(HOST) Commentator Bill Mares recently traveled to rural Mexico to observe efforts to help indigenous farming families gain more economic independence.
(MARES) I am on the board of Coffee Kids, a charity that gives youth scholarships and promotes economic diversification for coffee- growing families in Latin America. This helps to lessen their dependence upon this widely and wildly traded commodity.
Several weeks ago I watched how one of our partner organizations works with indigenous farmers in a remote region of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.
CAMPO is the acronym of the 20-year old group, which began as a social and quasi-political movement to help indigenous people battle social and economic oppression locally and nationally. Ten years ago they switched their focus to technical assistance, environmental protection and women’s empowerment.
In a poor land, these are some of poorest areas. Illiteracy is over 40%. The average wage is less than $4.00 per day. In Santo Tomas Texas, a community 100 families, we saw a microcosm of the challenges that CAMPO and the people face.
First of all, it’s remote – six hours from the capital of the state – where you travel on white knuckle mountain roads with enough hairpin turns to run a beauty shop.
Political scientists and sociologists would quail at the overlapping governmental entities, ambiguous land tenure rights and complex social customs. Undaunted, the CAMPO staff has helped develop a range of activities, such as greenhouses to extend the growing season. They teach worm farming to produce organic compost and encourage chicken raising and small-scale fish-farming to get more protein in their diets. They’ve even helped build a radio station, which broadcasts in indigenous languages.
To me, the most fascinating experience was to observe the communal discussions between the CAMPO staff and the villagers.
The CAMPO people knew that they had to walk a fine line between inviting questions and giving advice, between nurturing leaders and anointing them. As we all do, they struggled to find the right words to use in "constructive criticism." Just as importantly, they had to know when to be silent and listen.
Gradually, people spoke up. First, it was objective matters, like repairing greenhouses and building a community center. And then they moved on to some of their fears. "The coffee crop was way down this year," said one man. "Some people have migrated to the city. A couple of our farmers have come close to suicide."
Several speakers told of their eforts to supplement coffee income through honey production, both from European bees and from the local stingless variety. A dozen women who had been rebuffed by the male beekeepers formed their own small cooperative. "Sure, the bees sting me," one woman said. "So what! I earn good money from selling the honey!"
Toward the end of the discussion, one young man about 25 spoke up. He was just back from the States, where he had worked for about six years. "The United States is a beautiful place," he said, "but you suffer a lot there. I’m glad to be home."