Oviedo-Linares: The Story of A Powerful Family Team
Ulises Oviedo talks about the four kinds of beans he tested in his milpa.
The Oviedo-Linares family has been participating in the Sustainable Villages Honduras (SVH) program for two years. Says Ulysses Oviedo, “I have learned much about better farming practices from the farmer-to-farmer exchanges. No longer do I burn off my corn fields, and I make my own fertilizer without spending money on industry-made chemicals. Now I grow many more types of crops including potatoes, avocados, chili peppers and bananas.”
In the spring of 2019 Ulysses decided to plant some of his crops using the “milpa” system passed down from the Mayans. Farmers choose 3 plants important to the family diet and that benefit each other while growing. In his milpa Ulysses planted squash to protect soil moisture; beans to add nitrogen needed by the corn, and the corn to provide a stake for the beans to climb. Minimum soil disturbance during the planting also keeps precious water from evaporating. Given the effect of climate change on agriculture, Ulysses was amazed at how much he harvested from this small plot.
Recently Ulysses also became the president of the La Cuchilla-Chol Water Management Board. Under his leadership, the Board has managed improvements to the community water system that serves most of the families. In addition, the water board reached an agreement to transfer ownership of land with small water source to the community. Now seven families have a dependable water source for the first time.
All of this Ulysses has accomplished without knowing how to read or write. He depends on his wife, Nelsey Linares, for these skills. Their community is better off for this strong partnership.