Bueso's tomatoes before harvest.

LA LIMA, Honduras — German Bueso Alvarez of El Triunfo, Santa Barbara, grew tomatoes for the last eight years with basic production technologies. After receiving technical assistance from Fintrac through the MCA-Honduras-funded Farmer Training and Development (Entrenamiento y Desarrollo de Agricultores, EDA) program, his yields increased 67 percent. When EDA’s agronomist first visited Bueso, he had just finished planting 0.22 hectares under traditional systems. He decided to plant an additional 0.08 hectares using EDA technology to do a side-by-side comparison. The results quickly convinced him of the benefits of EDA’s approach.

As a result of EDA technologies, Bueso’s tomato production increased from 120 boxes to 200 boxes per 0.04 hectare plot (3,125 lbs to 5,000 lbs). Bueso attributes this increase to improved plant development based on the EDA fertilization program and reduced plant loss through integrated pest management. Bueso also achieved savings on labor costs. As the better performance of the EDA demonstration plot became clear, Bueso started implementing EDA’s integrated crop management program on the entire 0.30 hectare plot.

Bueso sold his tomatoes at an average price of $4 per box and with increased yields he realized total sales of $5,500. Accounting for costs of $2,300, his net profit was $3,200. The highest profit he had ever obtained previously was $1,300. The improvement in crop quality and increase in earnings has also sparked the interest of his neighbors who are now seeking EDA assistance.

“During this time, I feel that I have advanced in agriculture, moving from traditional to modern technologies,” Bueso said. “At first I thought that [Fintrac’s approach] would be expensive, but now I see that was wrong. Everything turned out well and, with the things I have done and recorded, I now have the formula for a good crop.”

Bueso is now installing a drip irrigation system, has constructed a low-cost greenhouse nursery for plantlet production, is cultivating plantlets in seedling trays, and is taking steps toward meeting farm certification requirements to open new market opportunities. He is also diversifying his crop base and plans to rotate crops and expand with other high-value crops such as cabbage, onions and cucumbers to maximize productivity and profitability.

EDA’s main objective is to sustainably increase productivity and sales for program clients. By May 2011 the program will have helped more than 8,000 farmers increase productivity, incomes, and employment.