Latin America

Horticulture Innovation Lab in Central America

How Fruit and Vegetable Research Can Impact Poverty in Central America - Map with descriptions of projects in Guatemala and Honduras — Flyer about the Horticulture Innovation Lab's work in Central America in 2017, download PDF to print: horticulture-innovation-lab-central-america_0.pdf

Since 2012, the Horticulture Innovation Lab has partnered with the Panamerican Agricultural School, Zamorano, with a center in Honduras that serves as a horticultural hub for the region. Find more information about the Horticulture Innovation Lab Regional Center at Zamorano.

In 2013 the Horticulture Innovation Lab also conducted an assessment of constraints to horticultural growth in Central America. The results of this assessment were organized into a report called Advancing Horticulture: Assessment of constraints to horticultural sector growth in Central America. Information about the report is available in both Spanish and English.

In 2016, the Horticulture Innovation Lab started a new project in Guatemala called MásRiego (“more irrigation”), with a $3.4 million buy-in from the USAID mission in Guatemala.

You can learn more about the Horticulture Innovation Lab in Central America (PDF) or from the list of current projects below. To learn more about the Horticulture Innovation Lab's recent work in Guatemala specifically, you may want to browse through our recent blog posts related to Guatemala.

Ariana Torres

Assistant Professor
Purdue University

Ariana Torres is an assistant professor at Purdue University and also a principal investigator of a Horticulture Innovation Lab project in Tajikistan.

torres2@purdue.edu

Guillermo Alvarado-Downing

Past board member

Guillermo Alvarado-Downing served as the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, and currently owns a fruit and vegetable farm.

James Nienhuis

Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jim Nienhuis is a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also serves as a principal investigator on Horticulture Innovation Lab projects focused on vegetable production in Central Ame

Celia Odila Trejo Ramos

Central America Regional Hub Manager
Panamerican Agricultural School, Zamorano

Head of the Department of Agriculture Science and Production, and Associate Professor of Beef Cattle at Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School

ctrejo@zamorano.edu

Empowering Young Horticulture Researchers in Honduras

Led by Julio López Montes, Panamerican Agricultural School, Zamorano

A fellowship-oriented program that provides seed funding to higher-education students in Honduras to conduct small-scale research projects across the horticulture value chain. Students will be guided through a grant drafting and submission training program to increase capacity in applying for funding. Awarded applications will receive funding and expertise to implement research projects.

Honduras

Promoting technology for horticulture production as adaptation to climate change in Guatemala

Led by Rolando Cifuentes, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG)

For highland farmers who face elevated risks due to climate change, this project identifies the most effective protective structures, irrigation technologies, and harvest as well as postharvest management practices to ensure the production of high-quality, safe, and nutritious produce.

Guatemala

Advancing farm technologies for climate-smart agriculture and sustainable market access

Led by José Salvador Vega Prado Leiva, Acceso

Focused on improving the income and livelihoods of local producers, this project identifies protective structures that maximize horticultural production and quality, and enhancements for access to postharvest technology and market linkages.

Guatemala

Rolando Cifuentes

Principal Investigator
Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (UVG)

Director of the Center for Agricultural and Food Studies and soil science professor at Universidad del Valle de Guatemala.

rcifuen@uvg.edu.gt

José Salvador Vega Prado Leiva

Principal Investigator
Acceso

Mr. Vega Prado is a professional with 18+ years of experience in the Central American region managing international cooperation funds and providing technical assistance to public, financial, academic, and private sector entities

jvegaprado@acceso.org

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