In Honduras, the design, construction and supervision of several irrigation systems in different areas of the country are being tendered.
Honduras Government Purchase SAG-UAP-PDABR-BCIE-2101-LPI-1-01-2019:
"The project is aimed at benefiting the poorest farmers in the main horticultural areas of Olancho, Francisco Morazán, La Paz, and the west of the country.
Lack of irrigation on most of the country's arable land is preventing farmers from accessing bank financing to increase the productivity of their crops.
Regarding the financing that is currently granted, Luis Rivas Anduray, CEO and director of Banpro Grupo Promerica, explained to Elnuevodiario.com.ni that "...Banks finance only 10% of the country's arable areas. This 10% are the products that generate the most foreign currency for Nicaragua, such as coffee, sugarcane, etc., but there is another 90% of the area that can be financed, in which banks do not get involved, due to the credit risk that this constitutes. Therefore, when you have irrigation, the risk is substantially reduced."
The implementation of adequate irrigation infrastructure would provide the conditions needed to produce year-round, raising the productivity of Nicaraguan agriculture.
Lack of infrastructure is preventing taking advantage of the potential of rainwater in the agricultural sector, which relying solely on rain, is able to grow only once year, in the winter period.Data provided by Santiago Jaramillo, agronomist at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) indicates that the yield (kg / ha) of crops such as corn and beans could rise from 2125 to 9100in the first case and 675-1500 in the second case.
The agricultural chambers in the region are preparing law proposals to be presented in the Central American countries to remove the restrictions on growing GM foods.
Representatives from FECAGRO said the use of agricultural biotechnology allows for improved technology that enables high productivity seeds, reduces agrochemical use, creates more drought-resistant crops that can also be irrigated with salt water and are completely safe for human consumption.
Lafise bank announced it has $5 million to provide 7 year term loans with one year grace to producers in Leon and Chinandega.
After the meeting in Chinandega with producers and representatives from the financial institution solutions that fit the needs of the sector, the effects of climate change and fluctuations in international prices have been agreed in regards to production.
Employers in the agricultural sector are proposing pilot projects in selected areas in order to assess the implications of using such crops.
Jose Adam Aguerri, president of Cosep, told Elnuevodiario.com.ni that "... the (GM) issue today in Nicaragua is prohibited."
"We believe that there will have to be an analysis of this situation, we must evaluate it and balance it, (...) we can go slowly, gradually, with pilot projects in confined zones in order to see how it works, without this meaning it will be adopted".
The German Investment and Development Company (DEG) will provide $4 million in capital and grant $8 million of credit to Melones de Nicaragua S.A.
The long-term credit will allow the company to expand its operations.
According to an article in Laprensa.com.ni: "The funds will be invested in expanding rice cultivation areas, in the clearance and construction of irrigation wells in Jicaral, Leon; in the construction of a cogeneration electric power plant based on rice husks with a capacity of producing one megawatt and a program for small producers to process their crops with a thresher in which the company has already invested a million dollars. "
The program will start in the towns of Jalapa, Condega and Estelí.
Called "Frijol de Riego", the program foresees planting beans using controlled irrigation techniques.
The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry (MAGFOR), Ariel Bucardo, said they already have an area of about 3.500 blocks. The start of the program is scheduled to begin in two weeks.
"This is the government alternative to produce 100 thousand quintals of beans and cover part of the losses suffered in the Apante harvest (the third and last crop of the year), estimated at about 600 thousand quintals," informed Laprensa.com.ni.
An official delegation will discuss several development programs with their Nicaraguan counterparts.
The Agenda includes the Pacific Irrigation project, whose total investment could reach $2.145 million.
This project consists of "irrigating 65.000 hectares using water from the Nicaragua Lake in the first 5 years, to expand it to 625.000 hectares in 15 years.
Venezuela will fund the first phase of the Pacific Irrigation Project, whose total investment could be more than $2.14 billion.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega informed the Venezuelan government will support the first phase of this mega project, which includes refreshing the former Project for Irrigation of the Pacific Plains of Nicaragua, drafted over 20 years ago.