Desarrollo en Adyacencia

The project promotes sustainable and inclusive local socio-economic development in and around Adyacencia, Guatemala, as a factor of social cohesion, stability and peace.

The aim of the project is to activate a process of “Rural Development with Territorial Approach” (DRET) that guarantees the social, educational and productive inclusion of young people, women and indigenous communities.

The project’s actions aim to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations in Guatemala and Belize to influence local government bodies on priority issues such as building a culture of peace and the inclusive and sustainable management of protected natural areas. 

It also aims to improve access to basic health and education services for the most vulnerable communities in and around Adyacencia. 

Finally, it creates productive projects focused on the themes of resilience and adaptation to climate change, the gender perspective and the valorisation of local environmental and cultural resources.

Overall objective

To promote sustainable and inclusive local socio-economic development in and around Adyacencia as a factor of social cohesion, stability and peace. 

Specific objective

Activate a process of “Rural Development with a Territorial Approach” (DRET) that guarantees the social, educational and productive inclusion of young people, women and indigenous communities in the protected areas and surrounding areas.

• Technical assistance in institutional and operational strengthening of local actors
• Knowledge transfer and integration of the DRET approach in the operational tools of Municipal Development Plans (MDP)
• Preparation of a Participatory Territorial Profile in each area of intervention
• Preparation of the Rural Development Plan with a Territorial Approach to the Adjacent Area (PDRET)
• Signature of community territorial agreements
• Preparation, implementation and monitoring of executive plans for small priority investments (PIP)
• Exchanges of good practices in the management of Protected Areas with special attention to agroforestry practices and women’s leadership
• Desarrollo en adyacencia among the young people of Guatemala and Belize for social cohesion and conflict prevention
• Implementation of a forestry agricultural system, farm/school system, at the Maya Ochoch Hik’eek Casa de la Esperanza Institute with a focus on permaculture
• Upgrading of the premises of the Casa de Esperanza School for teaching classes and for accommodating students from the ZdA communities
• Workshops on inclusive education and social-emotional skills
• Construction of rainwater harvesting systems in 5 schools in priority communities
• Training on the use and maintenance of the systems for the entire educational community
• Equipment for minimum health units
• Training of local volunteer staff to assist the community
• Preparation of a business plan for the production and marketing of cocoa in the ZdA between Guatemala and Belize
• Creation of an agroforestry nursery to produce cocoa plants
• Construction of a cocoa mill
• Training modules and technical support for the improvement of production processes and the promotion of agronomic techniques for resilience to climate change and more respectful of the environment
• Training on cocoa bean harvesting and processing
• Specific technical assistance to Maya farmers in Jalacte and Dolores to improve their maize production and land use systems
• Provision of basic infrastructure and inputs for basic grain production and storage
• Implementation of a business strategy for maize and bean production in Maya communities in Belize

• Strengthened territorial governance capacities of local authorities and civil society organisations in Guatemala and Belize on issues such as building a culture of peace and inclusive and sustainable management of protected areas.
• Improved access to basic health and education services for the most vulnerable communities in and around protected areas and project areas.
• Strengthened productive projects with a focus on resilience and adaptation to climate change, gender perspective and valorisation of local environmental and cultural resources.