Educating Rural Families in Vulnerable Conditions

Celebrating 32 years of organization, production and alternative community marketing, the COMAL Network held a national Agroecological Farmers Market on October 31, 2025. This fair facilitated the participation of families from remote communities and provided them the opportunity to sell their products directly to consumers. Direct marketing practice reduces the vulnerability of these families as sales render a higher profit margin.  

At least 44 producer organizations participated in the fair. The COMAL Network set up educational exhibition booths and stands for sales. One of the important educational events included presentations by ten students from the Department of Nutrition of the National Autonomous University of Honduras. These professionals in training explained the nutritional content of the most highly consumed foods in Honduras and made recommendations to diversify, add vitamins and increase fiber content to the family diet, using products harvested in rural communities. They demonstrated to the public techniques for preparing healthy dishes and met with families and individuals after the presentation to discuss the importance of variety in the diet.

The enthusiasm of the participants was noticeable: many producers and the general public enriched their family basket with products accessible at the fair: jellies, dairy products, coffee, honey, natural cane sugar (panela), cocoa, chocolate, bread, banana chips and mermalade. An attraction for all was the horticultural production: bell peppers, broccoli, head lettuce, fine coriander, chives, cabbage, radish, pataste, pipian, lemon, edible root plants such as potato and taro, cassava, radish and basic grains, including organic rice, corn produced with native seeds and legacy beans. Colorful baskets, products woven from palm, locally produced pottery, and flowering plants and succulents highlighted the importance of the living cultural heritage of Honduras. The event culminated with music and the inauguration of COMAL’s Campesino Store where these healthy products are accessible to the public.