Bell peppers in development.

Bell peppers at harvest.

SAN SALVADOR — Sonia Lorena Castillo, a farmer in Canton Olomega, El Carmen in the southeastern province of La Union, traditionally dedicated her time to small-scale vegetable production, using flood irrigation to grow watermelons (0.35 hectares) and green beans (0.18 hectares). Castillo did not adequately cultivate her land, limiting her tilling to just one pass of the plow. Moreover, she had problems with flooding during the rainy season. She also did not use proper cultivation or fertilization techniques. Her lack of know-how led to low productivity and poor fruit quality.

After receiving technical assistance from Fintrac through USAID’s Agricultural Diversification Program (ADP), Castillo improved drainage, implemented improved plowing techniques, created raised beds, and established a year-long planting schedule.

In September 2006, Castillo installed 0.70 hectares of drip irrigation and divided it evenly for bell pepper and squash production. The success of these crops motivated Castillo to use her own resources to install another 0.70 hectares of drip irrigation to further increase production.

Castillo’s income from horticultural production increased from $3,750 annually before her time with USAID-ADP, to $11,149 for five months of intensive production with drip irrigation.

Her success is especially noteworthy because La Union is known for tough weather conditions and many are therefore reluctant to farm.

“We have become a source of employment in the zone, where there are not many other options besides low-skilled labor in animal production,” Castillo said.

Before beginning production with USAID-ADP assistance, employment on her farm was 46 work days per year on 0.5 hectares. With the first established crops, employment increased to 166 work days for production on 0.7 hectares.

USAID-ADP, which started in June 2006, is a three-year project that increases sales and rural incomes, generates employment, improves farming and food safety practices and boosts Salvadoran exports. The program also links farmers to processors, supermarket chains, importers, and other marketing agents, strengthening the commercial sustainability of El Salvador’s agribusiness value-chain.