BOLETIN No 5

Quarterly newsletter of the Director of the Regional Unit for Technical Assistance - RUTA
RUTA is a Project of the Ministries of Agriculture of Central America, the World Bank, IDB, DFID, FAO, IFAD, IICA, IFPRI

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MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR

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BELIZE COSTA RICA EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS NICARAGUA PANAMA AND CENTRAL AMERICA

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EL SALVADOR

COSTA RICAGüija Lake in the rural region of El Salvador More than 300 people trained to promote rural investment

A total of 333 men and women were trained in 2006 to use the RURALINVEST tool for the design and assessment of small-scale rural investments. This tool was designed by FAO and is being promoted by RUTA in the Central American countries with a view to disseminating its use for the benefit of the poor rural population.

In the case of El Salvador, the RURALINVEST program is being taught at the José Simeón Cañas Central American University (UCA), the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the University of El Salvador (UES), the National School of Agriculture (ENA) and the information centers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.

The José Simeón Cañas University has adopted the program under an agreement with RUTA and is offering training in RURALINVEST as part of its project-design courses in the context of the major in business management. To date 157 men and 176 women (133 total) have received the training.

BRIEF NOTES FROM EL SALVADOR

Disaster prevention in the event of climate change

Nearly 500 people in El Salvador have been briefed on the phenomena caused by climate change, with a view to helping prevent or mitigate the impact of potential natural disasters in the agriculture sector, especially in the event of floods.

The RUTA National Technical Unit cooperated with MAG in organizing six workshops on climate change and the La Niña phenomenon, since it could affect the agricultural and fisheries sector. A total of 416 men and 55 women received this training.

Because of its mountainous terrain, El Salvador is exposed to many types of natural disasters associated with climate change, hence the importance of preventing and disseminating information on the subject.

Achiote growers receive encouragement

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, with support from RUTA, has been working to promote non-traditional crops such as achiote (Bixa orellana, also known as annatto). As part of this effort, two achiote growers associations were granted legal standing: the Asociación Agropecuaria Virolence de Productores de Achiote R.L, in La Paz, and the Asociación de Achioteros de Metapán. The two groupings have a total of 52 members, mostly small-scale achiote producers.

El Salvador acts to combat bird flu

The Government of El Salvador and the RUTA National Technical Unit have actively supported the country's efforts and participation in bird flu prevention activities. As the venue for the headquarters of the Regional Organization for Plant and Animal Health (OIRSA), El Salvador has been actively involved in logistical planning to ensure the success of this effort and in the organization of videoconferences on bird flu.