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Forest livelihoods

ger-project-fedecovera-guatemala

Guatemala

In Guatemala, the project will support the Federation of Cooperatives of Las Verapaces (FEDECOVERA) to pilot and strengthen FEDECOVERA’s Rural Agroforestry Business School (ERNA), targeting young rural farmers in the Verapaces region. ERNA aims to build the capacities of young forest and farm producers to participate effectively in forestry and agroforestry value chains, with a focus on sustainable practices, occupational safety, and sociocultural relevance

Using a trainer-of-trainers approach adapted from farmer field schools, the project will help young rural farmers strengthen their silvicultural knowledge and acquire practical skills for sustainable forest management, the production of marketable by-products, and enhanced employability. This pilot is expected to develop a replicable model within FEDECOVERA’s cooperative ecosystem, tailored to the Q’eqchi’ and Poqomchi’ indigenous contexts, and promoting territorial attachment, dignified employment, and local economic development.

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During the pilot phase, the project will support 15 local FEDECOVERA cooperatives, located in the Departments of Baja and Alta Verapaz, through the establishment of 15 farm schools, demonstration plots, and a community of practice.

Throughout the training process, participants will learn about:

  • Forest and silvicultural management
  • Management of high-value commercial plantations and their by-products
  • Forest health, including pests and diseases
  • Safety in forest management operations and regulatory compliance
  • Forest-based business and marketing
  • Aggregation of forest products and the role of cooperatives
  • Final practical project: forest entrepreneurship initiative

FEDECOVERA is a second-tier cooperative organization based in Cobán, Alta Verapaz, in northern Guatemala. It brings together more than 40 first-level farmers’ cooperatives, representing over 33,000 members and their families, reaching indirectly more than 100,000 people.

FEDECOVERA provides a range of services to its members, including training, technical assistance, financial services, and marketing of agricultural and forest products. Its member cooperatives are engaged in the production, processing, and marketing of various agroforestry products, including coffee, cardamom, cacao, pepper, and turmeric, with significant participation in forestry activities.