Hinterland Environmentally Sustainable Agricultural Development Project

This project aims to benefit 6,000 families from 80 communities in regions 1 and 9 of Guyana, paying special attention to the segments of the population most affected by poverty. About 15 per cent of beneficiary households are headed by women and at least 75 per cent of beneficiaries are indigenous.

The project supports the resilience of rural families and indigenous peoples by promoting the links between economic diversification, productive transformation, environmental protection and family nutrition. It identifies products that will enable small farmers' inclusion in markets, which, in turn, will increase local demand for services and labour and strengthen the entire rural economy.

It also seeks to improve small-scale farmers' access to public services, knowledge and technologies through training and technical assistance in the areas of planning and natural resources management (water, soil, renewable energy, agro-diversity). It supports local and regional councils as they plan and prioritize investments in local value chains and strengthens their resilience, enabling communities to identify economic opportunities as well as the risks resulting from climate change.

The project also aims to improve food security and nutrition through the promotion of crops, fish and forest products that can sustainably improve household diets. This involves nutrition education and behaviour change activities, including the elaboration of dietary guidelines.