Sustainable Harvest International (SHI) works with families in Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama to help them transition from slash-and-burn agriculture to more sustainable farming practices that protect forests and increase incomes. SHI trains local field staff who work directly with families, teaching techniques like composting, crop rotation, and planting trees. As a result of SHI's work over 12,000 acres have been converted to sustainable uses, over 60,000 acres of forest have been protected, and more than 2.6 million trees have been planted, improving livelihoods and the environment.

1. Sustainable Family Farms Reducing Poverty and Deforestation in Central AmericaBelize, Honduras, Nicaragua & Panama Cape Elizabeth H.S., 2009

2. SHI currently works in four countries: Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua & Panama.We work in southern Belize, Toledo district.SHI works in two districts of northern Honduras.We work on the Atlantic Coast of Nicaragua.We work in two districts of Panama.

3. Tropical forests Mitigate global warming by absorption of CO2

4. Prevent siltation of reefs and other aquatic ecosystems

5. Allow rainfall to reach underground aquifers to maintain potable water supplyThe local people of Central America rely very directly on the forest for food, shelter, medicineand water.

6. Many farmers still practice slash and burn, because ash acts as a fertilizer and fire clears the land.However, it also leads to more soil washing away and more contamination of soil and water, especially if pesticides are involved.Cattle grazing can add to the problem because of soil compaction and the need for more open pasture.

7. Slash-and-burn agriculture destroys forests and forces farming families off their land.Farmers are hungry for information on alternatives to slash-and-burn farming that provide a decent quality of life for their families and communities.Sustainable Harvest International was incorporated as a nonprofit in May 1997 to help farmers adopt those alternatives.

8. An important part of how SHI works is to hire local field trainers who work with individual families on the farms where these families live, helping them learn new techniques and market their crops, as well as helping to reforest in areas that are environmentally sensitive.Below are two of our Nicaragua field trainers visiting farmers and discussing the crops being grown. It is this direct, hands-on and long-term commitment that makes SHI different.

9. Beans

10. Rice

11. Corn

12. Banana

13. Plantain

14. CassavaSustainable techniques for growing traditional staple crops

15. Healthy Soils Produce Healthy CropsComposting and bocashi Worm composting

16. Rice paddies produce four times as much rice as slash-and-burn rice, so families have more to eat and more to sell.

17. Other techniques taught by SHI include: Cover Crops

18. Crop Rotation

19. Integrated Pest Management

20. Composting

21. MulchSHI families live in small remote villages, and have had little or no access to education about alternative growing methods. That is one of the greatest needs that SHI field trainers meet.

22. Alley-CroppingNitrogen fixing trees are mixed in with agricultural crops.Trees are cut back when they start to shade out the agricultural crops.Trunk and branches become firewood or fence posts, leaves and stems become mulch.

23. Family GardensAn important part of SHI’s work is to help families plant organic gardens thereby improving their diet and income.SHI works to provide seed and instruction for gardens, and helps families to market excess produce.

24. Reforestation and AgroforestrySHI helps families and community groups to grow trees from seeds in nurseries for later transplant onto farms and public land.SHI participants plant a variety of hardwood, fruit, spice and other types of trees.

25. BiodiversityGrowing a diversity of crops together provides ecological AND financial stability on participants’ farms.

26. Vanilla vine on hardwood treeHardwood tree shading cacao.

27. Shade coffee forest farm beyond ag. plots. Cover crops & erosion barriers build up soils.

28. Erosion barriers and natural pest control

29. The income on this farm increased from $80 to $1,000 by switching to sustainable practices & more valuable crops.

30. Don Cheyo made over $4,000 from sustainably grown new cash crops such as Tabasco peppers.

31. Value Added ProductsMedicinal herbsEggs for local marketNon-traditional crops

32. Chicken coops keep chickens and eggs safe from predators

33. Small Fish Pondsalso improve nutrition and income.