EcoLogic Development Fund (Guatemala)
With over 30 years of on-the-ground experience, the EcoLogic Development Fund is dedicated to restoring and protecting tropical ecosystems in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, some of the world's most biodiverse regions. Its approach involves forging partnerships with rural and Indigenous-led groups, and assisting them in identifying, assessing, and prioritising their conservation and natural resource needs.
The EcoLogic Development Fund provides the resources necessary to preserve and rehabilitate the tropical ecosystems crucial to rural and Indigenous livelihoods and wellbeing. This support encompasses skills development, financial assistance, access to materials, engagement with decision-makers and experts, practical training, and more.
In 2024-2025, the Eurofins Foundation is supporting the project “Empowering Communities: Restorative Agriculture for a Sustainable Future in Ixcán, Guatemala.”
In the Guatemalan department of El Quiché, where Ixcán is located, 76.9% of the population lives in poverty, with over 20% classified as living in extreme poverty. Farming is the most available livelihood in the area, and persistent poverty often means farmers must use their land unsustainably, primarily through “slash-and-burn” agriculture, where land is clear cut and any remaining vegetation burned. Natural resources are also under duress in this region due to human activities, and climate change is contributing to extreme weather events, exacerbating the vulnerability of these communities.
For this project, EcoLogic will work with six communities in Ixcán to implement diversified agroforestry systems which will include plantains, cardamom, lemon, and mahogany, grown together with Inga edulis for added agricultural benefit. This work will create the conditions for higher yields through improved soil fertility, erosion control, water regulation, and best practices in agronomic management, achieving food security through sustainable measures.
Ultimately, the project will establish 38 hectares of agroforestry parcels and provide food and economic security for families in Ixcán, directly benefiting approximately 300 individuals, while restoring degraded land.
This project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
