This exciting project in Alto Beni, Bolivia supports indigenous women farmers by providing the infrastructure to collect and process wild fruit through canning, juicing and drying, which allows them to sell their produce over a longer period of time and gain access to potential export markets. Local municipalities are working in partnership with this project to purchase food goods from the Mosten Women’s organizations for the School Feeding Program. This partnership, in turn, will provide over 3000 school children with access to healthy foods, so that they can improve nutrition, and better focus in school to receive an education.

Regional Context & Challenges
Moseten Indigenous peoples living in the Alto Beni region of Bolivia are currently facing high rates of poverty, extreme poverty, and malnourishment. Due to the lush rainforest geography and climate, many non-indigenous peoples have migrated to the area to work in the logging industry, along with banana and citrus fruit plantations. Resources are being overexploited by industry, and damaging the delicate rainforest ecosystem. As well, Moseten women are often without economic means to care for their children and influence community decision making. Most children must walk long distances to school, and often arrive without eating breakfast – the rates of malnutrition amongst children in the Alto Beni region are amongst the highest in the country.

Impact
By providing the basic infrastructure to the Moseten Indigenous Women’s Group in the Alto Beni region, women are using traditional and scientific knowledge to train other women in small-scale natural fruit production and processing. Women are gaining the economic means to provide food, education and healthcare for their children, and as well, becoming empowered to participate in community decision making. As well, the preference to harvest fruit trees is providing shade and recycling nutrients into the soil, which is beneficial to the rainforest ecosystem. Municipalities have signed agreements with the Moseten Women’s organizations, indicating they will purchase healthy foods for the School Feeding Programs. This means, over 3000 children will have access to healthy foods in school so that they can better focus on their classes and receive an education for long-term community development.
Our Partners

Fundacion Renace is Bolivian-based social and environmental NGO with a 6-year history working with indigenous and rural campesino communities on sustainable agriculture projects. The Moseten Indigenous Women’s Group has been organizing in their communities for many decades, providing social and emotional support to women, and encouraging participation in community decision making.