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Guatemala is the largest economy in Central America and an upper middle-income country, measured by its GDP per capita (US$14,066.5 in 2023). However, the country’s wealth is unequally distributed, with 55% of the general population and 80% of the rural population living in poverty, defined as living on less than US$2.15 per day. Almost 90% of agricultural land in the country is managed by commercial farms dedicated to exporting crops including bananas, sugar cane, coffee, as well as rubber and palm oils. The remaining less fertile land is cultivated by peasant farmers who grow the food crops consumed locally. Since the output of subsistence farms is low, food scarcity and high food prices are common. For instance, while the administrative department of Petén (located in northeast Guatemala) produces 40% of Guatemala’s exported palm oil, there is a chronic malnutrition rate of 25.3% in the region.

To combat this food shortage, a team of engineers with leaders including Juan Valle, Chair-Elect, IEEE Guatemala Section, formed the non-governmental group Asociacion De Emprendedores De POPTUN (AEP: POPTUN Entrepreneurs Association). AEP recently received funding from the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES) through IEEE Smart Village to design, develop, and implement a hand-made solar-thermal fruit drying equipment and a solar photovoltaic drip-irrigation system for a permaculture farm in Poptun, Petén. During the first phase of the project, ten indigenous agrarian Maya-Queqchí families will be supported. Also, 100 local school students will benefit from more nutritious food at highly affordable prices, and 50 school students will be taught computer education.

Overall expected benefits from this initiative include higher agricultural productivity, water conservation, access to safe water, lower energy costs, reduced carbon emission, job creation, and improved education. The irrigation system will boost the farming productivity of corn, beans, vegetables, and fruits. The water system will also produce safe drinking water for agrarian families. The dried fruits will decrease post-harvest losses, increasing income generated from the farms. Community ownership will be ensured by training members of the community to service and maintain the equipment. Financial sustainability will also be ensured by charging an affordable rental fee for the water services to the community and with the sale of dried fruits to international tourist agencies in Tikal, Peten.

This project in Peten, Guatemala, is just one of many life-changing projects IEEE Smart Village sponsors in all parts of the world. ISV invites you to be part of its transformative journey. Together, we can nurture local enterprises, harness technology, and ignite change in underserved communities worldwide. To learn more about ISV’s impactful initiatives and how you can contribute, visit https://smartvillage.ieee.org, or to make a donation click here.

Interested in supporting IEEE Smart Village’s mission? Contact Michael Deering, Sr. Development Officer, at m.deering@ieee.org or +1 732 562 3915. Thank you for your generosity and help!