New reports on climate impacts and socioeconomic realities in Puerto Parada
¡Saludos Amigos!
Nick Rahaim here, Program Director of the Jiquilisco Bay Alliance. Last year we made great strides in developing the first Fishery Improvement Project (FIP) in El Salvador with the artisanal fishing cooperatives of Puerto Parada. Together we developed a Human Rights and Social Responsibility Policy and collected baseline data towards the biological needs assessment in partnership with ICMARES, the marine science institute at the Universidad de El Salvador.
We also partnered with the economics department at the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas to conduct two student-led studies on climate impacts to food security and the socioeconomic conditions in Puerto Parada. Under the guidance of Professor Meraris Lopez, students held focus groups with more than 100 residents from communities surrounding Puerto Parada in order to gather qualitative data to supplement the limited quantitative data of the region.
These were the first comprehensive studies of their kind in the region. They are vitally important to help the Jiquilisco Bay Alliance, Asociación Cincahuite and other partners working in the area develop programming and initiatives to meet the needs of the communities we support.
We have compiled report summaries and fact sheets for both studies in English and Spanish to highlight the most important findings. Please take a look and feel free to share. Beyond the FIP, we are integrating these reports into our development of programming on mangrove ecosystem restoration, agroecology and organizational capacity building.
As most of you know, there have been many challenges in the past year for small nonprofits like ours working on community-based environmental programs. Many foundations have shifted focus and pivoted their funding priorities, creating an ever-increasing demand for individual contributions. Our primary foundation support of the FIP shifted away from funding sustainable fishing programs in Latin America, so please share any recommendations for foundations and organizations looking to fund programs like ours.
And, as always, tax-deductible contributions are vital to our volunteer-led organization. Please consider making a gift today!
¡Adelante!
Nick
Climate Impacts on Food Security in Puerto Parada, El Salvador
Climate change undermines food sovereignty and rural livelihoods in Puerto Parada, El Salvador, according to a report by economic students from the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA). The residents of the low-lying rural district on the Jiquilisco Bay depend almost entirely on small-scale fishing, aquaculture, agriculture, and livestock, much of which is for subsistence consumption. The effects of climate change have already impacted food security in Puerto Parada with growing extremes in weather patterns seen in an increase of both droughts and flooding. But to date, no comprehensive studies on the climate impacts to food security have been undertaken until this senior thesis by a team of three student-researchers. Read more.
Socioeconomic Analysis in Puerto Parada, El Salvador
Puerto Parada is one of the poorest regions in El Salvador, with a largely informal labor market based on agriculture and fishing. Located deep in the countryside on the Jiquilisco Bay, access to education and public services is limited, leading many young people to look for work in urban centers and abroad. While the socioeconomic situation in Puerto Parada communities is clear to its residents, quantitative and qualitative data has been limited. To address these shortcomings a team of student-researchers undertook a first-of-its-kind socioeconomic analysis in Puerto Parada. Read more.
