Bumper crop.
An organic agricultural program designed to provide food security to poor communities is being imported from Argentina. Established 20 years ago, Pro Huerta now includes more than 624,000 home gardens and 130,000 small farms, involving 3.5 million people in the program.
Seeds and even farm animals are provided to participants, along with training in organic agricultural principles. They grow healthy food that promotes a diverse and balanced diet.
“Today we have three and a half million small producers, some of whom have exceeded their own needs and sell the surplus . . . .” says the program’s director, Verónica Piñero.
Thanks to the program, small producers receive two kilos of seeds of all kinds twice a year, from leaf greens to tomatoes and herbs. Sixty per cent of domestic food production in Argentina is provided by family-based agriculture.
Pro Huerta has already been exported to Haiti.
A delegation of technicians traveled to Mexico recently to begin a training program with technicians from the Agriculture Secretariat. Pro Huerta is introduced to communities by identifiying leaders to put it in motion, and set up progressive training.
Information is shared throughout the country with a network of promoters.
Garden plots of 100 square metres are intended to supply fresh food to four or five people throughout the year. It was designed to address food shortages in areas with limited resources, but is also seen as a means of promoting a natural-foods diet.
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