Indigenous communities.

Results achieved as of March 2022 include: (1) obtained agroforestry plots for 2730 people. These people include 868 women, 929 young women and 933 young men who benefited from the creation of cardamom and turmeric plantations; (2) managers of 21 beneficiary cooperatives participated in the socialization process. The process allowed for a more equitable representation of women and young people in decision-making spaces; (3) increased membership of the 21 participating cooperatives. This is an increase of 44.94% since the beginning of the implementation, for a total of 5663 members. Of these members, there are 1758 women, 944 young women and 1088 young men; (4) planted cardamom on 333.05 hectares and turmeric on 83.2 hectares, in association with high commercial value forest species such as mahogany and cedar; (5) increased knowledge of 2158 participants. The training focused on the agro-ecology of the plots, the importance of women's participation, knowledge exchange of cardamom and turmeric crops, environmental issues and organizational development; and (6) implemented actions to combat and adapt to climate change in 18 of the 21 cooperatives. In parallel: agroforestry schemes integrated the agricultural part of both value chains and forest species with high economic value that contribute to various environmental services; the use of more efficient kilns in the consumption of firewood and drying time; and kilns that contribute to the reduction of pollutants such as smoke that is dispersed into the environment.