Inversion y Desarrollo con Luis Velasquez 224 1/1 Caprinocultura para el Desarrollo Rural

The Goat Breeding is an economic activity sustained in
the raising of goats, and the marketing of milk and milk products.
It takes place in rural areas and contributes to the generation of employment
and incomes for people, allowing them to have a better
life quality.
The goat breeders have formed the Guatemalan Goat Chain
an association to support each other and make from this activity a
profitable process, ambitious and enterprising, to bring greater benefit to the
communities.
As you have mentioned Mr. Manuel and Mrs. Juanita
the Goat Breeding contributes to improve Food Security
and Nutrition, to improve family income and sustainable rural development
which definitely contributes to human development
and a better life quality.
Welcome to Investment and Development.
Today we will address the theme "Goat Breeding for the Improvement of
Food and Nutritional Security and Rural Development ".
For which are with us the Minister of Agriculture, Efraín Medina and
Mr. Roberto Castillo of the Department of Livestock Development from the
Ministry of Agriculture.
We are in the community of Choatalum, San Martin Jilotepeque,
Chimaltenango.
In a wonderful integral farm, a concept that has more than 40 years.
Mr. Minister how does Goat Breeding can become an element of
development, for better incomes and Community Development
that our country so badly needs?
It is also essential for the nutrition strenghtening
to have a balanced diet, which would give the
communities access to milk, and its derivatives, to the meat.
And that helps to increase the consumption of animal protein.
But it is very important to do it through the Animal Production Management from
the Ministry of Agriculture, which is promoting the breeding,,
to get some quality specimens and we believe that in the United States
there are sources where we can get some quality specimens
so we can have better baby goats, genetically and
more productive breeds.
How should we institutionalize the development of Goat Breeding
in many municipalities where the conditions are suitable to
develop this type of activity that is very important for improving
Food Security and Nutrition, but also to become
an element of development for these communities?
Something very important, in the case of the government, it must have a funtion
to support and that is to facilitate the support for different organizations
that exist.
In the Ministry of Agriculture there is what we call CONADEA, the National
Agricultural Development.
And here there are networks producing cattle and pigs
also the Goat Chains as the production of crops
of vegetables and there is a wide variety of organizations represented.
We work with them and provide them with what they need, we have meetings,
in which they can present their needs
and according to it they should promote to fulfill their requirements, where it is needed
the fundamental support to promote all these activities.
We spoke with Dr. Romeo de la Roca who is working on
one of these organizations, in one of the networks,
that we have at a national level, they are in the west, in the north,
in the center of the country and have this solid organizaton
so that the different regions, can promote these activities
that can improve significantly the familiar economy, but
most importantly to reduce chronic malnutrition and increase
Food Security and Nutrition.
Mr. Roberto, in what consist the Production Centers and the Goat Improvement
at a Departamental level, municipal level and at a community level?
This project is about creating an availability of a
breeding stock of excellent quality in all the country.
The goats came with the Spanish people long time ago,
but today it has a peak in the demand of
specialized products, it is necessary for people to have a
breeding stock to increase productivity,
which together with better management, as Mr. Medina said, a feedlot management,
so there will not be a problem with the ecological part, with people
trying to improve the environment.
We can have an excellent quality protein with availability of
breeding stock anywhere in Guatemala.
For whom it is integrated the Production and Improvement Goats Centers
and how are you involving the General Authorities, Local Community Leaders
and Producers?
It is really an effort that is being done by the
Private Initiative with the Government support and we are trying to
involve the Academy.
University Centers, the same Faculty of Veterinary,
for all to work towards the same point, which is to improve
this agricultural activity.
Mr. Minister what important solutions can be provided by the goat milk
for improving Food and Nutrition Security but also to
serve as an Economic Development for families
in rural areas, improve their income and have better opportunities?
As we have seen in this integal farm the children
from infants to adults are involved
and they start working from 5 in the morning,
then they can go to school, and return to continue with their activities,
we see that it is a very interesting model for development.
It is a family effort in which all members are
engage in such productive activities, but we already mentioned
that goats are a rich source of protein
which strengthens the diet of the families that are consuming it.
The access in many locations to purchase milk from cattle
gets a bit difficult
and in this case there can be families with a low income
with economic limitations, but it can be easier for them to have
their goats.
They can have it in small areas , often eating weeds,
and the goats consume it
so easily and they do this food conversion
Mr. Roberto, how do you train the producers and how do you help them
with the part of technification for the derivatives of goat milk products?
Really the Department of Livestock Development, as we talked
before has the department where they try to promote the
major amount of domestic species.
Within this program the most important component until today is the
training and the technical assistance because the technical assistance is needed a
very specialized one.
Then it is divided in what is nutrition, genetic improvement
and general handling.
And besides this efforts that are being done by the Goat Chain,
that have brought skilled people from other places to train
the producers in what is industrialization and
safety issues.
That up to today is a very important matter for these products
to be safe and actually fulfill their role in nurturing.
Mr. Minister, projects such as Goat Breeding
ow can we implement them in the 334 municipalities, making ah
teamwork with Mayors, Governors, Community Leaders,
COCODES, COMUDES, CODEDES through Development Commissions
Local Economy? For these actors to be involved and be architects
of their own destiny, as we have seen in this project "El Mirador".
A very visionary initiative, with a community involvement.
That's where the challenge is.
Something fundamental is the strengthening and solid constitution of the
National Agricultural Extension System.
In this regard we proposed and we will have at least 3
extensionists in each of the Municipalities.
And this extensionists should be involved in the municipalities,
in the COMUDES in the Municipal Development Councils
and from there to meet the needs through the
Mayors that preside the COMUDES (Municipal Development Councils), discuss the major projects
of development, it is very important
and then the Public - Private Alliances in which the Ministry of
Agriculture, through the National Agricultural Development Council,
through its networks and producers, make that association with the
Ministry.
And through the Municipality promote the experiences and the knowledge
that they have, so that this information can be available for all the families
and by this it can be a very important municipal development project
in the different regions of the country.
We will go to a commercial break and then we will continue with Investment and Development.
We continue with Investment and Development.
In this second segment we have with us Maria Salam, a Member of
the Guatemalan Goat Chain, that comes from Suchitepequez.
Dr. Romeo de la Roca, President of the Guatemalan Goat Chain
and former Vice Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food,
Rómulo Gramajo.
Welcome to the second segment.
Dr. De la Roca what does this represent for the country and what
opportunities of development do we have?
From the point of view of the representation there is an impact on the nutrition of the people
or in the reduction of chronic malnutrition.
If we manage to establish Centers of Goat Breeding, to support
communities, goats in every rural houses, then we will achieve to
solve the problem of chronic malnutrition.
This problem of malnutrition is centered in the deficiency of milk,
malnourished rural mothers don't produce milk.
What is the Goat Chain and what are your objectives?
This is an organization promoted by the Government, the Government
had the vision to propose, to get together the Private Sector with the Public Sector
so that the Goat Breeding could be developed in an organized way
and also to develop the goat producers.
Maybe one of the differences with other chains because there are chains
of any kind, cattle, pig all that is required.
This chain has an eminently social focus.
So we propose the idea that the goal is the malnourished children
and that the way to get to that goal of solving this problem,
we can do business as well.
We have incorporated the producers, we incorporated the entrepreneurs
because there are different niches.
Guatemala has a demand for high quality products, at the
5 stars hotels and also the lower strata have great needs,
there is for all in the case of goats.
Mrs. Maria, what are the benefits and the development of Goat Breeding
in rural communities, not only in health but also in the
families economy?
Because of the experience that I have and the time of being working with goats, that are 11 years
I have noticed that it also helps to feed our
children, to nuture them, to defeat chronic deseases,
also it helps us have an economic support.
For example I have my neighbors that are my family, included in my
goats project, where we work with them, our children
are healthy and besides we sell some of the product to other neighbors.
That means that we can earn money and we support our homes.
Then if we have healthy children, nourished, where are we
going to spend the money?
We can invest in education because that is the experience that I have lived,
all my children are studying and we live of the goat breeding.
Improving the economy of the families.
What products are obteined from the Goat Breeding and you as an innovative woman
have you used these products to support your family?
Yes, indeed I have been working for 5 years with these products as I said before.
And you brought the products?
Yes, here I have them, with the objective of not just sell the products here
in Guatemala but I dream that also other countries can buy our products,
this product as you can see comes also as powder.
Apart from being able to make yogurt, cheese, ice cream
or implement it in cakes.
This is very accessible product to fortify foods in the house.
For example at home I do my corn dough and I fortified
my tortillas with this flour
and if I make another product or a smoothie there goes the product, then it is more
available to take it to long distances and besides that it is no longer liquid, but
it is powdered.
Thinking about the future in a big way in the country, I have always told them
here we need to have well-nourished children,
since they take the goat milk.
It is so.
Mr. Former Vice Minister, we heard that the Goat Breeding has given a lot of
contributions to the country, that the goat´s milk helps to improve the
Food Security and Nutritional Security.
But how can we implement it as an element of development
for the families to have more incomes, as we are seeing now
in this farm and to generate thousands of jobs
as it has been done in Brazil, India, Pakistan, Mexico and Costa Rica?
I think that it has to be done a good link, an approach
with the government and with the goat producers that are organized in the Guatemalan
Goat Chain
because this is not about one sector doing it, it needs the government support.
Because until this moment, as I think I told, the only people that are
working on this project, are the ones that are part of the Guatemalan Goat Chain
without a governmental support.
What kind of technologies can be applied for this milk to be developed
and can supply the entire country?
I think that it is something great, something big, but we need to start
with the education and training of all the people working in the Goat Breeding.
For them to know what race of goats to use. How to nurture these animals, and how to handle them
and really the goat is something that is required at a rural level in Guatemala.
What you mean is that all the governments should implement projects of Goat Breeding
to improve the Food Security and Nutritional Security?
It is right and because of the aspects that we have mentioned it is
very simple to have a goat, it is a very noble animal, milking a goat is so easy that can be done by the children,
they can have it in their homes, it eats a little, and produces enough milk
and one important thing is that:
"It has the second place in quality
after the breast milk".
Mrs. Maria, can you tell us in what places can be applied the
Goat Breeding, and what does it need to be aplied?
I'm sure that a lot of people that are watching us would like to be goat producers.
From what I have seen in our country we still have a lot of Natural Resources.
As I have told to many people the goat eats less than a cow.
Maybe where one cow eats, 10 goats can be feed,
Then yes, we have a lot of resources and I believe that all the country
will be able to raise goats.
You wanted to tell us more about it Dr. De la Roca?
They should analyze this milk, because there can be solved the
allergic problems of the children.
The gynecologists have no idea that a pregnant woman
and infants should not drink cow milk.
Why they should not drink cow milk?
Because it has proteins that cross the placenta
and that is why from his 20 days or 30 days old a baby can have allergenic problems,
that is simply because of that.
This type of knowledge should be investigated, that is a recomendation
a very important for the doctors.
We will go to a commercial break and then we will continue with Investment and Development.
We are back with Investment and Development.
In this second segment join us Mrs. Maria Saravia that has 5 children,
that we see in this moment, that are malnourished and also she is pregnant
she is going to have her sixth child.
Also here is with us is Mr. Rigoberto Tejax, that is here with his 2 daughters
and he is also a goat producer.
Would you like that this kind of projects be done in the
community where you are, to improve your Food Security
and nutrition to have more benefits?
Well I would like to be like her, but in my case,
my husband does not support me.
And you want to work?
YES
Would you like to work and produce?
Yes, a long time ago we used to go to the coast and we used to earn money with my children
we used to do two bushels of coffee per day.
If it was a good coffee we used to do 6 bushels with my children.
Mr. Rigoberto, what do you do and from where do you come from?
I am from here San Antonio Choatalum, I am dedicated to sustainable agriculture.
How do you visualize the future of your family with this activity of
Goat Breeding?
I have seen the results in my daughters that they do not get sick they are
always active.
We wake up and start working at 5:00 a.m.
part of the night, we try to teach them to fight for their life, to earn
their bread by the sweat of their forehead.
Here is with us Mr. Otto Vielman, Major of San Martin Jilotepeque.
Mrs. Juanita Chuta, a producer and the owner of the ecological farm
"El Mirador"
And Mr. Manual de Jesus, the founder of this farm.
Mr. Major how have you planned to replicate this model
that we are seeing today?
We have an Strategic Plan that has been created for
the 153 communities in the municipality.
I would start by saying that in our plan there are direct actions,
that are going to be managed with the state institutions,
God first this will be done.
Because once we are heard, we will be given the opportunity
to sensitize our people to be encouraged to get involved
in this kind of projects.
Mrs. Juanita you are a good example in our municipality, this farm is a
pilot of a major plan that we can have in each of the families of our town,
but still there is no social conscience and we have to promote it.
And again I would like to ask the government of Guatemala, to implement this type
of programs so that our people can have conscience and they can be encouraged
to accept this challenge.
Mrs. Juanita, what is your message for the 51% of the population in our country
that are women, for us to have more women like you
in every community of our country, to accelerate
the rural development that we need?
The truth is that we know that there are more women than men
at a national level.
I invite all the women to fight, that we shouldn't
permit to be humiliated, that we are worthy.
We know very well that women can do this activities,
with a little effort, but we can make it.
We have rights and obligations as men and women but let’s not
be satisfied with what we have.
Do not be satisfied with what others say, that women are for the house,
that women are for the kitchen, that is not true.
I say it from my experience, I already have my daughters, the first one is in
charge of the people that are injecting the cows, and now
they are practicing artificial insemination
Then the development is our responsibility.
If I am educated, if I fight, that is the inheritance that I can give
to my children.
Then women let’s get up, of course we can do it with
energy and optimism we will make it.
We have seen this integral farm "El Mirador", that really is a successful farm,
that we should replicate it in all the communities of Guatemala.
We know that people in Spain, Italy Mexico, the United States
and a lot of countries are writing about this successful case.
I congratulate you because we need more positive leaders
in our country.
What message can you give to all the community leaders,
in all the communities that are watching us here in Guatemala,
for all the communities in Latin America and the Caribbean?
That there is a way to find success and this is through the
Economic Development.
Through productive products, as we have seen today.
With the Goat Breeding, it can be sow coffee, tilapia, you can also make hydroponics products and others as honey,
so many things.
What would you tell them?
Since when I understood, that the life is not about an attitude and conformism,
I don’t want to stay like this, I want to keep on going.
I want to be optimistic, at all levels and if I can share.
Why not?
It is a way to help my generation and the new generations to come,
because life will always go on so I want to invite you.
First the ones that facilitate, in this case the Officials that are in
the government that are here as the Major, invite them
to be sensitive.
Social sensibility is not something easy but we need to do it and the few do it.
I would add to this if, for example, what the Mayor says:
"We are doing conscience in the COCODES COMUDES and in the population of
the communities".
That are the leaders and are the first ones to be called and for a reason
They have been called, they have been given the trust to promote
programs of development.
I want to say to our Major, that when you need it here I am at your service.
Also to the Minister, to the Doctor that always has fought with us and in several occasions
have come to see the goats.
We can see clearly the programs of development,
that don't mean corn and bean, sometimes we think that those are the only products that we can produce
with that and that is not development.
We must do something integral and this is the concept that I have
that comes from my mentality, from my feelings, and from a clear vision,
that whatever happens.
If there are setbacks, I slip, or fall on the road, I get up
we must go on.
And I think this part is the one that has been useful for me,
because I didn't study, many times we put it as an excuse.
I didn't study and that's why I can't do nothing, that isn't true.
We have a conscience, intelligence, resources,
mother nature gives us everything, every day.
It is just a matter of time for us to handle it in a adequate way,
amigable in this sense, this is the farm approachment to grow.
Thank you very much Mr. Manuel, Juanita, Mr. Mayor.
From the university of life as you said, in the community
of Choatalum, San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango, Guatemala,
Centroamérica.
The Goat breeding is an activity that contributes with the
Economic and Social development.
A source of employment and of incomes for the community leaders.
The milk of the goat is an excellent alternative with adequate properties
to improve the Food
and Nutritional Security.
The Public Sector, the Private Sector and the Academic Sector, the International Sector,
Society and the 33,000 communities, we must support the Guatemalan producers
in the improvement of the production, in the handling
in the commercialization and the industrialization for the added value
of goat products as we have seen, these products
in the diversity, that we have today.
It is important that we understand once and for all that we are facing
in an emphatic way the actual situation of underdevelopment and to implement
concrete actions in order to reach the development in rural areas.
See you next week in an interesting program
as the one of today.