Developing capacity for entrepreneurship of women groups

19 Nicaragua Background The SUCCESS Nicaragua work is intended to benefit the communities surrounding two of the nation’s major estuary systems—the Estero Real and the Padre Ramos. These communities live in extreme poverty and depend on natural resource extraction. Yet, there is a growing deterioration of these natural resources. SUCCESS Nicaragua is working with the communities to develop alternative livelihoods. The Program is also raising the communities’ awareness of their environment and building their capacity to manage that environment and in the process conserve biodiversity. Through voluntary adoption of good practices and the development of alternative livelihoods, the Program seeks to improve the community members’ quality of life i.e. food security, health, education, to diminish pressure on their natural resources, to promote economic independence through small business startups, and to create the ability to access markets. Many women in coastal communities play a leading or the sole role in providing for their families. Hence, gender equity is always a consideration in the SUCCESS Program. 1. Promotion of Sustainable, Low-tech, Mariculture Practices Appropriate in the Central American Region as Diversified Livelihood Options for Coastal Communities 1.1 Continue the implementation of best management practices BMPs to improve environmental sustainability, operational efficiency and to reduce production Good Management Practices GMPs The University of Central America’s UCA extension services have been working with small- scale shrimp farmers at FINCAMAR and Agropesca for implementation of good practices in shrimp culture. SUCCESS Nicaragua conducted eight technical assistance visits to two cooperatives Granja Rosita and Granja Agropesca located in Padre Ramos and which are involved with shrimp good management practices GMPs. GMPs are designed to increase productivity of this important export commodity and lessen potential environmental impacts. Both farmscooperative have, for some time now, been involved with CIDEA training in the Chinandega region for best management practices. In addition, the SUCCESS Program is providing regular technical assistance visits to help the cooperatives overcome specific issues affecting them. Most small- scale shrimp farms suffer from similar and very basic problems with production and management. For example, few maintain adequate records that allow farmers to track their production or the outcomes of changing practices. Thus, helping farmers devise record-keeping systems and organize what historic information they may have is one of the underpinnings of good management. Other topics that require attention include: changing pond construction and design details that affect the ability to manage the pond, maintaining water quality, feeding, stocking and other basic pond management practices. Farmers have been provided with water quality monitoring equipment and trained in its use. Water quality monitoring is now being implemented at the farms. This will aid farmers in overall efforts to implement best management practices. 20 Conducting shrimp sampling at Rosita Farm Technical visit at the Agropesca shrimp farm CIDEA laboratories for microbiology, water quality and pathology play a key role in assisting shrimp farmers and enabling the certification process. Dr. Robert Beine Louisiana State University sponsored by CLUSA visited the CIDEA laboratory to conduct an evaluation of the accredited labs in Nicaragua. CLUSA is the Cooperative League of the USA. It is is financed by USAID and is a program of the National Cooperative Business Association—the oldest national cooperative development and trade association in the United States. In partnership with Louisiana State University, CLUSA has a training of trainers project on food safety and thus is assisting CIDEA to build capacity for the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Program HACCP. HACCP is a key element of good practices for shrimp culture, certification of laboratories and farms, and for aquaculture and agricultural exports. Evaluation results indicated that the CIDEA laboratory is one of the few in the country qualified to be accredited by the National Office of Accreditation of the Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce MIFIC and is the only laboratory that qualifies in the area of microbiology. The CIDEA laboratory is also used to conduct monthly monitoring of the farms and their effluents for shrimp farms certified by the GAA as part of the certification process.