Community Farmers Transform Local Economy & Health

During this period and with the help of GlobalGiving, COMAL initiated new efforts to expand the production of panela granulada, an organic cane sugar that COMAL markets locally.  Panela granulada is important for three important reasons: the agro-industrial process is environmentally friendly; transforming cane, rather than selling to an intermediary, adds economic value to the family’s livelihoods; and organic cane sugar is nutritional. 

The COMAL community in the highlands of the Comayagua in central Honduras is excited and well-poised to build on their skills as small-scale producers to transform their product. The community consists of 20 growers, including 8 women. Their plan is to learn each step of the agro-industrial process from COMAL’s cane growers in other parts of the country. They are aware that a market awaits their product when they successfully master product transformation.

COMAL practices economic solidarity: this means that successful community enterprises share practices and learning with each other. Technology transfer occurs community to community rather than by being purchased from a consultant at a high rate. 

Main Achievements

During this period of launching and initial consolidation steps, the Comayagua cooperative held four meetings with COMAL’s organizational and technical leadership. Topics of discussion included COMAL values, membership and the application rotating funds as well as cane sugar market history and the basics of health and hygiene regulations. Two important farmer-to-farmer exchanges occurred: 1) the head of another COMAL cooperative in the area met with cooperative members and provided important historical information more than 20 years of the use of appropriate technology; and 2) six members of the Comayagua community traveled to the department of Yoro and learned from COMAL cane production in process. 

The achievements of the Comayagua-Yoro exchange include: 1) participants gained knowledge in collection and transport of raw cane to the agroindustry plant; 2) participants saw the equipment that is used to high-temperature heat and crystallize the cane; and 3) participants learned about quality control and product classification. The visiting community members saw the packaging system and learned about health and hygiene requirements. Further training is planned, and equipment is being priced for implementation.