Photos of Guatemala´s Fields

Agricultural Plots Outside Antigua


Macademia Nut Farm


Cotton, the Raw Material for Guatemala´s Beautifull Textiles


Enrich by Volcanic Soils, Guatemala´s Coffee is one of the Best

Colors of Guatemala´s Markets

Saludos Seño. Check Guatemala´s latest pictures HERE

Guatemala is a country filled with colors. Right after our second day in the city, we decided to visit the capital’s Central Market in Zona 1. We were amaze at what we saw: A whole range in colors depicted in fruits and vegetables. Similarly beautiful were the colors of the dresses of the Mayan women who sell these products. Colors and odors is an experience you don’t want to miss in the country’s capital, a little taste of its amazing cultural and natural diversity.

This market, where the picture was taken, is located right in front the cathedral, which lies next to the presidential palace. One advantage of this particular market is that you’ll get the Guatemalan price as this part of the city is not frequented by tourists, who avoid it given the bad reviews of guide books. Usually, tourist are given a premium in the pricing of goods, specially crafts, so bargain is a good practice to get used to. Although crime tends to be higher in this part of the city, there is a comprehensive effort to better Zone 1, the centre of the city. The goal is to take advantage of the flow of tourist who usually set off directly towards Antigua.

Markets in Guatemala are the economic engine of the country. Though many consider this as informal economy, the contributions to the country’s growth and welfare are very significant. Central Markets are very complex indeed. They usually involve several players linked between the producer and the consumer. The Mayan lady I bought my vegetable to told me that she buys the produce from three farms in her community. She also sells to bulk buyers who go to upscale parts of the city or supply to restaurants making some profit. In other words, when you buy at the market, the produce has already gone through many hands.

That’s not to worry as this translates into employment. Guatemala as most Central American countries suffers of two-digit unemployment rate. Yet, agriculture infrastructure developed for winter markets in the U.S and Europe, along with money from the tourists industry and, unfortunately, drug trade, are employing more people than ever.
Check the recently uploaded pictures of Guatemala HERE. Also stay tuned for some videos.

Central America Trip, First Stop: Guatemala

Hola
Disclaimer. During august, Agdes will be a travel blog. Although I’ll write about agriculture in Central America, I will also describe my trip around Guatemala, Honduras, Salvador, and Nicaragua. As some of you know, three days ago Kate and I started our trip throughout Central America. First stop: Guatemala, a country filled with beauty in culture and landscapes. Although the capital, Guatemala City, has a reputation for being unwelcoming, infested with pollution, and crime, we found it quite pleasant. The climate is very nice, mid-70´s with an enjoyable breeze in the afternoon.
Guatemalans are extremely nice and they’re the best source of information when it comes at what places to visit and what to avoid. The city is divided by zones; we stayed in Zone 1 the city centre. A little scary at night because is fairly empty, but during the day there are several churches, museums, plazas, and markets to visit.
The bohemian scene can be found at¨4 Grados Norte¨ and ¨100 Puertas¨. The first one is two blocks of cafes, bars, and cultural centres. The second a little hallway with some Cuban Trova and Spanish rock bars. There are also two excellent museums to have a better understanding of the Maya culture. The first one, Popol Vuh, is an archaeological museum divided by the different periods of the Maya. The second one, the Ixchel museum, puts more emphasis on the Mayan textiles and its meanings.
So, if you’re planning to come to Guatemala, spending a couple days in the capital is definitely worth it. Just don’t forget the universal rules of carrying little cash, avoid bad neighbourhoods and ASK the locals.That’s all for now. Stay tuned for pictures!!! Saludos RAFA

Promoción del Cultivo de Caucho y Palma Africana en Colombia

El periódico Colombiano El Tiempo publicó hace poco un artículo sobre la posibilidad de expandir los cultivos de caucho y palma africana en Colombia. Titulado “Es necesario aumentar áreas de cultivos de caucho y palma para depender menos de las importaciones”, el articulo argumenta que al producir mas caucho y palma africana el país se beneficiará pues dependerá menos de los mercados globales. Vale la pena analizar un par de puntos antes de presentar el cultivo de esto productos como una de las alternativas viables para el desarrollo agropecuario Colombiano.

Primero, el alto nivel de importación no debe ser motivo para fomentar la producción local del producto importado. Con algunas excepciones, estamos importando porque en alguna parte del mundo alguien lo esta haciendo de una manera mas eficiente y barata. Contrario a lo que muchas personas piensan, el sector agrario es dinámico y receptivo a las demandas del mercado mundial. Si fuera tan rentable el aumento en la producción de estos productos, como el artículo lo sugiere, el mismo sector ya hubiera empezado a expandir la producción. El que todavía sean pocas la hectáreas cultivadas indica, entre otros, problemas de cultivo, procesamiento, transporte, y falta de financiamiento para estos proyectos de largo plazo. En otras palabras, falta de rentabilidad.

Fuera de eso, el artículo no menciona el impacto ecológico que podría tener el aumento de hectáreas cultivadas. La palma africana tiende a crecer en las costas Pacifica y Atlántica, lugares con invaluable riqueza ambiental. La expansión de estos monocultivos tiene el potencial de amenazar la diversidad tanto biológica como étnica (Palma Africana y las comunidades Afrocolombianas) de las zonas donde se cultivarían. De todas formas esta es una posibilidad entre otras, pues como es el caso en Tumaco, Nariño, la palma esta siendo plantada en antiguos potreros de ganado.

Aclaro que la idea de expandir la producción no es mala, la falacia esta en la justificación que se da para esta. Basados en las fluctuaciones del mercado y su posible rentabilidad, es que se deben tomar las decisiones de cuanto y cuando producir. Fuera de eso, pueda que el cultivo de palma traiga beneficios ignorados en el artículo. Beneficios tales como mayores fuentes de empleo, innovación e inversión en nuevas tecnologías, alternativas para cultivos de uso ilícito etc. Todos estos elementos se deben tomar en cuenta al promover políticas agrarias.