Pontis Nicaragua

VERACRUZ DEMO FARM:  Pontis is proud to report a new class and location for the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program.    As the Pontis demo farm has developed better crops over the past two years, it has drawn the interest of neighboring farmers.  Now a new class has started in Veracruz sharing the principles and techniques…

MATAGALPA:  Seven trainees are currently attending the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program technician training.  When they complete the training in December, they will be fully qualified to teach sustainable agriculture in classrooms and on farms.  They attend in-residence classes, once per month at the Pontis Nicaragua office in Matagalpa. Each trainee brings a unique set of…

VERACRUZ DEMO FARM:  On May 6th the Pontis team put to good use the generous support from dozens of people in the US to drill a well on the Veracruz demo farm.  This is part of the long term Pontis program to bring high-value farming to the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program students during the dry…

NUEVA ESPERANZA:  In December 2015 we reported on the tragic circumstances of the 34 families in Nueva Esperanza.  Hit with drought, coffee fungus, and a lack of diverse crops they were struggling to get by after years of progress.  Thanks to your help Pontis not only brought sustainable, diverse agriculture training but has helped them…

VERACRUZ DEMO FARM:  God, through a dedicated congregation in Texas and several other supporters, has provided the funding for the Pontis team to develop the first phases of the Well, Water, and Irrigation program.  The first step is having a well drilled on the Veracruz Demo Farm. “Our next step will be setting up a well…

MATAGALPA:  Pontis introduced an all-new small farm scorecard to track progress as farm families enter the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program and proceed through the steps.  Starting in January, Pontis agronomist and technicians are visiting farms and recording their crops and progress in the program. “We used a very participatory process to develop the scorecard,” commented Leck…

RIVAS:  Marilene Hernández Ortiz, wearing blue in this photo taken with her mother and daughter, has worked on a farm since she was 8 years old.  When she was 20 years old she received a small plot of land in Rivas, Nicaragua from her family which she used to raise a couple of cows for…

MASAYA:  Ernesto, the Pontis Chief Agronomist, has been traveling all over the country on a motorcycle.  Late last year, he was slightly injured in an accident with a car.  Two Pontis supporters responded to the appeal in the Pontis Model Farm newsletter for funds to purchase a second vehicle.  The 2001 Toyota 4Runner, in the top…

VERACRUZ DEMO FARM:  This enhanced Google Earth photo shows the crops at the Pontis Demo Farm for 2017 (dry season).  Crops are rotated through the year testing different cash crops, varieties, watering techniques and to document aspects of the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program.  This 3.5 acre farm is the center of activity for Pontis agriculture…

VERACRUZ DEMO FARM:  Marvin, Ernesto and Victor installed new irrigation systems at the Demo Farm in Veracruz to test how best to use water and maximize yield.  Taking lessons from the 50% crop loss during the drought in 2016, the Pontis team is developing new methods to incorporate into the Pontis Sustainable Agriculture Program. In…