Phase 1 (April-July 2015) determined that:

1. The village is interested in having a reliable source of income through agriculture

2. Tabasco chili peppers are the most consistently viable crop that can be grown on an ongoing basis in the area

3. That there is a similar program in Nicaragua that hires people throughout the country to grow Tabasco chili peppers for a stable market through USAID.

4. CorGuate was established to develop agricultural self-sustainability, one village at a time, in Guatemala. 

 

In Phase 2, we raised $4,600 and:

1. Sent the project manager and agricultural engineer of CorGuate to observe a chili farm.  They met with a contracted company to buy chili peppers from the Chajmaic farm (end of November 2015).

2. Sent the project manager, agricultural engineer, and social worker to Chajmaic to begin negotiations for land and establish trust with the people (mid December 2015).

 

In Phase 3 (May 2016), we are seeking to raise $10,000 to send the CorGuate team to Chajmaic to secure the land.

 

In Phase 4 (June 2016-June 2017), we are seeking to raise $200,000 to pay for land rental (9 acres) for one year, preparation of the land, equipment and seeds, training of and pay for farm workers.

 

In Phase 5 (2017), CorGuate intends to plant, cultivate the harvest, and sell the product.