The Christian Organization for the Integrated Development of Honduras (OCDIH) organized on the 3th of April a regional forum on the food crisis with the participation of the farmers of Western Honduras, affiliated organizations, local governments and representatives of the media and journalists. Awareness raising amongst these various groups about the impact of the food crisis on the poor families, rural and urban, is the objective of a campaign that OCDIH is implementing in order to search for alternatives and solutions.  

´What we are looking for with this initiative of a regional forum is to combine two campaigns in order to have a bigger impact: OCDIH´s campaign on the food crisis, and the campaign that we, as part of a coalition of various civil society organizations (with the support of OXFAM), are pushing named ´Vamos al Grano´. There is an obvious link between the objectives of the two campaigns:

• A bigger investment of public and private funds in the small scale agriculture:
• More participation of the small scale farmers in political decision making processes and institutions like BANADESA, SAG and other governmental programs:
• Changes and adjustments in agricultural policies which benefit the small scale farmers and give them more access to means of production´,

explained the communication officer of OCDIH.  

The forum started with a participative quiz in order to bring back the knowledge gained during the workshops that were organized in preparation of the forum and in order to involve the participants. After the quiz started the forum, facilitated by our OCDIH colleague Oscar Danilo. The participants of the forum were: Edgar Bueso (BANADESA), Ena Gamez (Unidad Territorial Transfronterizo Lenca Presanca), Maritza Perdomo (UNIFEM) and Carlos Melara (OCDIH). The presentations given led to a lively discussion about the food crisis, the Access to credits and the needs and possibilities of the farmers.  

With the support of the director of the theatre group La Sembra, Delmer López Moreno, a socio-drama was developed which reflected passionately the thoughts and feelings of the farmers about the current reality in their communities due to the food crisis. After the socio-drama the public reflected upon the roles and responsibilities of the various groups looking for possible solutions.  

Juan Bustillo (ASONOG) presented shortly the campaign ´Vamos al Grano´. And the singer Maria Martha Caranza, who wrote a song specifically for this regional forum, closed the forum.  

OCDIH will continue with the two campaigns trying to generate changes and more support for the small scale farmers.