Five years of punishing drought and excessive rain have left millions across Central America’s dry corridor food insecure. They’re hungry and scared, and COVID-19 has made their suffering even more acute.
Vilma Lezama feels these burdens keenly. A preventative health volunteer for World Renew’s local partner, Diaconía Nacional, and a mother herself, Vilma provides nutrition and health training and support to mothers and monitors the health of children in her village from birth to age five.
“We also promote gardens, so that mothers can produce part of their food at home,” says Vilma, “but the scarcity of water and sometimes the floods prevent us from working on it.”
Aquaponics in Central America Strengthens Food Security
Since April 2019, World Renew and Diaconía have helped strengthen aquaponics food security for 100 families in the dry corridor. These highly efficient systems grow fish and vegetables in a closed, symbiotic environment, providing a sustainable source of food while helping families meet the added challenges of COVID-19.
As the project winds up this fall, we celebrate the installation of 100 systems through which families have grown average yields of 28 pounds of fish and 13 pounds of vegetables, including cucumbers, tomatoes, beans, basil, oregano, peppers, squash, and cilantro, within their first production cycle.
Hope for Families in the Dry Corridor
Nineteen families in Vilma’s community now practise aquaponics, including Vilma herself. Reflecting on the difference the system has made for her family, she says:
“I feel proud and grateful to God for my harvests. I am hopeful and relieved.”
Through these harvests, families are experiencing the benefits of aquaponics food security, gaining reliable access to nutritious food despite drought, flooding, and other ongoing challenges.
The impact of aquaponics in Central America will continue long after the final harvest. World Renew is committed to helping families all over the globe achieve lasting food security by providing practical training, resources, and support that enable communities to grow their own food and strengthen their resilience. Together with local partners, we are helping families create sustainable futures where they can weather challenges, improve nutrition, and build hope for generations to come.
