Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 3.8 Families participating in agricultural tasks
have this traditional knowledge have had to learn it while living in the urban
zone. Many families grow corn, potatoes and beans, and raise guinea pigs - a
traditional activity in rural areas. Urban farmers also practise weed control,
companion planting and use animal dung for fertilizer.
The formal educational level of farmers is low, with only 18 per cent of
those surveyed having received any training. Nonetheless, on many occasions,
farmers expressed a lack of interest in participating in training workshops
offered to them. This is symbolic of an ongoing lack of trust directed towards
any external agents who attempt to intervene.
Health status - Urban farmers in Carapongo have adequate access to
health care because of good proximity to health centres and hospitals. Still,
producers are exposed to health risks and in particular to gastrointestinal
diseases, mainly because of polluted water. Some studies (TECNIDES, 2002)
indicate that the water in this community is highly contaminated by fecal
coliforms, parasites and other pathogens that surpass acceptable limits
established by health legislations, both for drinking and irrigation water.
Perception of poverty - Low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and the
perception of poverty impede the ability to find solutions to one's problems
and, by extension, the ability to develop one's 'human capital'. This study
attempted to identify some issues facing farmers in Carapongo. To this end,
one participatory workshop involved a discussion concerning whether farmers
considered themselves to be poor or not. Results from the six participants are
presented in Table 3.1 and an interesting trend was discovered: most farmers
do not consider themselves to be poor. Factors influencing this personal
