One Farmer’s Story to Provide a Future for his Family in Guatemala

USAID strengthens economic opportunities to deter irregular migration to the United States

Community members farming together in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. / USAID

Aditaim, a farmer in the rural Western Highlands of Guatemala, walks between the rows of healthy tomato plants thinking about the path he took to get here.

Aditaim works on improving his farming skills. / USAID

Five years ago, Aditaim and his family could barely grow enough food to survive. At the time, they lacked training in essential agricultural practices, such as irrigation, pest management, and plant nutrition. Many of his neighbors had already abandoned their fields and irregularly migrated to the United States, undertaking the dangerous journey in search of better opportunities. After years of struggle, Aditaim bowed to the crushing pressures of poverty.

Aditaim decided to follow his neighbors’ lead and paid about $9,000 — his life savings — to a coyote (a human smuggler) to take him to the United States, leaving his family behind. He faced terrible hardships along the way.

“I was hungry, I couldn’t sleep, and was very tired. I reached the point that I thought I was going to die when the Border Patrol started chasing me. I didn’t have the strength to continue.” — Aditaim

Aditaim reached the U.S. border, where he was caught and deported back to Guatemala. With no savings, his decision to migrate had placed his family in even greater jeopardy.

A typical field in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. / USAID

Nearly 80% of indigenous Guatemalans live in poverty. Many rural Guatemalans, like Aditaim, see migration as their only option to improve their conditions. USAID’s programs create powerful incentives for individuals to stay in their local communities and build better lives for their families, rather than accepting the risks inherent in irregular migration.

USAID reduces poverty and chronic malnutrition in Guatemala’s Western Highlands by increasing farmers’ productivity; transforming crops into higher-value products, such as roasted coffee rather than raw coffee beans; and connecting farmers to markets to generate income. This increases a community’s resilience to challenges like climate change, natural disasters, and now the COVID-19 pandemic.

Upon his return, USAID offered Aditaim the resources needed to improve his agriculture techniques, better respond to market demands, and improve his family’s nutrition through diet diversification. Aditaim is one of 36,000 small-scale Guatemalan farmers who will benefit from the Innovative Solutions for Agricultural Value Chains Project, part of Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative.

Through this and other efforts in Guatemala, USAID is increasing agricultural incomes and improving resilience for small farmers like Aditaim and their families in five areas of the Western Highlands, while improving nutrition outcomes. Through improved food security and increased economic opportunity in the region, the program combats the core drivers of irregular migration, building greater opportunities at home.

An agriculture specialist with the Modern Agriculture Center for Prosperity and Opportunity (CAMPO) works with tomatoes growing at the CAMPO center. / USAID

Although Aditaim was skeptical of changing from the traditional farming practices used for generations in the Western Highlands, he soon found that he had a 120 percent increase in yield in his test plot. Now, he is working with microfinance partners and increasing the yields of his tomatoes and jalapeno peppers.

“Thanks to the training I have received, my tomatoes are healthier. My products are of higher quality, better color, and size because I have learned how to use new technologies and agricultural inputs.”- Aditaim

Dawn in a valley in the Western Highlands of Guatemala. / USAID

As a result of his family’s increased income, Aditaim no longer wants to leave Guatemala and has become a prominent member of his community. He promotes techniques to increase yields, improve nutrition, and build greater income.

“Now, I don’t want to migrate, because I am doing better as I had a good harvest. I obtained more income for my family from the sale of my products.” — Aditaim

As Aditaim walks his plots, he points out with pride the huge ripe tomatoes that are helping him provide a future for his family in Guatemala.

About the Author

Benjamin Ilka is a storyteller and visual media specialist at USAID’s Mission in Guatemala.