19/08: Fabresio's Farm
Yes Ben, I did get a sense of hope from Sostenica and CEPRODEL’s investments. The impact of their work extends beyond the economic and environmental benefits of each loan to include changing the mindset of borrowers. As opposed to government policies or economic trends, this kind of change can only be brought about on the micro level. I saw many examples of how Sostenica and CEPRODEL’s investments affected borrower’s views both of themselves and the world. Borrowers felt empowered not only to help themselves but to help others as well, and to become more engaged in their communities.
The impact of Sostenica/CEPRODEL was especially visible among rural borrowers. These borrowers are far more conservative about borrowing than their urban counterparts, because their ability to repay is based on factors out of their control (weather, crop disease, availability of water). Many farmers are also skeptical of the viability of sustainable agriculture. Sostenica/CEPRODEL was slowly changing both of these views through their technical assistance for individual farmers and through the example of successful farms. In particular, one farmer named Fabresio used CEPRODEL credit to develop a very complex and successful organic farm. His entire community witnessed his business grow, and he took a leadership role in cooperatives that spread awareness of his farm even further. Fabresio contributed to changing his neighbors’ mindsets regarding organic agriculture, but he also led by example with business planning and risk analysis that he applied to his farm. Fabresio had originally earned a University degree in statistics and lived in the U.S. for a short while, but had then bucked the trend of his peers and decided to return to his family farm. As CEPRODEL’s Director of Credit Orlando said of Fabresio’s success, “This is what happens when University education returns to the countryside!”
The impact of Sostenica/CEPRODEL was especially visible among rural borrowers. These borrowers are far more conservative about borrowing than their urban counterparts, because their ability to repay is based on factors out of their control (weather, crop disease, availability of water). Many farmers are also skeptical of the viability of sustainable agriculture. Sostenica/CEPRODEL was slowly changing both of these views through their technical assistance for individual farmers and through the example of successful farms. In particular, one farmer named Fabresio used CEPRODEL credit to develop a very complex and successful organic farm. His entire community witnessed his business grow, and he took a leadership role in cooperatives that spread awareness of his farm even further. Fabresio contributed to changing his neighbors’ mindsets regarding organic agriculture, but he also led by example with business planning and risk analysis that he applied to his farm. Fabresio had originally earned a University degree in statistics and lived in the U.S. for a short while, but had then bucked the trend of his peers and decided to return to his family farm. As CEPRODEL’s Director of Credit Orlando said of Fabresio’s success, “This is what happens when University education returns to the countryside!”
