On 14-15 March 2014 AVRDC Director General Dyno Keatinge visited the Trifinio, the region where the borders of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras meet, for talks with vegetable producers, local researchers, organizations that collect and sell vegetables, and representatives of agricultural associations. John Beer, Manager of the Division of Research and Development of the Tropical Agriculture Research and Higher Education (CATIE) invited Dyno to the Trifinio, which receives little technical assistance in horticulture in part due to its remote location. “The area has a strong need for research, technology transfer, evaluation and release of improved vegetable varieties, and the identification of vegetable pests and diseases,” Dyno said. “It is a region that would benefit greatly from a collaboration between CATIE and AVRDC.”

The Trifinio comprises an area of approximately 7,541 km² along the borders of Guatemala (44.7%), El Salvador (15.3%) and Honduras (40%). The region constitutes an indivisible ecological unit including 45 municipalities (8 in El Salvador, 15 in Guatemala and 22 in Honduras). About 800,000 people live in the Trifinio, half in poverty.

CATIE maintains a base in the Trifinio, and has the support and backing of many local and regional partners, including farmers’ organizations and ministries of agriculture and research. The institution promotes education, research and innovation for development, the sustainable management of agriculture, and the conservation of natural resources in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Guatemala
In the Valle de Esquipulas, Dyno visited producers growing red tomatoes, bell peppers and cucumbers in large nethouse operations. Production could be diversified with the introduction of yellow tomatoes and colored bell peppers, Dyno observed. “Consumers are looking for novel foods to add more vitamins and minerals to their diets,” he said. Vegetable producers in Guatemala are interested in evaluating and producing new tomato and pepper varieties to maximize their investment in protected structures.

Honduras
The Business Enterprise Center Ocotepeque (CENOC) produces red, yellow and white onion on 200 hectares. CENOC producers regularly experience problems with onion harvesting and storage; they expressed an interest in learning to produce their own seed of different onion varieties with good pest and disease resistance and long shelf life to allow for year-round production. Rural families in Ocotepeque produce zucchini, carrots, beets, chard, onions, radishes, cucumbers, French beans, lettuce and native species such as mulberry in small community gardens; produce sales help make the families more secure financially, and the vegetables provide essential nutrition. AVRDC has seed kits available to further diversify vegetable production for home consumption and generate more income for families.

El Salvador
The upper area of ​​San Ignacio, Chalatenango produces about 80% of El Salvador’s vegetables. Despite the enormous potential of local soils and climate for vegetable production, farmers in the area indicated that their profits were low. Diversifying production with purple carrots, different types of tomatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals could generate more income for local producers. Like the other two Trifinio areas, local producers here were not well informed about the vast number of vegetable varieties available, and need training in the safe management of pests and diseases of tomatoes, potatoes and cabbage.

Dyno noted that CATIE and AVRDC could work together to distribute and promote new vegetable varieties to diversify production systems and enhance food and nutrition security in the Trifinio. However, the promotion of new germplasm must be accompanied by rigorous participatory research involving government and academic institutions. “New horticultural knowledge and innovations should be spread to a larger number of families through CATIE’s many contacts in the territory,” Dyno said. “The process of innovation and learning needs institutional and political support at local and national levels.” A concept note for joint work between AVRDC and CATIE will be developed to address needs and opportunities in the Trifinio.

Read more: CATIE