OBJECTIVES
1)To provide technical advise and training of trainers to implement a watershed level strategy of organic farming on the Lake Atitlán protected area, to diminish water pollution due to agrochemicals.2)To develop and disseminate appropriate technical training and educational materials on organic farming techniques and methodologies for 9 NGOs that work on the southwestern region of Guatemala.To provide on-site technical assistance to implement organic farming practices on each organization?s locality.To train participant NGOs Boards of Directors on fair trade and organic markets commercialization requirements. /This project will provide institutional strengthening to 9 NGOs that have conformed a small farmers associations consortium that have taken the use of organic production techniques and methods as main goal to protect the local environment and biodiversity, and at the same time try to get into the organic and fair trade markets niche for coffee production under natural shade. A series of workshops will be held to train and strengthen the capacities of local technical personnel, and developing educational materials that are adjusted to their cultural and educational background. The project also includes in the field advice and follow up to assure proper implementation of the given techniques and methodologies and replication of the experiences and lessons learned on other two organizations of the Quetzaltenango region.