Indigenous People's Apple Processing Co-op, Guatemala

The people of the Quiche province in Guatemala are rural, indigenous, poor, and have low levels of literacy. What they do have going for them is the apple, which grows well in the area.

The Utz Kaslemal apple co-op gives a fair price to local producers and employs 38 members. They have been looking to move up the value chain in the apple business. With the help of a development agency and a horticulture advisor, they identified a good local market for packaged dried fruit. This is widely eaten in Guatemala and also used in the preparation of Ponche, a local traditional fruitbased drink. The apple processing project was assisted by a grant of €6,180 from ElectricAid in August 2005.

This bought a packaging machine and completed the apple processing project. This has given employment to an additional 10 people as well as to young street vendors of the product. Volumes have exceeded expectations, and they plan to diversify into peaches and plums next year.

This is a fine example of a sustainable community rural initiative, and has been aided and vouched by Seamus O'Hara, an Irish development worker with SEFCA in Guatemala.