especial ¡soluciones! - 2008

zamorano´s outreach magazine

la revista de proyección de zamorano

edición 1, año 2008

La Ciencia vs Amarillamiento Letal del CocoScience vs coconut’s lethal yellowing

CenterFor



Zamorano promotes alternatives to farming as a means of increasing the income of the predominately rural

population. At the same time, Zamorano is decreasing environmental, cultural and artistic loss in the region.

Zamorano promueve alternativas a la producción agrícola con el objetivo de aumentar los ingresos de las comunidades que vive y labora en la zona rural. Al mismo tiempo, Zamorano disminuye la pérdida ambiental, cultural y artística en la región.

A través de los agentes de extensión y en organizaciones no gubernamentales, Zamorano entrena a pequeños acuicultores sobre la importancia del valor nutritivo de la Tilapia y su producción.

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ZAMORANO ESTABLECE

ZAMORANO ESTABLECE CENTRO DE ENERGÍA RENOVABLE

ZAMORANO ESTABLECE CENTRO DE ENERGÍA RENOVABLE

PESPECTIVA

AUMENTANDO INGRESOS INCREASING INCOME

Zamorano uses extension agents and non governmental organizations to train small farmers on the importance of

sustainability of Tilapia and their production ponds.

ZAMORANO ESTABLECE

PESPECTIVE

Trabajando con los extensionistas, profesores, investigadores, capacitadores, estudiantes, y técnicos, PROMIPAC ha alcanzado aproximadamente a 50,000 personas comprometidas con la producción, procesamiento y comercialización de cultivos domésticos y para exportación.

In Zamornao’s Applied Biotechnology Lab at Zamorano, one of the few of its kind in Central America, scientists

perform molecular (DNA) testing for pathogens and develop methods used to manage lethal yellowing.

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29 PRÓXIMAMENTE COMING IN 2009

En Zamorano En el Laboratorio de Biotecnología Aplicada de Zamorano, uno de los pocos de su clase en América Central, científicos realizan pruebas moleculares (ADN) en patógenos y desarrollan métodos para el manejo delamarillamiento letal del coco.

COMBATIENDO el Fighting

Se parte de la Be part of the

EQUIPO EDITORIAL EDITORIAL TEAMLUIS SALAZAR

MARTIN SCHWARZLEXI, DON POUCHER

NERY APELLIDOVICENTE MURPHYNAHUM SAUCEDA

DIRECCIÓN DE COMUNICACIONESNOMBRE APELLIDO

Creative DirectorSupervisorWritersCopy Editor (Spanish)Copy Editor (English)Graphic DesignPhotographyContributors

Director Creativo Supervisor

Redactores Editor (Español)

Editor (Inglés) Diseño Gráfico

FotografíaContribuidores

Working with extension agents, teachers, researchers, trainers, students, and technicians, PROMIPAC has reached at least 50,000 people

engaged in the production, processing, and marketing of domestic and export crops.

SOLUCIÓN SOLUTION

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CONTRIBUTORS

amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agri-culture, is plea-sed to present ¡Soluciones!, a maga-zine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the universi-ty throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government

amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agricul-ture, is pleased

to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government

amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is pleased to pre-sent ¡Soluciones!, a magazine pu-

blication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals,

amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is pleased to pre-sent ¡Solucio-nes!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals,

amorano University, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agricultu-re, is pleased to pre-sent ¡Soluciones!,

a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡So-luciones! will keep graduates, indivi-duals, foundations, corporate, govern-ment and non-governmental agencies

amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agri-culture, is plea-sed to present ¡Soluciones!, a maga-zine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foun-dations, corporate, government and

KENNETH L. HOADLEY

ALFREDO RUEDAMARIO CONTRERAS

Contributors

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amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is

pleased to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach ac-tivities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government and non-



amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is pleased to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach ac-tivities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government and non-


amorano Uni-versity, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is

pleased to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach ac-tivities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government and non-



Posee una especia-lidad en Marketing Turístico de La Es-cuela De Ciencias Turísticas de Roma, Italia. Su formación básica es licenciada en comunicación so-cial y turismo, graduada de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Campiñas. Sao Paulo. Brasil. Tiene mas de 20 años de ex-periencia en mercadeo turístico e investi-gación en turismo en espacios rurales. Ha coordinado el proyecto Alianza para el desarrollo de turismo rural binacional en Ocotepeque (Honduras) y Chalatenango (El Salvador).


MARTA CÁLIX

MARIA MERCEDESA ROCADANIEL MEYER

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amorano University, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is pleased to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government and non-go-vernmental agencies informed of the

impact of Zamorano throughout Latin America. Zamorano is a private international university founded in Honduras in 1942 to serve tropical agriculture throughout the Americas. Zamorano’s mission is to develop leaders through rigorous education programs based on student-centered learning, character development, en-trepreneurship, and Pan Americanism; and to contribute to the regions economic development through applied research and outreach activities with supportive education programs. Zamorano is most famous for its Learn-by-Doing philosophy and approach to education. Zamorano offers B.S. level degrees in Science and Production, Agroindustry, Agribusi-ness Management, and Socio-economic Develo-pment and the Environment. Current enrollment totals 1,050 students originating from 18 countries (33% are women). In fact, this year, Zamorano celebrates 25 years of women on campus. Two-thirds of our student body receive full or partial financial assistance. Since its founding, Zamorano has graduated almost 6,000 technically competent leaders involved in all aspects of agriculture, agribusiness and natural resources management in the public and private sectors. Our academic program is officially recognized by the Honduran Council of Higher Education and by formal agre-ement AUPRICA throughout Central America. Of special note are the 20 Ph.D. faculty members and scientists on permanent staff. Zamorano maintains an exceptional professor to student ratio of 12 to 1. In its development vision, Zamorano commands recognition as a leading Latin Ame-rican university for the quality and impact of its education, applied research and outreach pro-grams for the development of sustainable and globally competitive agricultural and food indus-tries, conservation and responsible management

of natural resources, and rural transformation and poverty reduction. In addition to its prestigious undergra-duate degree programs, Zamorano has developed extensive experience in applied research and development projects in the fields of sustainable tropical agriculture, agro-industry, agribusiness management, rural development, biodiversity, conservation, and natural resources/environmen-tal management. Zamorano addresses the “value chain” in all of its activities. Project activities are carried out in part-nership with agribusiness enterprises, numerous governments, international development organi-zations, and industry and community associations throughout the region. Approximately 20,000 rural families, farmer-extension agents, agricultural technicians, educators, policy makers, and researchers in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and other Latin American countries currently participate in sustainable development projects implemented or supported by Zamorano. These projects are financed by the Millennium Challenge Corpora-tion, COSUDE, IADB, the Kellogg Foundation, World Bank, USAID, and other multinational and bi-national partners/donors. Zamorano strives to lead the develop-ment of a “New Agriculture” in Central America and the Andean region, promoting the transfor-mation of rural populations into sectors that are sustainable and globally competitive. Zamorano’s capabilities are rooted in the university’s solid human resource base and physical infrastructure, as well as its proven ca-pacity to integrate sound science and applied technologies with effective methods of technology generation and transfer; a willingness and ability to work productively and harmoniously with part-ners on an equal basis; a strong record of quanti-fiable impact with major projects; and a capacity for intelligent dialogue on major competitiveness issues of importance to Latin America. Zamorano has also built a solid net-work of reputable partners among world-class universities, private sector and non-government

Z

KENNETH L. HOADLEYPresident, Zamorano University

Perspective

Zamorano strives to lead the

development of a “New Agricul-

ture” in Central America and the

Andean region, promoting the

transformation of rural popula-

tions into sectors that are sustai-

nable and globally competitive.

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amorano University, formerly known as the Pan American School of Agriculture, is pleased to present ¡Soluciones!, a magazine publication highlighting some of the outreach activities of the university throughout the Americas. Initially an annual publication, ¡Soluciones! will keep graduates, individuals, foundations, corporate, government and non-go-vernmental agencies informed of the

impact of Zamorano throughout Latin America. Zamorano is a private international university founded in Honduras in 1942 to serve tropical agriculture throughout the Americas. Zamorano’s mission is to develop leaders through rigorous education programs based on student-centered learning, character development, en-trepreneurship, and Pan Americanism; and to contribute to the regions economic development through applied research and outreach activities with supportive education programs. Zamorano is most famous for its Learn-by-Doing philosophy and approach to education. Zamorano offers B.S. level degrees in Science and Production, Agroindustry, Agribusi-ness Management, and Socio-economic Develo-pment and the Environment. Current enrollment totals 1,050 students originating from 18 countries (33% are women). In fact, this year, Zamorano celebrates 25 years of women on campus. Two-thirds of our student body receive full or partial financial assistance. Since its founding, Zamorano has graduated almost 6,000 technically competent leaders involved in all aspects of agriculture, agribusiness and natural resources management in the public and private sectors. Our academic program is officially recognized by the Honduran Council of Higher Education and by formal agre-ement AUPRICA throughout Central America. Of special note are the 20 Ph.D. faculty members and scientists on permanent staff. Zamorano maintains an exceptional professor to student ratio of 12 to 1. In its development vision, Zamorano commands recognition as a leading Latin Ame-rican university for the quality and impact of its education, applied research and outreach pro-grams for the development of sustainable and globally competitive agricultural and food indus-tries, conservation and responsible management

of natural resources, and rural transformation and poverty reduction. In addition to its prestigious undergra-duate degree programs, Zamorano has developed extensive experience in applied research and development projects in the fields of sustainable tropical agriculture, agro-industry, agribusiness management, rural development, biodiversity, conservation, and natural resources/environmen-tal management. Zamorano addresses the “value chain” in all of its activities. Project activities are carried out in part-nership with agribusiness enterprises, numerous governments, international development organi-zations, and industry and community associations throughout the region. Approximately 20,000 rural families, farmer-extension agents, agricultural technicians, educators, policy makers, and researchers in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, and other Latin American countries currently participate in sustainable development projects implemented or supported by Zamorano. These projects are financed by the Millennium Challenge Corpora-tion, COSUDE, IADB, the Kellogg Foundation, World Bank, USAID, and other multinational and bi-national partners/donors. Zamorano strives to lead the develop-ment of a “New Agriculture” in Central America and the Andean region, promoting the transfor-mation of rural populations into sectors that are sustainable and globally competitive. Zamorano’s capabilities are rooted in the university’s solid human resource base and physical infrastructure, as well as its proven ca-pacity to integrate sound science and applied technologies with effective methods of technology generation and transfer; a willingness and ability to work productively and harmoniously with part-ners on an equal basis; a strong record of quanti-fiable impact with major projects; and a capacity for intelligent dialogue on major competitiveness issues of importance to Latin America. Zamorano has also built a solid net-work of reputable partners among world-class universities, private sector and non-government

Z

KENNETH L. HOADLEYPresident, Zamorano University

Perspective










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En el valle de Yeguare en el centro de Hondu-ras, C.A., los morado-res están aprendiendo que hay más formas de vida en la finca que so-lamente la producción de cultivos. La Escuela Agrícola Panamericana (EAP),

también conocida como Zamorano, está promoviendo alternativas de producción con el objetivo de aumentar los ingresos de la gente que predominantemente provienen de la zona rural. Al mismo tiempo, Zamorano está disminuyendo la pérdida ambiental, cultural y artística en la región. “El objetivo es implementar operaciones conjuntas orientadas a pro-mover el desarrollo económico local y contribuir a la mejora de los estándares de vida de los residentes rurales me-diante experiencias educativas significa-tivas,” dice Martha Cálix, coordinadora del área de Turismo Rural en Zamorano. Según Cálix, los estudiantes

Festival local

Los festivales y las ferias mejoran estándares de vida y aumentan la conservación ambiental. Los agricultores y los artesanos de más de 50 áreas participaron en la primera feria turística y de alimento agrícola el 28 de julio 2007 demostrando y vendiendo sus productos.

impulsa el

Alternativas laborares en el campo

ZAMORANOTurismo Rural



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In the Yeguare Valley of central Honduras, residents are learning there’s more to life on the farm than farming. For the last X years, Zamorano has been promoting alternatives to farming as a means of increasing the income of the predominately poor, rural population. At the same time, Zamorano’s efforts are de-

creasing environmental, cultural and artis-tic loss in the region. “Our objective is to implement joint activities which promote local econo-mic development and thus, contribute to the improvement of the living standards of rural communities through meaningful edu-cational experiences,” says Martha Calix, Zamorano’s Coordinator of Rural Tourism. According to Calix, Zamorano students are directly engaged in helping approximately 24,000 Yeguare residents in five municipalities organize local festivals and fairs for displaying and selling food, lo-cally produced beverages, arts and crafts, and other services. The festivals and fairs improve living standards and increase en-

Non agro-related alternatives

impulsa elZAMORANO Rural Tourism



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de Zamorano están directa e indi-rectamente involucrados a ayudar a 24.000 residentes del valle de Yeguare en cinco municipios. La ayuda con-siste en la organización de festivales y ferias locales para exhibir y vender el alimento y bebidas elaborados en la comunidad, así como artículos y objetos manufacturados por artesanos comunales. Los festivales y las ferias me-joran estándares de vida y aumentan la conservación ambiental. Los agri-cultores y los artesanos de más de 50 áreas participaron en la primera feria turística y de alimento agrícola el 28 de julio 2007 demostrando y ven-diendo sus productos. El objetivo de la iniciativa de Yeguare es poner las actividades en ejecución, mismas que mejorarán los estándares de vida de residentes loca-les y al mismo tiempo mantendrán la calidad del ambiente y de la vida en general. Explica el Coordinador de la iniciativa del Proyecto Yeguare, Carlos Ardon, que “las discusiones del turismo son confusas ocasionalmente, porque algunos piensan que el turismo es so-lamente playa y sol. Algunos munici-pios pueden tener industrias turísticas atractivas que ofrezcan una variedad de servicios y de productos con sus recursos existentes de los cuales ten-gan una historia enriquecedora“ Ardón dice que con esfuer-zos de la universidad de Zamorano,

la iniciativa de Yeguare avanza con los elementos de una estrategia acertada del turismo para la región, desarro-llando actividades como: el diseño y la producción de material turístico promocional, producción de alimen-tos, las ferias turísticas agrícolas, pro-moción de pequeñas industriales ca-lificadas con las estrategias de comer-cialización, mejora de los servicios turísticos, enseñanza de transacción y planes contables, desarrollo de planes de negocios y mejora de las estructuras físicas que tienen las empresas rurales en el rubro de turismo que están in-cluidas en el portafolio de actividades de Zamorano/Yeguare. Por varios años, Zamorano ha estado integrando la comisión so-cial y de proyección de sus programas rurales del turismo con sus numerosos proyectos diversos y productivos en el valle de Yeguare. Incluso a residentes de países vecinos se les ha enseñado los fundamentos del turismo rural. A través de la metodología del Apren-der-Haciendo con sus estudiantes Za-morano ha acentuado la utilización de los recursos naturales y de las materias primas para afrontar el comercio con el turista y para mejorar la calidad de la vida rural en la región.

The festivals and fairs improve

living standards and increase

environmental conservation.

More than fifty area farmers and crafts-

persons participated in the first such

Agricultural Tourism and Food Fair on July 28, 2007 by

exhibiting and selling

The festivals and fairs improve living standards and increase environmental conservation. More than fifty area farmers and crafts-persons participated in the first such Agricultural Tourism and Food Fair on July 28, 2007 by exhibiting and selling their products.



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The festivals and fairs improve

living standards and increase

environmental conservation.

More than fifty area farmers and crafts-

persons participated in the first such

Agricultural Tourism and Food Fair on July 28, 2007 by

exhibiting and selling their products.

The festivals and fairs improve living standards and increase environmental conservation. More than fifty area farmers and crafts-persons participated in the first such Agricultural Tourism and Food Fair on July 28, 2007 by exhibiting and selling their products.

vironmental conservation. More than fifty area farmers and crafts-persons participated in the first such Agricultu-ral Tourism and Food Fair on July 28, 2007 by exhibiting and selling their products. X more joined them on the second fair, X of December 2007. The objective of the “Yegua-re Initiative”, project funded by the Kellogg Foundation, is to implement joint activities that will improve the li-ving standards of local residents while maintaining the quality of the environ-ment and life in general. “Discussions about tourism are confusing at times because some people think that tourism is only bea-ch and sun. Some municipalities can have attractive tourist industries that offer a variety of differing services and products with their existing resources that have a rich history”, explains Car-los Ardón, the Yeguare Initiative Pro-ject Coordinator, . Ardón says that through the effort of Zamorano the Yeguare Initia-tive advances the elements of a suc-cessful tourism strategy for the region. Such activities as the design and pro-duction of promotional tourist mate-rial, food and agricultural tourist fairs, equipping small industrial businesses with marketing strategies, improving tourist services, teaching pricing and accounting systems, developing bu-

siness plans and improving physical structures that house rural tourism bu-sinesses are included in Zamorano’s Yeguare portfolio. For several years, Zamo-rano has been integrating its social commitment and outreach of its rural tourism programs with its many di-verse and productive projects in the Yeguare Valley. Even residents of adja-cent Central American countries have been taught the basics of rural tourism. Through the Learning-by-Doing approach with its students, Zamorano has emphasized the utilization of the area’s natural resources and raw ma-terials to enhance the tourist trade and improve the quality of rural life in the region.



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El acuiculturista en-tusiasta y apasiona-do Dr. Meyer, do-cente de la Carrera de Ciencia y Pro-ducción y Director de Currículo ge-neral, es un firme creyente de que la Tilapia es el pes-

cado del siglo XXI. De acuerdo a lo que revelan los patrones de la nueva estadística sobre la producción de la tilapia, Zamorano puede lograr algo. En los años 60 y al principio de los 70 la tilapia era siempre del hombre pobre; de hecho la gente en América Central no incluye tanto pescado en sus dietas como en otros países. De-bido a conveniencia y presupuesto los productos de aves de corral son más populares, extendiéndose en precio de $ 0.90 a $ 1.00 por libra. Como la producción de tilapia es en general de breve duración, los gran-jeros locales pescarían y venderían rápidamente, agotando sus reservas y abandonando el negocio.

Sin embargo, en los años 70 y a me-diados de los años 80, el negocio de Tilapia comenzó a ganar ímpetu. Los EE.UU. comenzaron a exigir y a pa-gar más por lo que consideraban una delicadeza nueva. En 1999, Zamo-rano y las universidades de EE.UU. comenzaron la actividad cooperati-va en un programa de colaboración en la investigación de la acuicultura dinámica, donde podrían generar la información útil en un nivel local y utilizar el conocimiento para pro-mover la producción y la acuicultura de Tilapia en general, como manera de mejorar la renta y las dietas de la gente rural alrededor del mundo. Los EE.UU. están trabajando con los científicos y los estudiantes de los países en desarrollo, para ayudar a las instituciones locales a mejorar sus capacidades de enseñar a los granje-ros las técnicas apropiadas para per-mitir que continúen la producción por ellos mismos. Zamorano ha confiado en la experiencia del Dr. Meyer, en los agentes de extensión y en las orga-nizaciones no gubernamentales, para

Se ha dicho a menudo que en vez de proveerle a la gente

la pesca justa para comer, es mejor enseñarles cómo

pescar. O mejor todavía, enséñarles cómo criar los

pescados para el consumo casero y para la venta.

la de



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An enthu-s i a s t i c and pas-s i o n a t e aquacul-turist, Dr. M e y e r f i r m l y believes t h a t

Tilapia is the fish of the twenty-first century. As new consumption sta-tistics in production patterns reveal, the Zamorano aquaculture profes-sional may be on to something. In the 1960s and early 1970s, Tilapia was seen as the poor man’s fish. In fact, people in Central America did not include as much fish in their di-ets as the other countries. Because of convenience and budget, poultry products have been more popular, ranging in price from $0.90 to $1.00 per pound. Tilapia culture was usu-ally quite short-lived as the local fish farmers would catch the fish and sell them, quickly depleting their stock and pond and eventually abandon-ing the business all together.

However, in the late 1970s to the mid 1980s, the Tilapia busi-ness began to gain momentum as the United States consumers began de-manding and paying more for what was considered a new delicacy. In 1999, Zamorano and U.S. universi-ties began cooperative activity in a Pond Dynamics Aquaculture Col-laborative Research Support Program (funded by the U.S. Agency for In-ternational Development, USAID) where they could generate useful information at a local level and use the knowledge to promote Tilapia production and aquaculture in gen-eral as a way to improve the income and diets of rural peoples around the world. The U.S. is working with scientists and students in developing countries to help local institutions im-prove their capacities to teach farm-ers the proper production technique to allow them to continue production on their own. Zamorano, reliant on the expertise of Dr. Meyer, uses exten-sion agents and non governmental organizations to reach small farm-

It has often been said that rather than just giving people fish to eat, it is better to teach them how to fish. Or better yet, teach them how to raise fish for home consumption and for sale.

Production

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jor precio No sólo los precios altos y elevados motivan a los cultivado-res, sino también los beneficios de la dieta y la economía de comunidades locales a lo largo de toda Honduras.

ñar a los granjeros las técnicas apro-piadas para permitir que continúen la producción por ellos mismos.

Zamorano ha confiado en la expe-riencia del Dr. Meyer, en los agentes de extensión y en las organizaciones no gubernamentales, para llegar a pequeños acuicultores y entrenarles en la importancia del valor nutritivo de la tilapia y de su de producción. Dr. Meyer, autor de varios manuales de entrenamiento, explica los fun-damentos de la producción de la acuicultura para asegurar el éxito de los acuicultores hondureños. Dichos manuales proporcionan instruccio-nes y cuadros simples de métodos tradicionales y destacan desde el comienzo hasta el final del proceso. Generalmente los granjeros consi-guen sus peces de un laboratorio de crianza especializado. En Zamorano, la granja de acuicultura permite que los granjeros interesados compren el alevín listo para ser producido. Acentuando que el cultivo de la Tilapia no es para todos, Dr. Meyer explica que el programa ayuda a los dueños de la pequeña empresa que son independientes, cuentan con un espacio adecuado y tienen la motivación para aumentar su pro-ducción. Los hondureños no comen muchos pescados como lo hacen en otros países, en donde la motivación de los granjeros ha sido un desafío. Sin embargo en Honduras el consu-mo de carne declina fácilmente en el periodo antes de pascua. . Algu-nos cultivadores han podido obtener buenas ganancias por periodos de un año entero, cosechando pesca-dos durante los dos meses de poco consumo de carne pues venden sus pescados a un mejor precio No sólo los precios altos y elevados motivan a los cultivadores, sino también los beneficios de la dieta y la economía de comunidades locales a lo largo de toda Honduras. Los estudiantes de Zamo-rano son participantes valiosos en el

programa de la acuicultura. Pueden trabajar fuera de la universidad y sa-tisfacer a algunos de los pequeños agricultores, mientras que investigan el impacto de la acuicultura en mu-chas familias rurales que han confia-do en el cultivo de la tilapia como su única fuente de ingresos. Los estu-diantes de Zamorano han aprendido la importancia que tiene la tilapia para estas familias. La ropa nueva, mejores servicios de salud y el trans-porte mejorado son todos subpro-ductos de una operación acertada de la producción de tilapia. Es de importancia que la producción sea constantemente renovada y que ten-ga un buen manteniendo. Los agri-cultores deben aprender cuándo y como deben fertilizar sus pilas, man-teniendo un máximo de producción a largo plazo. Dr. Meyer es un firme cre-yente en la misión Aprender-Hacien-do y el hecho de Zamorano tiene funciones como institución de desa-rrollo. Su motivación principal son los estudiantes y la buena voluntad de aprender y su impulso para desa-rrollar métodos mejores de prácticas de la producción de la acuicultura. Él ha estado llevando a estudiantes a los ríos alrededor de Zamorano, para pescar especies con excepción de tilapia y así proporcionar la diversi-ficación a través de tipos mejorados de peces para las familias locales en toda la región. La diversificación contribuirá a un método de produc-ción más eficiente. Zamorano pro-vee la oportunidad de compartir su trabajo y el de otros para aumentar la producción de pescado en Hon-duras. La información falsa sobre la tilapia desempeña un papel enorme en su influencia en el mercado. Dr. Meyer dice que la impresión de que la producción de tilapia no es tan buena en la costa como es en el inte-rior del país, o que la tilapia todavía no está calificada para competir con los pescados de lujo como salmones en los Estados Unidos, es incorrecta. Él dice que las actitudes están cam-biando y que la tilapia puede vivir en el agua salada (tilapia rojo) así como en agua dulce. Él agrega que la tila-pia es el pescado que cambia los pa-trones de la demanda del mundo y

Es de importancia que la producción

sea constantemente renovada y que tenga un buen manteniendo. Los

agricultores deben aprender cuándo y como

deben fertilizar sus pilas, manteniendo un máximo de

producción a largo plazo.

llegar a pequeños acuicultores y en-trenarles en la importancia del valor nutritivo de la tilapia y de su de pro-ducción. Dr. Meyer, autor de varios manuales de entrenamiento, explica los fundamentos de la producción de la acuicultura para asegurar el éxito de los acuicultores hondureños. Di-chos manuales proporcionan instruc-ciones y cuadros simples de métodos tradicionales y destacan desde el comienzo hasta el final del proceso. Generalmente los granjeros consi-guen sus peces de un laboratorio de crianza especializado. En Zamorano, la granja de acuicultura permite que los granjeros interesados compren el alevín listo para ser producido. Acentuando que el cul-tivo de la Tilapia no es para todos, Dr. Meyer explica que el programa ayuda a los dueños de la pequeña empresa que son independientes, cuentan con un espacio adecuado y tienen la motivación para aumentar su producción. Los hondureños no comen muchos pescados como lo hacen en otros países, en donde la motivación de los granjeros ha sido un desafío. Sin embargo en Hon-duras el consumo de carne declina fácilmente en el periodo antes de pascua. . Algunos cultivadores han podido obtener buenas ganancias por periodos de un año entero, co-sechando pescados durante los dos meses de poco consumo de carne pues venden sus pescados a un me-

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ers to train them on the importance of sustainability of Tilapia and their production ponds. Dr. Meyer, the author of several training manuals, explains the fundamentals of aqua-culture production to assure success for Honduran fish farmers. These manuals provide simple instructions and pictures to highlight traditional methods from start to finish. Usually, farmers get their fish from a special-ized breeding laboratory. However, in Honduras, many people are not able to find these specialized labo-ratories. At Zamorano, the aquacul-ture farm allows interested farmers to buy fingerlings that are ready for grow-out. Emphasizing that Tilapia farming is not for everyone, Meyer explains that the program helps the small business owners who are i n d e p e n d e n t , have adequate pond space, and have the motiva-tion to increase their outputs. Be-cause people in Honduras don’t eat as much fish as do other places of the world, mo-tivating the farm-ers has been a challenge. How-ever, in Honduras, meat consumption readily declines during the Lenten period before Eas-ter. Some fish farmers have been able to make enough income for the entire year by harvesting fish during the two months of Lent, while selling their fish at the best price. Not only do the high prices motivate the farm-ers, but they also benefit the diet and the economy of local communities throughout Honduras. Zamorano students are valuable participants in the aquacul-ture program. They are able to work off campus and meet some of the small farmers, while researching the impact of aquaculture on many rural families who are reliant on the fish as their only source of income. Zamo-rano students have learned the im-

portance of Tilapia to these families. New clothing, better healthcare ser-vices, and improved transportation are all by-products of a successful Tilapia production operation. It is essential that ponds are consistent-ly replenished and well cared for. Farmers must learn how and when to fertilize their ponds to maintain maximum production levels and sustain the production long term. Dr. Meyer is a firm believer in Zamorano’s Learn-by-Doing mis-sion and the fact that Zamorano also functions as a development institu-tion. He is motivated by the stu-dents’ willingness to learn and their drive to develop better methods of aquaculture production practices. He has been taking students to the rivers around Zamorano to fish for

species other than Tilapia to provide the diversification through improved types of fish for lo-cal families. Diver-sification will con-tribute to a more efficient production method. Zamorano provides him with the opportunity to share his work and the work of oth-ers to increase fish production in Hon-duras. Misinforma-tion about Tilapia plays a huge role in

its influence in the market. Dr. Mey-er indicates that the impression that Tilapia production is not as good on the coast as it is inland or that Tilapia is still not qualified to compete with fancy fish like salmon in the United States is incorrect. He says that at-titudes are changing and that Tilapia can live in salt water (red Tilapia) as well as fresh water. He adds that Tila-pia is the fish changing the world de-mand patterns and is making a pro-found impact on Central America’s economy. Already, the United States is importing $40 million U.S. worth of Honduran Tilapia each year. Dr. Meyer says that packing plants are providing substantial amounts of lo-cal jobs throughout Honduras, nutri-

tion is getting better, medium sized farmers are better able to compete, and other countries in Central Amer-ica are beginning to follow Hondu-ras’ lead in Tilapia production. He also says that in the United States the price of Tilapia on a menu is compa-rable to the other “fancy fish” of the marketplace. The Pond Dynamics Aqua-culture Collaborative Research Sup-port Program is a learning process aimed at improving the incomes and diets of rural people. Dr. Meyer and the students at Zamorano, with support from USAID and extension agents, are investigating and provid-ing the information necessary to im-prove the practices of aquaculture by generating efficiency through educa-tion. Tilapia is becoming recognized as a delicacy and people are being given more job opportunities. Bet-ter production processes are raising the income of small farmers, while the environment is being improved. Once the “poor man’s fish,” Tilapia is now responsible for the beginnings of a new market demand and the further development of aquaculture in Central America. Rather than just providing food to the people of Cen-tral America, Zamorano is teaching them how to fish.

Es de importancia que la producción

sea constantemente renovada y que tenga un buen

manteniendo. Los agricultores deben aprender cuándo y

como deben fertilizar sus pilas, manteniendo

un máximo de producción a largo

plazo.

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NO PODEMOS HACER CASO OMISO:Alrededor del mundo las temperaturas promedio han subido más de un grado; ha sido la época más caliente en las dos últimas décadas del siglo veinte en los últimos 400 años. La nieve del glaciar y de la montaña está derritiéndose y desapareciendo rápidamente. Los arrecifes coralinos están muriendo. Los acontecimientos extremos del tiempo, como incendios naturales, olas de calor, y las tormentas tropicales fuertes están aumentando.

Por encima de todos los impactos del CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL, el continuo incremento de los precios del petróleo, la escasez del mismo y sus derivados, podrían también limitar seriamente la producción agrícola y el desarrollo rural en América Latina. Es por eso que ZAMORANO establece el CZER:

CC****

Centro

RENOV BLEdeEnergía



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Por encima de todos los impactos del CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL, el continuo incremento de los precios del petróleo, la escasez del mismo y sus derivados, podrían también limitar seriamente la producción agrícola y el desarrollo rural en América Latina. Es por eso que ZAMORANO establece el CZER:

CCCenter

EnergyRE EWABLEFor



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El Centro concentrará activida-

des en la producción y uso de

biocombustibles, la adopción

y la difusión de toda la tecno-

logía apropiada y el análisis y

creación de políticas públicas a

través de la educación, capaci-

tación continua, publicaciones

científicas, eventos y los medios

de comunicaciones.

damente, que los arrecifes coralinos están muriendo y los acontecimientos extremos del tiempo, como incendios naturales, olas de calor, y las tormentas tropicales fuertes están aumentando.”

Todos estos síntomas son algunos de los indicadores de la actividad huma-na que señala Contreras, son los que contribuyen al calentamiento del pla-neta actualmente.

Según el Dr. Contreras, la industriali-zación, la tala de árboles y la contami-nación han aumentado grandemente las concentraciones atmosféricas de vapores de agua, dióxido de carbono, metano y óxido nitroso. Todos con-tribuyen al efecto invernadero de los gases que ayudan a concentrar el calor cerca de la superficie terrestre.

De hecho, un informe elaborado por el Panel de Prevención y Control Integra-do de la Contaminación y el Cambio Climático (IPPC) advirtió el año pasa-do que el calentamiento global puede conducir en gran escala a la escasez de alimento y del agua y puede tener un efecto catastrófico en la flora y en la fauna. Según el Dr. Contreras, el prin-cipal objetivo del Centro de Energía Renovable es reducir el impacto del calentamiento global y el aumento de los costos energéticos en Latinoamé-rica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en general. Según el IPPC no importa cómo sea de incómoda la verdad, varios efectos resultantes del choque del mundo con la natu-raleza podrían ocurrir si los mares se eleven entre 7 y 23 pulgadas al final del siglo; glaciares alrededor del mundo derritiéndose; hura-canes fuertes, sequías, incendios naturales y otros desastres natu-rales pueden llegar a ser

comunes;

E n medio del debate sobre el rumbo evi-dente del choque del mundo contra la naturaleza, Zamo-rano ha dado otro paso hacia el de-sarrollo de una in-dustria alimentaria y agrícola latinoame-

ricana globalmente competitiva; con-servando y usando responsablemente los recursos naturales y transformando áreas rurales para reducir la pobreza. A principios de 2007, Zamo-rano estableció el Centro de Energía Renovable. Su misión es ayudar a dis-minuir los costos energéticos que se elevan súbitamente en toda América Latina y los efectos del calentamiento global. Dirigido por el Dr. Mario Contreras, el CZER sirve como pro-grama líder de Zamorano para ayudar a combatir los crecientes costos de energía y el fenómeno del calenta-miento global. Según Contreras, las ten-dencias indican que el aumento de la población aumenta, los costos cre-cientes y la escasez de petróleo y sus

derivados continuarán afectando seriamente la producción agrícola y el desarrollo rural. “No podemos hacer caso omiso al hecho que alrededor del mundo, las tempe-raturas promedio han subido más de un grado, que ha sido la época más caliente en las dos últimas dé-

cadas del siglo veinte en los últimos 400 años, que el hielo está desapa-

reciendo rápidamente, que la nieve del glaciar y de

la montaña está derritiéndose

r á p i -

más de un millón de especies podrían enfrentar la extinción y desaparición de hábitat ya que los ecosistemas cam-bian y los océanos se acidifican. Los sistemas de circulación de los océanos también podrían ser alterados perma-nentemente causando una mini era del hielo en Europa Occidental, pues el aumento en la población podría servir para exacerbar el fenómeno del calentamiento global. Por encima de todos los impactos del calentamiento global, el continuo in-cremento de los precios del petróleo, la escasez del mismo y sus derivados, podrían también limitar seriamente la producción agrícola y el desarrollo ru-ral en América Latina.

Dr. Contreras y sus compañeros cien-tíficos en Zamorano están enfocan-do, entre las actividades iniciales del Centro de Energía Renovable, en la escasez del petróleo y de sus deriva-dos. A finales del 2007 el Banco Inte-ramericano de Desarrollo concedió a Zamorano un contrato de consultoría para estudiar el potencial en la pro-ducción de caña de azúcar basada en etanol y el potencial de comercializa-ción para el biocombustible. El pro-yecto comenzó a



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Amid de-bate over an appar-ent world co l l i s i on c o u r s e with na-t u r e , Zamorano has taken

another step toward developing a globally competitive Latin American food and agricultural industry; con-serving and responsibly using natural resources and transforming rural areas to reduce poverty.

In early 2007, Zamorano established the Center for Renewable Energy. Its mission is to help mitigate skyrocketing energy costs throughout Latin America and the effects of global warming.

The Center for Renewable Energy is headed by Dr. Mario Contreras and serves as Zamorano’s lead program to help combat the increasing costs of energy and the global warming phe-nomenon.

According to Dr. Contreras, trend lines indicate that population increases and rising costs and scarcity of oil and its products will continue to severely im-pact agricultural production and rural development.

“We can no longer ignore the fact that around the world, average tempera-tures have climbed more than one de-gree, and that the rate for the last two decades of the twentieth century were

the hottest in 400 years or that the ice is rapidly disappearing, glacier and mountain snows are rapidly melting, coral reefs are dying off, and extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves, and strong tropical storms are on the upswing,” says Dr. Contreras.

All of these symptoms are indicators of human activity which Dr. Contreras says contributes to the current plan-etary warming.

According to Dr. Contreras, industri-alization, deforestation and pollution have greatly increased atmospheric concentrations of water vapors, car-bon dioxide, methane and nitrous ox-ide. All contribute to greenhouse gases that help trap heat near the Earth’s surface.

In fact, last year a report by the In-ternational Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) warned that global warming can lead to large scale food and water shortages and have catastrophic effect on wildlife. Dr. Contreras indicates that the main focus of the Center for Renewable Energy is to minimize the impact of global warming and rising energy costs on Latin American countries, agricul-tural industries and rural life in gen-eral. According to the IPPC, no matter how inconvenient the truth, several effects of the world’s collision course with nature could occur as seas rise between seven and 23 inches by the end of the century; glaciers around the world melt; strong hurricanes, droughts, wildfires and other natural disasters may become commonplace;

more than a million species may face extinction and disappearing habitats as ecosystems change and oceans acidify. The oceans’ circulation systems could also be permanently altered causing a mini-Ice Age in Western Europe as in-creasing population levels could serve to exacerbate the warming phenom-enon.

On top of all the global warming im-pacts, the specter of continued sky-rocketing oil prices and a shortage of oil and oil products could also severely limit agricultural production and rural development in Latin America.

Dr. Contreras and his fellow scientists at Zamorano are focusing some of the initial activity of the Center for Renew-able Energy on the scarcity of oil and its products. In late 2007, the Inter-national Development Bank awarded Zamorano a consultancy contract to study the potential for the production of ethanol based on sugarcane and the marketing potential for this biofuel. The project began in early 2008. Its results will be presented at a high level conference designed to inform public and private sectors of the Dominican Republic-Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) countries about the potential for producing meaning-ful levels of biofuel from sugarcane. The goal is to support the governments and private sectors of the constituent countries in making decisions in the area of production, distribution, and utilization of biofuel and promoting al-liances between the private sector and national governments that will result in the development of commercial etha-



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principios del 2008 y sus resultados serán presentados en una conferencia de alto nivel diseñada para informar a los sectores públicos y privados de los países involucrados en el tratado de libre comercio entre Centro América/Republica Dominicana y los Estados Unidos (“DR-CAFTA”) sobre el poten-cial para producir niveles significativos de biocombustible provenientes de la caña de azúcar. La meta es apoyar a los gobiernos y los sectores priva-dos de sus países que lo constituyen para tomar decisiones en el área de la producción, distribución y utiliza-ción del biocombustible, y promover alianzas entre el sector privado y los gobiernos nacionales que darán lugar al desarrollo del biocombustible de etanol comercial derivado de la caña de azúcar. Según el Dr. Contreras, el panorama preocupante con respecto a los cambios climáticos y al aumento aparentemente imparable del precio del petróleo estimulan el interés signi-ficativo en fuentes de energía renova-ble. Afirma que existen oportunidades significativas en naciones y empresas para satisfacer una demanda enorme de biocombustibles basados en la caña de azúcar. El esfuerzo de Brasil es un ejemplo principal de una fuerte in-

dustria de caña de azúcar-basada en el etanol que estimula el interés de muchos países en desarrollo. La palma de aceite africana también representa una fuente importante de combus-tible. Otras especies que generan un interés cada vez mayor son Jatropha, que es originaria de América tropical, y la higuerilla. Sin embargo, el Dr. Contre-ras agrega que la preocupación sobre los impactos como ser la reducción de producción de alimento, el incremen-to en el uso del agua y otras conse-cuencias para el medio ambiente en selvas tropicales son temas importantes que afectan el desarrollo de fuentes de energía alternativa como la palma de aceite. Dr. Contreras explica que la producción y la demanda para los biocombustibles en los Estados Uni-dos y en otras partes del mundo están creciendo rápidamente. La capacidad actual de la producción del etanol de maíz en los Estados Unidos ha alcan-zado casi siete billones de galones al año, representando solamente cinco por ciento de la demanda para la ga-solina en el país (140 billones de galo-nes). Mientras que la demanda con-tinúa incrementándose, las estimacio-nes optimistas ponen el potencial de aumentar la producción del etanol del

maíz entre 16 y 18 billones de galones antes de que la conversión del maíz al etanol comience a afectar otros usos importantes del grano. Sin embargo, el Dr. Contreras dice que los impactos son ya fácilmente evidentes, pues los precios del alimento animal han au-mentado como resultado de precios más altos del maíz en los mercados internacionales. Está claro, dice, que grandes fuentes adicionales de etanol serán necesarias. Al establecer el Centro de Energía Renovable, Zamorano ha de-sarrollado un programa diverso para crear nuevas oportunidades de ingre-sos y mejorar las condiciones de vida rural en América Latina, ayudando a reducir la dependencia en los com-bustibles fósiles y los efectos del calen-

tamiento global. El Centro concentrará ac-tividades en la producción y uso de biocombustibles, la adopción y la di-fusión de toda la tecnología apropiada y el análisis y creación de políticas pú-blicas a través de la educación, capa-citación continua, publicaciones cien-tíficas, eventos y los medios de comu-nicaciones. El análisis de los impactos económicos sociales y ambientales en el desarrollo de biocombustible, serán parte de la actividad del programa. Según el Dr. Contreras, Za-morano centrará sus esfuerzos en el desarrollo de modelos de agronego-cios que apoyen a las micro, pequeña y mediana empresas para la genera-ción de distribuciones y usos alterna-tivos de energía. Dr. Contreras dice que el ob-jetivo del Centro se traduce en las si-guientes áreas de acción para energía renovable: biocombustibles; planes de estudios formales; desarrollo y ca-pacitación de profesionales en energía renovable; investigación aplicada de plantas y animales para la generación de biocombustibles; adopción de las tecnologías apropiadas y apoyo guber-namental en el desarrollo de políticas que promuevan fuentes renovables y alternativas de energía.

El principal objetivo del Centro de

Energía Renovable es reducir el impacto del

calentamiento global y el aumento

de los costos energéticos en

Latinoamérica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en

general.



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nol biofuel derived from sugarcane. As noted by Dr. Contreras, the worrisome scenarios of climate change and the seemingly unstoppa-ble rise in the price of petroleum stim-ulates the significant interest in sources of renewable energy. Dr. Contreras says that significant opportunities ex-ist in nations and business to satisfy an enormous demand for biofuels based on sugarcane. Brazil’s effort is a leading example of a strong sugarcane-based ethanol industry that stimulates the interest of many developing nations. The African oil palm also represents an important source of fuel. Other species generating a growing interest are Jatropha, which is indigenous to tropical America, and the castor bean. However, Dr. Contreras adds that concerns over impacts such as re-duced food production, increased wa-ter consumption, displacement of la-bor and other environmental impacts on rain forests are major issues affect-ing the development of alternative en-ergy sources such as the oil palm. Dr. Contreras explains that the production and demand for bio-fuels in the United States and through-out other parts of the world is growing rapidly. The current production ca-pacity of corn ethanol in the U.S. has

reached nearly seven billion gallons a year, representing only five percent of the demand for gasoline in the coun-try (140 billion gallons). While the demand continues to escalate, opti-mistic estimates place the potential to increase corn ethanol production to between 16 and 18 billion gallons be-fore the conversion of corn to ethanol begins to affect other important uses of the grain. However, Dr. Contreras says that impacts are already read-ily apparent as prices of animal feeds have already increased as a result of higher corn prices in the international

markets. According to Dr. Contreras, it is clear that large additional sources of ethanol will be needed. In establishing the Center for Renewable Energy, Zamorano has developed a cross-cutting program to create new opportunities of income and the improvement of rural life in Latin America while helping to reduce the dependency on fossil fuels and the effects of global warming. The Cen-ter will concentrate activity on the production and use of biofuels, the adoption and dissemination of all ap-propriate technology and the analysis and formation of public policy through education, continuous training, scien-tific publications, events and the com-munications media. The analysis of economic, social and environmental impacts of biofuel development will be a part of the Center’s program ac-tivity. According to Dr. Contreras, Zamorano will focus its efforts on de-veloping agribusiness models in sup-port of entrepreneurial enterprises in micro, small and medium companies for generation of alternative distribu-tions and uses of energy. Dr. Contreras states that the Center’s objective translates to action areas for renewable energy which in-clude the following: biocombustibles;

formal education curricula; the devel-opment and training of professionals in the area of renewable energy; applied investigation of plants and animals for the generation of biocombustibles; the adoption of all appropriate technolo-gies and assisting governments in de-veloping policy to promote renewable and alternative sources of energy. “However the inconvenient the truth may be, Zamorano must as-sume leadership in helping provide the capacity for Latin America to de-velop food for as many as 10 billion (???) Latin American residents through globally competitive agricultural and food industries, the conservation and responsible use of natural resources and the reduction of rural poverty,” Dr. Contreras emphasizes.






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The north coast of Honduras has been known as a tropical paradise with white, sandy beaches, majestic blue ocean waters, and emerald green palm trees. Lately, things have changed. Much of the coast is barren, hard, and dull, with the erect and leafless palm tree trunks scattered along the eroding shoreline. The tourist industry, the garifuna way of life, the biodiversity are in serious jepordy...

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Just like his father and his grandfather before him, when Garifuna tribe member Abraham Norales was born he was given a coconut seed to plant in the ground outside his farmhouse in Limon, Honduras. Every year Abraham and his palm tree would celebrate the same birthday, and every year the tree would grow bigger and stronger. The tree became his plant-form of a constant companion. The same coconut planting tradition is customary to almost all of the Garifuna people on the north coast of Honduras. In fact, the Afro-Caribbean tribe proudly uses the phrase, “Coco es el arbol de la vida,” or “The coconut is the tree of life.” Five years ago, the coconut

was seen in not only the daily activities of the Garifunas, but also a symbol of a sta-ble economy. Used as sails for small fishing, recreational racing and transportation boats, the coconut palm leaves also facilitated unique events, including high school sailing competitions. The trunks were used as drums for dancing, and the coconuts contributed to religious practices, including sacrificial offerings for their gods as well as traditional costumes. At a young age, the Gaifuna children were taught the importance of the coconuts in the home, and almost every food item or dish contained some form of raw coconut or coconut oils in its preparation. People could also buy a coconut for around one Honduran “lempira” (national currency equivalent to approximately 5 U.S. cents) and they were exported consistently on a relatively competitive basis. With a concerned look and a bowed head, Abraham explains that now, the Garifuna way of life is changing. The coconuts are becoming scarce; the people are scared. It now costs about 10 lempiras for a coconut and the coconut market has been transformed from export to import. Tragically, the palms planted for Abra-ham and his family, have all died. The family experienced a very sad feeling when they lost the palm of Abraham’s grandfather, which had been a way to remember him. Immigration to other countries has become prevalent throughout the com-munity because there are more work opportunities elsewhere. Groups of women, such as the “Yuca Cutio Manijot Discolenta”, can no longer rely on coconuts to make bread, oil, and other household products. They have had to find substitute ingredients which has changed the style and quality of traditional dishes. Abraham worries that the coconut stories he heard from his grandfather as a child will be lost as the coconuts are forgotten.

The north coast of Honduras has been known as a tropical paradise with white, sandy beaches, majestic blue ocean waters, and emerald green palm trees. Lately, things have changed. Much of the coast is barren, hard, and dull, with the erect and leafless palm tree trunks scattered along the eroding shoreline. The tourist industry, the garifuna way of life, the biodiversity are in serious jepordy...

Yel owing

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El principal objetivo del Centro de Energía Renovable es reducir

el impacto del calentamiento global

y el aumento de los costos energéticos

en Latinoamérica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en general.

The physical characteristics of the land are another casualty of the dwindling coconuts. The north coast of Honduras has been known as a tropical paradise with white, sandy beaches, majestic blue ocean waters, and emerald green palm trees. However, now much of the coast of the Honduran Bay Islands are barren, hard, and dull with the erect and leafless palm tree trunks scattered along eroding shoreline. Vegetation has replaced the palms and those palms that are still standing exhibit leaves that are turning a bright, abnormal shade of yellow. The palms as a whole contain the same colors of a quickly ripening clus-ter of bananas. As a result, the tourism industry in these areas is quickly declining. The cause of such devastation in Honduras, along with much of the Eastern Caribbean, is a palm tree disease known as “lethal yellowing”. Lethal yellowing was first discovered on the island of Jamaica in the 1800s and since then has become endemic in many Caribbean nations. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, the disease threatened to exterminate Jamaica’s coconut palm industry completely while it also spread to the Uni-ted States (Florida) and Mexico. Most recently, lethal yellowing has been detected in Belize and Guatemala. In Honduras, lethal yellowing was ori-ginally detected on the island of Roatan in 1995 and soon thereafter appeared on the mainland. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 helped to rapidly spread the disease and it is estimated that it has wiped out as much as 95% of the Atlantic tall variety of coco-nut trees widely distributed on the northern coast of Honduras. Lethal yellowing, or the “dengue of the palm trees” as it is called, is caused by a bacte-ria-like microorganism called a phytoplasma that is injected into the trunk of the tree by an insect. The disease is transmitted by the Myndus Crudus, a small plant hopper insect the size of a pin head. The symptoms of lethal yellowing include a pre-mature falling of fruit, a blackening of the tree’s flowers, and yellowing of the leaves. It takes some

five to eight months for the palm tree to die after the disease is injected by the insect. After it dies, only a hard, erect trunk remains in the place of the once leafy palm. A December 2007 graduate of Zamora-no, the 21-year-old Abraham has made it his mis-sion to educate his community on lethal yellowing. One of the biggest problems of the Garifuna people is that they do not understand the disease. Some speculate that the palms are dying due to an enraged god or other countries trying to sabotage the coconuts in order to build massive develop-ments on Honduran coasts. Abraham stresses that without a proper understanding of the issues, his people will give up and leave their communities without fighting for their traditional way of life. He therefore spreads his knowledge by talking to an-yone in the community that will listen. He also talks to younger students in order to influence their maturing minds to make intelligent decisions for future coconut development. Abraham explains the disease and the importance of finding a solu-tion to the disappearing coconuts. He is thankful for Zamorano because it is there that he learns from leading professionals and is able to test his ideas in hopes of one day finding a cure for lethal yellowing. In the meantime, he feels great satis-faction making the Garifuna people aware of the problem until a permanent solution can be found. Zamorano is giving him the ability to try and help the Garafunas and he admits that his education on the subject gives him no other choice. “I am one of the only of my people who know the reality of the disease. It is my duty to help the community where I grew up and will go back after I finish school, especially because I have the resources at Zamorano to try to help them,” Abraham explained. Dr. Mercedes Roca is an associate pro-fessor for biotechnology and plant protection at Zamorano University. Dr. Roca personifies an edu-cator chomping at the bit to make a difference in science and the lives of other people. Dr. Roca

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The physical characteristics of the land are another casualty of the dwindling coconuts. The north coast of Honduras has been known as a tropical paradise with white, sandy beaches, majestic blue ocean waters, and emerald green palm trees. However, now much of the coast of the Honduran Bay Islands are barren, hard, and dull with the erect and leafless palm tree trunks scattered along eroding shoreline. Vegetation has replaced the palms and those palms that are still standing exhibit leaves that are turning a bright, abnormal shade of yellow. The palms as a whole contain the same colors of a quickly ripening clus-ter of bananas. As a result, the tourism industry in these areas is quickly declining. The cause of such devastation in Honduras, along with much of the Eastern Caribbean, is a palm tree disease known as “lethal yellowing”. Lethal yellowing was first discovered on the island of Jamaica in the 1800s and since then has become endemic in many Caribbean nations. Between the 1960s and the 1980s, the disease threatened to exterminate Jamaica’s coconut palm industry completely while it also spread to the Uni-ted States (Florida) and Mexico. Most recently, lethal yellowing has been detected in Belize and Guatemala. In Honduras, lethal yellowing was ori-ginally detected on the island of Roatan in 1995 and soon thereafter appeared on the mainland. Hurricane Mitch in 1998 helped to rapidly spread the disease and it is estimated that it has wiped out as much as 95% of the Atlantic tall variety of coco-nut trees widely distributed on the northern coast of Honduras. Lethal yellowing, or the “dengue of the palm trees” as it is called, is caused by a bacte-ria-like microorganism called a phytoplasma that is injected into the trunk of the tree by an insect. The disease is transmitted by the Myndus Crudus, a small plant hopper insect the size of a pin head. The symptoms of lethal yellowing include a pre-mature falling of fruit, a blackening of the tree’s flowers, and yellowing of the leaves. It takes some

five to eight months for the palm tree to die after the disease is injected by the insect. After it dies, only a hard, erect trunk remains in the place of the once leafy palm. A December 2007 graduate of Zamora-no, the 21-year-old Abraham has made it his mis-sion to educate his community on lethal yellowing. One of the biggest problems of the Garifuna people is that they do not understand the disease. Some speculate that the palms are dying due to an enraged god or other countries trying to sabotage the coconuts in order to build massive develop-ments on Honduran coasts. Abraham stresses that without a proper understanding of the issues, his people will give up and leave their communities without fighting for their traditional way of life. He therefore spreads his knowledge by talking to an-yone in the community that will listen. He also talks to younger students in order to influence their maturing minds to make intelligent decisions for future coconut development. Abraham explains the disease and the importance of finding a solu-tion to the disappearing coconuts. He is thankful for Zamorano because it is there that he learns from leading professionals and is able to test his ideas in hopes of one day finding a cure for lethal yellowing. In the meantime, he feels great satis-faction making the Garifuna people aware of the problem until a permanent solution can be found. Zamorano is giving him the ability to try and help the Garafunas and he admits that his education on the subject gives him no other choice. “I am one of the only of my people who know the reality of the disease. It is my duty to help the community where I grew up and will go back after I finish school, especially because I have the resources at Zamorano to try to help them,” Abraham explained. Dr. Mercedes Roca is an associate pro-fessor for biotechnology and plant protection at Zamorano University. Dr. Roca personifies an edu-cator chomping at the bit to make a difference in science and the lives of other people. Dr. Roca

exhibits pure excitement when explaining the efforts she and the students are making in applied biotechnology in combating lethal yellowing. In her organized and beaker-filled laboratory, her ex-planation for lethal yellowing is clear enough for anyone to understand and is accompanied with step-by-step visualization chart with detailed pho-tos. Dr. Roca also finds time in her pressing sche-dule to travel to all of the places affected by lethal yellowing as part of her outreach program and she takes students to the communities as well as they jointly conduct research and provide educational information to the local people. Measures have been taken to control the disease. Unfortunately, none have lasted a signifi-cant length of time. Varieties of coconut palm less susceptible to lethal yellowing have been planted but after a few years begin suffering from the disea-se. In Zamorano, the applied biotechnology labo-ratory, which is one of the few of its kind in Central America, serves as a center to perform molecular (DNA) testing for pathogens and develop methods used to manage lethal yellowing. At some large resorts and in some residential areas, coconut palms have been injected with antibiotics (which can kill the bacteria affecting the trees) into their trunks each year. However, injection is expensive to sustain and is not a realistic solution to the vast majority of communities with infected palm trees. Still, despite considerable research activi-ty, no cure has been discovered for lethal yellowing. Dr. Roca emphasizes that the small progress they have made is very valuable to finding a long- term solution to lethal yellowing, which, in the future, will involve a genetic engineering approach. “Zamorano students, once they leave Za-morano, are getting their doctoral degrees and are becoming educated. There has been a significant increase in scientists and professionals in the world involved in the lethal yellowing disease. Research

El principal objetivo del Centro de Energía Renovable es reducir el impacto del calentamiento global y el aumento de los costos energéticos en Latinoamérica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en

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El Salvador could be considered a tropical paradise complete with intriguing scenery and beau-ty. Lush greenery encompasses endless stretches of hillsides and mountains; vast volcanoes proudly lord over the country-side; endless fields of farmland stretch amid vegetation and ho-mes and underscore the value of

agriculture to the survival of many people. On a humid, sunny summer day, a few miles out of the town of Antiquizaya, a group of 27 local citizens dependent upon agriculture sit on a wooden patio of a neglected building that has been transformed into a small learning cen-ter. Their chairs are facing the wall doubling as a screen as they view a slide presentation and listen to a lecture on integrated pest management(IPM). Nearby, a house that has partially collapsed and leaning as a result of earthquakes is still inhabited and exhibiting minor traces of restoration. On the other side of the leaning building, a dirt road runs parallel to stretches of vast farmland. Chil-dren are playing barefoot in the dirt while stray, defeated-looking dogs congregate to sniff the food. A woman with a worried look on her face listens very intently to the lecture and raises her hand to ask a question about pesticide application methods. Ernestina Cepeda Cordoba is in her mid-forties and does not complain about her life

no matter how bad things are. She attends the agricultural workshops in place of her husband who is bedridden because of serious heart pro-blems. She has a son who is 17; another son,15, is a paraplegic. Ernestina’s home was severely damaged in December 2006 as a consequence of the earthquake. She is facing astronomical medi-cal expenses, living in a severely damaged home and has no choice but to assume another res-ponsibility of providing her family with a reliable source of income. Ironically, she has many rea-sons to be optimistic when it comes to finances. With the help of a project known as PROMIPAC, the Central America Integrated Pest Management Program, she has been able to find the help she needs to be confident in managing her small busi-ness and learning ways to earn sustainable profits. PROMIPAC is funded by the Swiss Agen-cy for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Zamorano. PROMIPAC provides people such as Ernestina in Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador ways to improve their living stan-dards through integrated pest management pro-grams. Working with extension agents, teachers, researchers, trainers, students, and technicians, PROMIPAC has reached at least 50,000 people engaged in the production, processing,

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El Salvador could be considered a tropical paradise complete with intriguing scenery and beau-ty. Lush greenery encompasses endless stretches of hillsides and mountains; vast volcanoes proudly lord over the country-side; endless fields of farmland stretch amid vegetation and ho-mes and underscore the value of

agriculture to the survival of many people. On a humid, sunny summer day, a few miles out of the town of Antiquizaya, a group of 27 local citizens dependent upon agriculture sit on a wooden patio of a neglected building that has been transformed into a small learning cen-ter. Their chairs are facing the wall doubling as a screen as they view a slide presentation and listen to a lecture on integrated pest management(IPM). Nearby, a house that has partially collapsed and leaning as a result of earthquakes is still inhabited and exhibiting minor traces of restoration. On the other side of the leaning building, a dirt road runs parallel to stretches of vast farmland. Chil-dren are playing barefoot in the dirt while stray, defeated-looking dogs congregate to sniff the food. A woman with a worried look on her face listens very intently to the lecture and raises her hand to ask a question about pesticide application

methods. Ernestina Cepeda Cordoba is in her mid-forties and does not complain about her life no matter how bad things are. She attends the agricultural workshops in place of her husband who is bedridden because of serious heart pro-blems. She has a son who is 17; another son,15, is a paraplegic. Ernestina’s home was severely damaged in December 2006 as a consequence of the earthquake. She is facing astronomical medi-cal expenses, living in a severely damaged home and has no choice but to assume another res-ponsibility of providing her family with a reliable source of income. Ironically, she has many rea-sons to be optimistic when it comes to finances. With the help of a project known as PROMIPAC, the Central America Integrated Pest Management Program, she has been able to find the help she needs to be confident in managing her small busi-ness and learning ways to earn sustainable profits. PROMIPAC is funded by the Swiss Agen-cy for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Zamorano. PROMIPAC provides people such as Ernestina in Honduras, Nicara-gua and El Salvador ways to improve their living standards through integrated pest management programs. Working with extension agents, tea-chers, researchers, trainers, students, and tech-nicians, PROMIPAC has reached at least 50,000 people engaged in the production, processing,








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general.

and marketing of domestic and export crops. More than 80 non-governmental organizations are partners of PROMIPAC and, in collaboration with Zamorano have developed and are utilizing methodologies and materials for the training of producers, students and technicians. Zamorano has pioneered such topics as classical biological control, molecular diagnostic techniques, organic agriculture, biopesticides, biofertilization, pesti-cide safety, and good agricultural practices. Dr. Alfredo Rueda is the PROMIPAC Regional Coor-dinator and also a faculty member at Zamorano. Dr. Rueda is responsible for budget allocation and control, preparing technical and financial reports, and maintaining communications with donors and strategic alliances. He is also a speaker at regional and international meetings. A professor of entomology and IPM, Rueda uses his expertise and enthusiasm to help create manuals and other resources to provide pest management methodo-logies for extension agents and small farmers. Zamorano is the oldest and most ex-perienced institution in the region working in the area of pest management. It serves as a lead institution in Central America for the Swiss government. Through Zamorano, PROMIPAC creates an abundance of knowledge and interest that provides an effective and beneficial learning experience in agribusiness management as well as pest management. PROMIPAC involves experi-mentation in hands-on trial and error work. It is a good illustration of Zamorano University’s learn-by-doing system. PROMIPAC motivates and tra-ins Zamorano students who will teach agricultural pest management practices to their families and their communities after they graduate. Zamorano is providing assistance with the technical aspects of the pest control process through facilities such

and marketing of domestic and export crops. More than 80 non-governmental organizations are partners of PROMIPAC and, in collaboration with Zamorano have developed and are utilizing methodologies and materials for the training of producers, students and technicians. Zamorano has pioneered such topics as classical biological control, molecular diagnostic techniques, organic agriculture, biopesticides, biofertilization, pesti-cide safety, and good agricultural practices. Dr. Alfredo Rueda is the PROMIPAC Regional Coor-dinator and also a faculty member at Zamorano. Dr. Rueda is responsible for budget allocation and control, preparing technical and financial reports, and maintaining communications with donors and strategic alliances. He is also a speaker at regional and international meetings. A professor of entomology and IPM, Rueda uses his expertise and enthusiasm to help create manuals and other resources to provide pest management methodo-logies for extension agents and small farmers. Zamorano is the oldest and most ex-perienced institution in the region working in the area of pest management. It serves as a lead institution in Central America for the Swiss government. Through Zamorano, PROMIPAC creates an abundance of knowledge and interest that provides an effective and beneficial learning experience in agribusiness management as well as pest management. PROMIPAC involves experi-mentation in hands-on trial and error work. It is a good illustration of Zamorano University’s learn-by-doing system. PROMIPAC motivates and tra-ins Zamorano students who will teach agricultural pest management practices to their families and their communities after they graduate. Zamorano is providing assistance with the technical aspects of the pest control process through facilities such

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and marketing of domestic and export crops. More than 80 non-governmental organizations are partners of PROMIPAC and, in collaboration with Zamorano have developed and are utilizing methodologies and materials for the training of producers, students and technicians. Zamorano has pioneered such topics as classical biological control, molecular diagnostic techniques, organic agriculture, biopesticides, biofertilization, pesti-cide safety, and good agricultural practices. Dr. Alfredo Rueda is the PROMIPAC Regional Coor-dinator and also a faculty member at Zamorano. Dr. Rueda is responsible for budget allocation and control, preparing technical and financial reports, and maintaining communications with donors and strategic alliances. He is also a speaker at regional and international meetings. A professor of entomology and IPM, Rueda uses his expertise and enthusiasm to help create manuals and other resources to provide pest management methodo-logies for extension agents and small farmers. Zamorano is the oldest and most ex-perienced institution in the region working in the area of pest management. It serves as a

lead institution in Central America for the Swiss government. Through Zamorano, PROMIPAC creates an abundance of knowledge and interest that provides an effective and beneficial learning experience in agribusiness management as well as pest management. PROMIPAC involves experi-mentation in hands-on trial and error work. It is a good illustration of Zamorano University’s learn-by-doing system. PROMIPAC motivates and tra-ins Zamorano students who will teach agricultural pest management practices to their families and their communities after they graduate. Zamorano is providing assistance with the technical aspects of the pest control process through facilities such as its biological control laboratory not found an-ywhere else in Central America. Zamorano has become the “go to” institution providing pest identification and management information, making it an important resource in achieving PROMIPAC’s goals to increase the sustainability and profitability of rural agricultural businesses throughout Central America. PROMIPAC principally concentrates on small-scale farmers and provides necessary gui-dance to them for better pest management prac-tices. In PROMIPAC training programs, groups of approximately two dozen farmers meet once a week with a facilitator who demonstrates the correct methods to the farmers for pest identifica-tion and pest management. Techniques are easy for people to understand; most of the farmers involved do not have higher than a secondary education. Most of the once-a-week program includes hands-on training to farmers in the field. Jesus Antonio Costanza, the extension coordi-nator for PROMIPAC in El Salvador, shares his experience with farmers and includes discussion periods as a tool for brainstorming ideas. Jesus

also helps illiterate farmers who have to rely solely on field experiences and living samples to unders-tand pest management concepts and practices. Different areas of pest management such as soil analysis, managing white flies and viruses, the use of harvesting rainwater for efficient crop irrigation, marketing, improved varieties, and other aspects of improved crop production are also included in the presentation objectives. Extension is only one of the PROMIPAC tools. Others also focus on pest management: education, research (investigation), and monito-ring and evaluation. PROMIPAC also provides expertise on management experience and gender policy. Orlando Caceres, the National Coordina-tor of PROMIPAC in El Salvador, enthusiastically emphasizes the importance of the project and expresses his pride in its success and the rewar-ding feeling he experiences when visiting farmers, especially those such as Ernestina, who are illitera-te. Education and research, headed by area coordinator Jose Luis Majen, is essential for making the accurate decisions in crop production. Students from national universities and agricultu-ral high schools are also part of the program. Whi-le the project guides the farmers, ultimately the farmers themselves are involved through hands-on experience as the main tool for learning and improving agricultural practices. Monitoring and evaluation are other im-portant strategic tools. PROMIPAC’s Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator Gloria Mejia performs her work visually with simple charts and pictures used at farm sites. In making the charts, Mejia has members of a family draw a picture of their farm as if they were looking at it from the air. They also draw a picture of their family, labeling what

El principal objetivo del Centro de Energía Renovable es reducir el impacto del calentamiento global y el aumento de los costos energéticos en Latinoamérica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en general.

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each family member contributes to the farming process. They are then asked to draw the kinds of insects they see and the pesticides they use. All the information is then evaluated and analyzed to describe the proper approach for most effective pest control methods. Farmers are empowered to conduct self-evaluations and their own soil analysis. Implementing beneficial practices pro-vides many positive contributions to the family, environment and economy, and provides infor-mation and education to local communities on improved pest management practices. Major im-pacts most directly include more income for local families. In Ernestina’s case, she is able to restore her home, pay her family’s medical expenses and send her children to school. “I receive important information on how to control the pests and I am thankful that I do not have to worry about waking up and having all my crops dead; the farmland is all my family has for money,” says Ernestina. She is quick to point out that as a woman she could potentially lose her husband and the ability to take care of her crops, which is absolutely essential in maintaining an

income to care for her family. PROMIPAC also works to steer small farmers away from the more traditional farming methods. It teaches the importance of having a variety of crops, proper soil analysis, reduced pesticide use, the use of lower toxicity pesticides, and improved marketing skills. Another member of Ernestina’s group in Antiquizaya, is Marlene Aguilar de Castro. Marle-ne says she benefits from PROMIPAC because she was able to get money for her children to go to school, fix her earthquake-ravaged house, and di-versify her crops. She started producing papayas, for example, which generated increased income for her family. To be able successfully compete, the far-mers must utilize improved production methods, incur fewer costs, and practice better marketing. The farmers are trained to seek out production information, including times and how much of pest control products they need and then to relay that information back to their communities. They quickly discover the export problems associated with pesticide treated crops where consumers are more likely to buy products produced with fewer or no chemicals. Thus, an organic production movement has also surfaced, allowing farmers to experiment with best management practices for both the organic and non- organically produced crops. Another PROMIPAC success story is that of Amadeo Oliva from Metapan near the border with Guatamala. On a blisteringly hot afternoon in a small rowboat, which is the only way to get to his farm, Oliva explains his new ideas to pro-tect his crops. A man in his fifties, he is proudly wearing a PROMIPAC hat. After his PROMIPAC review session he recites a thorough description of the management of his crops. Oliva teaches his children the right way to manage crops by giving them small plots with tomatoes for which to care. With the help of his wife and his three boys, he also grows cucumbers, corn, radish, su-garcane, tomatoes, peppers, and small patches of crops such as coffee. PROMIPAC has transformed Oliva from a small, uneducated farmer to the position of community leader. Some of his tech-niques include applying pesticides for one type of crop but not for another. The untreated crop acts as trap for the insects such as white fly. He also constructs planted walls of sorghum around his crops. Sorghum acts as a barrier that prevents






general.

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Zamorano uses extension agents and non governmental organizations to reach small farmers to train them

on the importance of sustainability of Tilapia and their production ponds.

each family member contributes to the farming process. They are then asked to draw the kinds of insects they see and the pesticides they use. All the information is then evaluated and analyzed to describe the proper approach for most effective pest control methods. Farmers are empowered to conduct self-evaluations and their own soil analy-sis. Implementing beneficial practices pro-vides many positive contributions to the family, environment and economy, and provides infor-mation and education to local communities on improved pest management practices. Major im-pacts most directly include more income for local families. In Ernestina’s case, she is able to restore her home, pay her family’s medical expenses and send her children to school. “I receive important information on how to control the pests and I am thankful that I do not have to worry about waking up and having all my crops dead; the farmland is all my family has for money,” says Ernestina. She is quick to point out that as a woman she could potentially lose her husband and the ability to take care of her crops, which is absolutely essential in maintaining an income to care for her family. PROMIPAC also works to steer small farmers away from the more traditional farming methods. It teaches the importance of having a variety of crops, proper soil analysis, reduced pesticide use, the use of lower toxicity pesticides, and improved marketing skills. Another member of Ernestina’s group in Antiquizaya, is Marlene Aguilar de Castro. Marle-

El principal objetivo del Centro de Energía Renovable es reducir el impacto del calentamiento global y el aumento de los costos energéticos en Latinoamérica, en industrias agrícolas y en la vida rural en general. impacto del calentamiento global y el aumento de los costos energéticos

ne says she benefits from PROMIPAC because she was able to get money for her children to go to school, fix her earthquake-ravaged house, and di-versify her crops. She started producing papayas, for example, which generated increased income for her family. To be able successfully compete, the far-mers must utilize improved production methods, incur fewer costs, and practice better marketing. The farmers are trained to seek out production information, including times and how much of pest control products they need and then to relay that information back to their communities. They quickly discover the export problems associated with pesticide treated crops where consumers are more likely to buy products produced with fewer or no chemicals. Thus, an organic production movement has also surfaced, allowing farmers to experiment with best management practices for both the organic and non- organically produced crops. Another PROMIPAC success story is that of Amadeo Oliva from Metapan near the border with Guatamala. On a blisteringly hot afternoon in a small rowboat, which is the only way to get to his farm, Oliva explains his new ideas to pro-tect his crops. A man in his fifties, he is proudly wearing a PROMIPAC hat. After his PROMIPAC review session he recites a thorough description of the management of his crops. Oliva teaches his children the right way to manage crops by giving them small plots with tomatoes for which to care. With the help of his wife and his three boys, he also grows cucumbers, corn, radish, su-garcane, tomatoes, peppers, and small patches of crops such as coffee. PROMIPAC has transformed Oliva from a small, uneducated farmer to the position of community leader. Some of his tech-niques include applying pesticides for one type of crop but not for another. The untreated crop acts as trap for the insects such as white fly. He also constructs planted walls of sorghum around his crops. Sorghum acts as a barrier that prevents insects from infecting his crop. Pesticides consis-ting of laundry detergent, flour, and salt are also used on the crops for protection through non-toxic chemical applications. Oliva also acts as an unpaid extension agent for his neighbors, teaching them pest management techniques and the co-rrect amounts of pesticide to use for each crop. He expanded his farm, using some of the money

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PRÓXiMAMENTE…

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COMING IN 2009...

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ur 2009 issue of ¡Soluciones! will highlight how decades of Zamo-rano-led applied research and field experience in biodiversity conserva-tion, biotechnology, and agricultural production and agro-industry are enabling the University to assume a major role in the sustainable develop-ment of Central America.

Biodiversity Zamorano’s long-standing involvement in biodi-versity-related research and education contributes to agricultural competitiveness and sustainable development. The University’s laboratory facilities and plant and insect collections are among the most complete in Latin America. Its science is highly respected and increasingly applied to the economic betterment of the region. The com-mitment to biodiversity conservation is further manifest through the recent designation of Za-morano as the home of the Regional Biodiversity Institute, which has been established under the banner of the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD). Zamorano’s commitment to biodiversity includes environmentally sound, productive activities that lead to increased income; obtaining and making available state of the art technology related to biodiversity; and incorporating biodiversity mana-gement into community development projects.

BiotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology offers significant sus-tainable opportunities for developing countries to both feed increasing populations and to improve agro-industrial competitiveness. To take advan-tage of these opportunities many Latin American sectors must overcome a weak information base, scarce skilled human resources, and limited ac-cess to technology. Zamorano has a solid track record of applied research and training and in recent years has significantly developed its labora-tory and field capabilities in applied biotechnolo-

gy in bio-fertilization, biological control to manage pests, biodiversity, propagation of plant species through tissue culture, and the use of molecular methods for diagnosing plant and animal diseases and food pathogens. The University has demons-trated the capacity to conduct high-quality trai-ning and extension programs on a regional scale, and is involved in innovative science programs and development of new curricula.

Produciton & Agro-industry The U.S.-funded Millennium Challenge Corpo-ration (MCC) programs in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua provide development assistance to countries that “rule justly, invest in their people and encourage economic freedom”. These pro-grams focus largely on reducing poverty and spu-rring economic growth by increasing agricultural productivity and improving transportation links between producers and markets. Zamorano’s own institutional mission and vision dovetail with the MCC principles of economic growth through investments in agriculture, education, private sector development, and capacity building. The mission and vision reward performance, empha-size institutional partnering, and focus on results. Zamorano currently conducts and supports agri-cultural production and value-added processing projects in all three countries, benefiting more than 15,000 farm families.

The 2009 ¡Soluciones! will showcase these projects and their participating small-scale agricul-tural commodity producers and processors.

Próximamente…

N

MARTIN SCHWARZOficial de Convenios y Contratos








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ur 2009 issue of ¡Solucio-nes! will highlight how deca-des of Zamorano-led applied research and field experience in biodiversity conservation, biotechnology, and agricultural production and agro-industry are enabling the University to assume a major role in the sus-tainable development of Central America.

Biodiversity Zamorano’s long-standing involvement in biodi-versity-related research and education contributes to agricultural competitiveness and sustainable development. The University’s laboratory facilities and plant and insect collections are among the most complete in Latin America. Its science is highly respected and increasingly applied to the economic betterment of the region. The com-mitment to biodiversity conservation is further manifest through the recent designation of Za-morano as the home of the Regional Biodiversity Institute, which has been established under the banner of the Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD). Zamorano’s commitment to biodiversity includes environmentally sound, productive activities that lead to increased income; obtaining and making available state of the art technology related to biodiversity; and incorporating biodiversity mana-gement into community development projects.

BiotechnologyAgricultural biotechnology offers significant sus-tainable opportunities for developing countries to both feed increasing populations and to improve agro-industrial competitiveness. To take advan-tage of these opportunities many Latin American sectors must overcome a weak information base, scarce skilled human resources, and limited ac-cess to technology. Zamorano has a solid track record of applied research and training and in

recent years has significantly developed its labora-tory and field capabilities in applied biotechnolo-gy in bio-fertilization, biological control to manage pests, biodiversity, propagation of plant species through tissue culture, and the use of molecular methods for diagnosing plant and animal diseases and food pathogens. The University has demons-trated the capacity to conduct high-quality trai-ning and extension programs on a regional scale, and is involved in innovative science programs and development of new curricula.

Production & Agro-industry The U.S.-funded Millennium Challenge Corpo-ration (MCC) programs in El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua provide development assistance to countries that “rule justly, invest in their people and encourage economic freedom”. These pro-grams focus largely on reducing poverty and spu-rring economic growth by increasing agricultural productivity and improving transportation links between producers and markets. Zamorano’s own institutional mission and vision dovetail with the MCC principles of economic growth through investments in agriculture, education, private sector development, and capacity building. The mission and vision reward performance, empha-size institutional partnering, and focus on results. Zamorano currently conducts and supports agri-cultural production and value-added processing projects in all three countries, benefiting more than 15,000 farm families.

The 2009 ¡Soluciones! will showcase these projects and their participating small-scale agricul-tural commodity producers and processors.

O

MARTIN SCHWARZOficial de Convenios y Contratos

Coming in 2009...










Sin fines de lucroZamorano es una institución sin fines de lucro, registrada en el Estado de Delaware de los Estados Unidos de América. Es reconocida por la Oficina de Impuestos sobre la Renta de ese país, como una organización (501)-(c)-(3). En muchos países de América Latina existen beneficios fiscales para personas, empresas y organizaciones que brindan apoyo a Zamorano.

Non Profit Zamorano is a non-profit institution registered in the

State of Delaware, United States of America. It is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a (501)-

(c)-(3) organization. In many Latin American countries, there are tax benefits for people, companies and organizations providing support for Zamorano.

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