Many Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Irrigation and Mechanization (ILIMS) projects are focused in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, irrigation and mechanization are also critical for enhancing smallholder resilience in Central America, particularly in Honduras and Guatemala. Given the region's diverse topographies, climates, and cultures, collaborating with local partners is essential for gaining nuanced insights and building trust. Locally led initiatives also ensure projects are tailored to local needs and can create lasting positive impact on communities.
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has been working with smallholder farmers in Guatemala and Honduras for over 70 years, establishing a strong track record of collaboration with local partners and translating innovative research into practical applications to enhance smallholder resilience. CRS has partnered with ILIMS to assess the experiences and potential for irrigation and mechanization in these two countries.
Founded in 1943 as a humanitarian relief agency, CRS quickly evolved to address long-term needs. Recognizing agriculture's central role in general, regional security – through poverty reduction and food security - CRS has a focus on smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of rural economies and especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
About fifteen years ago, CRS initiated research partnerships with the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Central America, both members of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). These organizations work to address local agricultural needs.
Axel Schmidt, Agriculture Research Advisor for CRS, highlighted the vulnerability of smallholder farmers in Guatemala and Honduras to changing rainfall and temperature patterns, despite the region’s relatively high average rainfall. “Water emerged as the primary constraint because agriculture here depends entirely on rainfall,” Schmidt explained. “Everything hinges on the amount and timing of precipitation."
Effective water management is heavily influenced by soil conditions, which determine how well water is retained and utilized by crops. Healthy soil can store more water and enhance infiltration, reducing runoff and erosion while maximizing moisture availability during dry periods. This understanding has led to research and initiatives around “Water Smart Agriculture,” which distinguishes between "blue water" — water that returns to rivers, streams, and oceans — and "green water," which is stored in the soil and supports plant growth.
Transforming "blue water" runoff into agricultural "green water" through improved soil health has become a crucial aspect of water management in Honduras and Guatemala, and a primary focus for CRS. "With better-managed soils, we can increase yields, sequester carbon, and secure more livelihoods," said Schmidt. By improving soil structure and organic content, farmers can enhance water retention and reduce dependency on rainfall alone. In other words, farmers manage soils to manage water.
Soil management addresses about 20% of the water challenge. But what about the remaining rainfall?
"If we capture it, we can use it," Schmidt said, outlining various applications for supplemental irrigation: at the start of the planting season; during the dry season (called, Canicula); or to extend the growing season. This approach could also enhance seed production closer to the growing season.
CRS identified numerous potential uses for supplemental irrigation, contingent on effective water harvesting. “The question then became, ‘Where can we capture water, and where are the best opportunities for supplemental irrigation?’” Schmidt recalled.
With prior funding from USAID, CRS used GIS systems to map and understand where best to capture and apply water based on topographies and rainfall. CRS now has a proof of concept for implementing Water Smart Agriculture principles, which integrate soil management, water capture, and supplemental irrigation based on local needs. "The next challenge is scaling these solutions, and that’s where ILIMS comes in to bridge the gap."
ILIMS presents an opportunity to identify the paths to scale irrigation and mechanization efforts. Schmidt pointed out the unique challenges in Central America, including mountainous terrain, labor availability, and accessibility to service providers. Collaborating with local partners, CIMMYT and CIAT are engaging stakeholders, including farmers and farmer associations; ministries of agriculture; technical research institutes; research centers; universities; international collaborators; local governments; civil society; and private sector equipment and service providers. Based on lived experiences, lessons learned, and scientific data from Honduras and Guatemala, CRS will develop informational products to guide investments from USAID and others, accelerating the adoption of water harvesting, irrigation, and mechanization strategies for smallholder farmers.
The collaboration between ILIMS, CRS, and local partners is a crucial step in strengthening agricultural resilience in Honduras and Guatemala. By focusing on water management and soil health, these initiatives aim to improve crop yields and livelihoods while promoting practices that can endure the impacts of climate change. Implementing and scaling these strategies within irrigation and mechanization systems can transform the agricultural landscape for smallholder farmers. Ultimately, these efforts contribute to ensuring food security and economic stability that bring improvements for broader regional security.
