Victoria LeBeaux

CCF ANALYSIS OF FOOD INSECURITY TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS IN EASTERN GUATEMALA

Outline
Background:
Copanchorti Guatemala Food Insecurity in Copanchorti Technical Assistance Providers

Research Questions Methodology Data Preliminary Findings and CCF analysis Discussion

Food Insecurity

Technical Assistance Provider

An entity (either governmental or non-

governmental) working on a not-for-profit basis (i.e. does not receive payment from clients for services provided) in the region of Copanchorti, Guatemala (in the municipalities of Jocotan, Camotan, Olopa, and/or San Juan Ermita) to improve the livelihoods of families in the region.

Technical Assistance Providers

Lack of information about these actors as a

group
Individual Projects Individual Organizations Donors But not across organizations

Technical Assistance Providers

The development industry has become an

important component of both life and of the local economy. Most educated people are, or have been, working for the development programs and institutions and development jargon has become part of peoples everyday language (Warren 2005).
Warren, Patrizio. "Between the Household and the Market:A Livelihoods Analysis of SPFS-Promoted Seed Multiplication in Eastern Guatemala." 2005. http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/j5566e/j5566e00.htm#Contents

Research Questions
What contributions to community

development do TAPs see themselves providing? Are any capitals lacking support from the actors at this level in the agrofood system? Are there any common challenges faced by TAPs working in this region, and what are the implications for the TAPs and the communities in which they work?

Methods/Data
Consulted with Key Informants to get sample Sample = 26 organizations Qualitative Research:
Semi-structured Interviews

Site visits to communities where projects are taking

place Observation of project activities (ex. Farmer field days, capacity building classes, etc) Commentaries from clients (families on the receiving end of development project outreach services).

Methods/Data
February June 2011

18 organizations (70% of sample)

25 hours of taped interviews 12 item questionnaire
In which villages do they work Number of families involved Source and amount of financing Number and type of staff

Documentation from TAPs

Analysis (so-far)
Lack of bridging social capital
Social capital building between TAPs COMUSAN (COMISION MUNICIPAL DE SEGURIDAD ALIMENTARIA Y NUTRICIONAL )
Monthly meetings are ill attended Send different people each time

Why? Competition Lack of time/pressure to perform (project evaluations) Hindering: Knowledge/resource sharing and building Build and utilize political capital
Major employers, handle millions of dollars, individual political contacts

Analysis (so-far)
Human capital
Within individual organizations

Understaffed Little (if any) training in gender aspects of development Across organizations (viewed as a group) Lack of leadership skills
Example: Mancommunidad office Intent is to help municipalities get started and handoff to them, so they can continue the projects in the long run, but generally this fails

Analysis (so-far)
Natural Capital has a defining influence on the

way TAPs work/on the work that they do

Geography Part of a major watershed Upper Lempa River

Wastershed (contamination, water shortages) Soil Quality (rocky, highly eroded, little organic matter) Climate (erratic weather, severe weather)

How to account for this in my analysis, without

diminishing the importance of the other capitals?

Closing Thought
CCF useful in this analysis because these TAPs

are in themselves a type of community community of organizations Potential to combine the CCF with other tools (Ex. Theory of organizations; geopolitical analysis)

Discussion

Ch'ahp'ei'x ta'p'a
(Thank you)

Questions/Comments?