Since the early 80s, Frères des Hommes and its partner, the Peasant Corporation of Farmers and Stock Breeders (CORACA-PROTAL), have been helping with the reconstruction of peasant communities in the Bolivian heartland.

Through the 80s, thousands of Bolivian peasants fell victim to poverty due to the lack of farmable land, the privatization and modernization of mines and the drop in prices of farm produce.

Trapped by this poverty, they believed their only choice was exile to the shanty towns of big Bolivian cities or to the Chaparé region, where coca is grown intensively and illegally. A few chose an option that was at best temporary and uncertain: a spontaneous occupation of land, but in a disorganized way and without any support.

Mobilization to rebuild peasant communities

To put an end to this negative choice between living in poverty and drug manufacture, certain peasant organizations, including our partner CORACA-PROTAL, proposed that peasants participate in a global development program called the « Ayopaya project».

The main object of the program was to set up communities on unoccupied virgin land with strong farming potential in Ayopaya, and to launch the production of food crops, thus offering these families economic resources and social recognition.

From 1988 to 1993, volunteer families, mostly young couples, landless families and former miners of peasant descent, set up these communities on land reachable after several days walk through the mountains. Once there, everything remained to be built: housing, schools, drinking water wells, roads…. Each family contributed, either physical labor and materials, according to its capacities.

Relaunching economic activities also required major efforts in selecting, dividing up and clearing the land, as well as in the the introduction of food crops suited to local habits and markets.

Training and technical assistance were and still are provided by our partner, to enable the peasants to optimize resources in a rational way, to protect the ecosystem, to develop the land, to manage their farms, to organize the processing and sale of their production.

The revival of economic activities began at the outset of the « Ayopaya project»; they relaunched the production of «locoto», a local pepper which is a major commercial product of that region, where it is a staple of local diet.

The communities have grown over the years and now cover much more ground than originally imagined at the outset of the « Ayopaya project », taking in the Totolima and Altamachi districts. The number of «coracas» (peasant organizations) in the region has increased as a result.

The peasants we work with in the Qoti Mayo, Carmen Pampa, Maiqa Monte and San Julian communities have chosen to work with the same «coraca» in order to sell their produce together. They later officially set up the PROTAL peasant business (Produits Totolima Altamachi) which they manage themselves.

To meet market demand, to reinforce their economic activity and the PROTAL business, the communities invested in materials and equipment and launched a honey production facility.

In the period 1998–2000, for instance, the purchase of hydroelectric micropower plants and of locoto drying ovens made it possible to grind the pepper into powder, to improve its quality (almost 40% of its production is organic or semi-organic) and to increase sales by some 60% between 2000 and 2001.

The production of honey has also increased dramatically. Since the beginning of 2002, 9 tonnes have already been sold, 70% more than in 2001.

PROTAL entirely manages the marketing of these products, through various outlets and a central store set up for this purpose, and thanks to regular customers who are tradesmen in the region.

From the very beginning, the CORACA-PROTAL communities have weighed up the possibilities of progressively diversifying their economic activities.

In the Qori Mayo and Carmen Pampa communities, a new, small-scale, « Alternative Rural Tourism » activity has been induced by families, who will host national and foreign tourists.

This kind of rural, eco-friendly tourism stressing intercultural contact, adventure and physical exertion is in the making. Unfortunately, building work on the hostel to accommodate the first tourists had to be stopped. Indeed, the area where CORACA-PROTAL is active was hit by the severe hail that caused dozens of fatalities and led the Bolivian government to declare a state of emergency in 2002.

Our partner wrote to us about it on July 24 «…The 1,500 earth bricks had to be destroyed since they were rendered useless by the wet snow. The community members are very sad as there was nothing they could do about it. We have decided to stop building work on the Challa hostel for now, as the frost makes it impossible to make bricks: they freeze before they are dry and then break».

Once set up, this alternative tourism should also boost improvements in local handicraft production, placing new emphasis on the Quechua and Aymara Indian cultures and typical food.

Honey producers have also decided to diversify their production. They will shortly be trained by CORACA-PROTAL, to increase the range of their products, with for example pollen, propolis or royal jelly.

Today, CORACA PROTAL, with the support of FDH, makes it possible for 225 families to live and work with dignity. Thanks to the revamping of communities, some form of lasting, but still fragile, social and economic fabric has been restored. At any rate, thanks to the project, these families have been able to fight the vicious circle of poverty and acquire a certain autonomy.

Indeed, beyond its economic aspects, these rural community projects combine social, environmental, agricultural and cultural factors, empowering the inhabitants with the development of their communities in all its dimensions.

To check CORACA-PROTAL website, click here.