In Jocotán’s rugged and semi-arid environment water is poorly available and only a few campesino households have access to some form of irrigation. These households fall into two categories: the owners of small plots of land on the banks of the main rivers (which are mostly controlled by affluent landowners) and up-land water source owners that have been able to establish small sprinkler-based irrigation schemes (generally as a result of support and assistance from development projects)
In both cases, irrigation makes three important differences in campesino livelihoods: it allows for higher maize and bean yields, it decreases crop vulnerability to rainy season canículas, and it increases dry-season on-farm employment.
As such, small irrigation owners are amongst the better-off members of campesino society. Higher yields and protection against canículas makes the family more food secure and capable to sell staple food surplus. By generating additional income, dry season cash crops (such as tomato and onion) decrease dependency on seasonal migration and allow men to continue their on-farm activities, as well as to be more involved in family and aldea life. Moreover, labor intensive cultivation of irrigated land offers some job opportunities to the extended family and community members. Hence, irrigation, as a natural and physical capital asset, has a positive effect on financial, social and human capital endowments.
ASEJO members are aware and proud of their relative wealth, and believe that in 2002 and 2003 seed multiplication has significantly strengthened their physical, social and human assets. In some cases, the earnings from those two years were invested in upgrading or extending the small irrigation schemes; in other cases, extra money and time were spent on attending courses. One ASEJO member highlighted the contribution that labor-intensive seed multiplication has made to keeping his adult sons on the farm and strengthening family unity. In addition almost all ASEJO members appreciated the technical and organizational know-how gained through participation in the project.
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[23] Information in this
section has been collected through a brainstorming session attended by eight
ASEJO members and local SPFS staff, and validated through informal conversations
that have taken place in the homes and plots of some
campesinos. |
