2022 Goal: Establish 30 diversified and self-sustaining production farms that provide 90 jobs to the local communities.
AgroAmigos
Serving Farmers in Rural Nicaragua
For rural farmers, the most stressful part of their job is securing profit by selling in the local market. AgroAmigos exists to serve 1 Manzana farmers by facilitating the sale of their organic produce to local Chinandegan businesses and families. AgroAmigos also creates and provides unique products using the organic produce such as dehydrated fruits, hot sauces, tomato paste, and fruit concentrates. Our dream is to be the lead provider of organic produce here in Chinandega, throughout Nicaragua, and beyond.
1 Manzana Project
Empowering Farmers in Rural Nicaragua
Despite having the world’s most fertile volcanic soil, generating a profit from small-scale farming can be nearly impossible in rural Nicaragua. The 1 Manzana Project was created to change that.
The 1 Manzana Project empowers farmers with the opportunities, resources, and expertise needed to experience transformation. Our focus is on diversification and sustainability, training farmers to organically produce fruits, vegetables, and pork. By investing in water, capital, technology, and people, we are helping farmers to break the cycle of debt, increase their daily income, and provide full-time employment for others within their communities.
How it Works
Check out the 4 investments needed to make each farm profitable, along with our step by step process.
See the Current Farms
There are currently 21 farms with 75 manzanas in production. See the map!
Meet a Farmer
Manuel Figeroa has been farming corn his whole life and barely made ends meet. Read how he is now on the path to a profitable farm.
1 Manzana FAQs
Despite having the world’s most fertile volcanic soil, generating a profit from small-scale farming can be nearly impossible in rural Nicaragua. Most rural farmers must take out high interest loans to invest in their farms. Without irrigation systems, farmers must rely on only a few months of rain in the year. If there is a drought, farmers fall deeper into debt. The cycle of poverty and hunger continues.
The purpose of the 1 Manzana Project is to create small, organic farms that produce $3,000/year in profit by the 6th year and allow the owner to become debt-free in that same time period. By year 10, the farm will produce $6,000/year in profit. This profit is 10 times greater than what a farmer can earn producing corn or any other traditional crop.
The 1 Manzana Project is a way to partner with rural farmers in the communities that we serve by investing in irrigation systems, supplying technology to manage farms, providing technical and financial management assistance through our Community Advocates, and financing the project in the form of a 5-year line of credit for beneficiary farmers. In addition to benefiting Nicaraguan farmers who already own their land, the project is generating significant full-time employment. With a predicted 104 manzanas (182 acres) in production by the end of 2022, 156 jobs will have been created through the project.
You might remember learning that manzana means “apple.” That is true, however in Nicaragua, a manzana is also a plot of land. One manzana is just about the size of two acres. The rural farmers participating in the 1 Manzana Project typically own several manzanas of land that have been passed down through generations.
An investment in this project will bring about long-term transformation for a rural farming family. These are a few cost estimates for what it takes to get a farmer set up for year 1:
- Water through a solar-powered irrigation system for year–round planting: $2,000 per manzana
- Capital to cover planting materials and additional labor: $3,000 per manzana
- Technology to manage the business: $500 per manzana
- Amigos team member to provide training and expertise: $1,000 per manzana
1 Manzana Stories of Impact
Leading the Way
On a small farm surrounded by vast sugar cane fields, William Matamoros continued to lead the charge of bringing transformation to the community of El...
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You Won’t Succeed If You Never Try
Meet one of the newest beneficiaries of the Amigos pig farm project. Francisco grew up in the community of Valle los Morenos, and he has...
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Perseverance With Small Credits
54-year-old Gerardo Perfecto Moreno has called the community of Valle los Morenos home for 7 years. He currently lives in the rural community with his...
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