Special Delivery on the Rio Coco

November 19, 2024

It was quite a journey for these green machines, but five mechanical rice threshing machines have reached not only the shores of the Rio Coco inside the borders of the Bosawas Biosphere Reserve, but up riverbanks, down paths, through villages, and into the hands of the community women who will take their turn using them to increase food production efficiency, giving back hours a day to girls and to women in Siminka, Tuburus, San Andres, Walakitang, and Pamkawas.

Rice threshers not only give back time, but also improve food security.  When rainfall is heavy, there is no opportunity to dry rice in the sun, and families can go for days without this staple food. Instead of labouring for hours to manually thresh just enough rice for each meal, the threshing machine means being able to quickly thresh large quantities that can be stored for later use, ensuring food on the table every day.

“I am very happy to have a threshing machine in our community. The rice thresher poses a great relief for all of us. My daughters go to school carefree.  Now, we can thresh enough rice for several days, so we don’t have to worry too much about having to pound rice several times a day.”

— Marisol Gutiérrez, Tuburús

Bosawas Central America and the Caribbean Food Sovereignty In The Field Indigenous Peoples Nicaragua