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

• Guatemala (100.00%)

• Basic Education: Basic life skills for youth and adults (11230) (20.00%)
• Government And Civil Society, General: Women's rights organisations and movements, and government institutions (15170) (5.00%)
• Energy Generation, Renewable Resources: Energy generation, renewable sources - multiple technologies (23210) (5.00%)
• Agricultural policy and administrative management:
Agricultural policy and administrative management (31110) (10.00%)
Agricultural development (31120) (25.00%)
Agricultural extension (31166) (20.00%)
Agricultural co-operatives (31194) (15.00%)

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (principal objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (significant objective)
• Trade development (significant objective)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (significant objective)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (significant objective)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (significant objective)
• Indigenous Issues (significant objective)
• Disability (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

The project aims to increase the economic empowerment of Q’eqchi’ women and youth in Alta Verapaz in Guatemala. It proposes a multi-dimensional approach challenging traditional gender roles within the family unit, overcoming socio-cultural barriers to women’s participation within the Federation of Cooperatives of the Verapaces (FEDECOVERA) and its member cooperatives, and advocating for gender equality at local, regional and national levels. The project seeks to improve agricultural entrepreneurship in the sectors of organic cardamom and turmeric, and to position the the products in niche markets with organic and fair trade certifications. It also contributes to strengthening clean and sustainable practices of 19 cooperatives affiliated with FEDECOVERA by improving their inclusive governance and their ability to support their members in adopting green practices. Project main activities include: (1) planting cardamom and turmeric following organic and agroforestry production, (2) training women and youth under Field School and Skills for Coop programs, (3) implementing energy-efficient technologies, and (4) holding forums and working sessions on best practices for the economic empowerment of Indigenous women and youth.

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2023): 1) 3,161 people (including 990 women and 1,057 young women) participated in the production of cardamom and turmeric value chains, with 414.03 hectares of organic cardamom production and 97.7 hectares of turmeric production; 2) increased the number of women and young women in decision-making positions, with 104 women, 64 young women and 52 young men in decision-making bodies; 3) cardamon and turmeric producers participatedin trade fairs to present their products (Biofach 2022 and Biofach 2023) from their factory producing solid and liquid biofertilizers for crop nutrition; and 4) applied 2,500 litres of Biol and 250 quintals of compost , a useful advance when the price of fertilizers rosedramatically in Latin America in 2022, notably following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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.

• Proactive disclosure