Case Studies - Livelihoods
Ojon oil improves livelihoods in Honduras
The project
The indigenous communities of La Mosquitia, north-east Honduras, live in coastal villages made up of
huts supported by stilts, which are only accessible by boat. Community members traditionally rely on
income from fishing and the sale of coconuts and other foods. Tearfund’s partner MOPAWI has been
working with local communities to help them to produce Ojon oil. This oil (also known locally as batana
oil) is extracted from the nut of the American palm (Elaeis oleifera) and can be used as a skin and hair
treatment.
Successes
La Mosquitia is home to approximately 100,000 people. The Ojon producers are the poorest
communities in the region, and MOPAWI has been an example to other non-governmental
organisations (NGOs) in terms of its time and investment in these areas. The Ojon project has brought
substantial economic development and empowerment to the communities. Enabling them to take a
local product to export in international markets is a considerable achievement.
There is also excellent integration of economic activities with nutrition and WASH (water, sanitation and
hygiene) activities. MOPAWI has started rainwater harvesting initiatives, which are hugely appreciated
by community members, enabling them to have year-round access to fresh water. As well as supplying
the communities with the materials for the project, MOPAWI provided training to enable them to
manage the structures themselves.
MOPAWI have also initiated an agriculture project in La Mosquitia. The farms are still in their infancy
but already shows signs of excellent management and development. The farmers have demonstrated
that they can be successful, and the challenge is for MOPAWI to facilitate further replication and to
encourage more community members to integrate the produce into their diets. The training received by
the farmers has meant that the farms are being laid out in a way that encourages sustainable land
management.
Ojon Corporation has shown a good sense of social responsibility regarding the development of the
communities in which they are sourcing the Ojon oil. They have funded schools, agriculture, water and
sanitation etc. This is an example that can be used in engaging other businesses in sustainable
development and ethical sourcing. MOPAWI is also being funded to oversee the Ojon oil exportation
and the community development initiatives.
MOPAWI staff are passionate about the sustainable management of the forest and mangrove
ecosystems and their resources. They have helped the Ojon producers to achieve Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC) certification. They have also set up agroforestry pilots to sustainably integrate food
production into the forest ecosystem and to promote reforestation.
Since MOPAWI began, its staff have been engaged in advocacy initiatives. They have empowered
local people to advocate for their rights and have also exerted influence through other networks.
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency working with a global network of local churches to help eradicate poverty
www.tearfund.org 100 Church Road, Teddington TW11 8QE, UK
Registered Charity No. 265464
Livelihoods
Over the last ten years MOPAWI has developed a relationship with the Ojon Corporation, an
international organisation, which has allowed the community members to export their Ojon oil to
international markets. Communities harvest the Ojon fruits from the forests and then process them to
produce the oil. Ojon oil production is now a very important economic activity for approximately 2,000
producers in La Mosquitia.
Case Studies - Livelihoods
MOPAWI has seen considerable successes in advocating for the rights of indigenous people to their
land, a campaign which has spanned almost 30 years and is finally coming to fruition in La Mosquitia.
This campaign has had knock-on effects in other parts of the country. Another important advocacy
initiative involved the prevention of a hydroelectric dam being built on the Patuca River. MOPAWI
considers engaging in advocacy, and training local communities to be organised and to advocate, as a
complementary part of its overall work programme.
Challenges
MOPAWI is already trying to transfer ownership and responsibility of the Ojon project to the
communities themselves. Staff members are training clusters to manage the process and are helping
the groups to set up bank accounts.
However, there is probably more that could be done to empower the community to have a direct
relationship with the Ojon Corporation without relying on the intervention of MOPAWI. This will take
some time to establish, due to language barriers and the need for a presence and bank account in
Tegucigalpa, Honduras’ capital city.
At present Ojon Corporation is the sole purchaser of Ojon oil, which means that the communities are
vulnerable to the demands of a single buyer. The communities are also not producing the Ojon oil at
their maximum capacity, and therefore if another buyer could be found for the oil they would benefit
hugely. However, there are questions over the feasibility of this.
The pilot of the agriculture project is currently proving a success in the communities where it is being
initiated. However, if the objective of improved nutrition is to be realised then the farms need to be
accompanied by training sessions on nutrition and cooking skills. If the success of the farms spreads,
there may also be a need for further training on sustainable land management, which is included in
MOPAWI’s other programmes.
Tearfund is a Christian relief and development agency working with a global network of local churches to help eradicate poverty
www.tearfund.org 100 Church Road, Teddington TW11 8QE, UK
Registered Charity No. 265464