Macadamia -For a Brighter Future

Benjamin Richard is organizing this fundraiser.

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June 2025 Macadamia for San Martin Jilotepeque Report

I hope that you each get great satisfaction for the part you have taken in this endeavor. This year, 2025 marks 19 years for my associate Lalo and myself working in San Martin Jilotepeque, Chimaltenango to develop Macadamia as a viable commercial cultivar. I can not begin to express in words the great appreciation that the small landholders involved wish to extend to you.

This year the farm of brothers Isai and Justo, sporting over 4000 macadamias has made several sales. Around 400 of these trees are now 7 to 9 years old and producing harvest. I watched as Isai sold the first lot of harvest to the company which exports. I never imagined I would live to see the day.

We are not talking about huge amounts of money today but as the trees continue to grow over the next 20 years the initial farmers look forward to enjoying $500,000 to $1,000,000 per year in gross income and very low production costs. The trees are intercropped with coffee so this is additional income.

Over the ensuing decades this will have a snowball effect in the area of San Martin Jilotepeque. Already, we can see thousands of Macadamia interplanted with coffee throughout the region.

I truly believe that we have accomplished what we set out to do 19 years ago. Let me recap our goals we set out to accomplish in 2007:

o Provide a nutritious suppliment to the populations very basic subsistence diet (the kids love finding the nuts, cracking and eating them as a snack.)

o Incorporate an economically viable crop into an area with few other cash producing crops. At this time, coffee is a major source of income but I believe in 50 years Macadamia will become the number one crop in value.

o Combat soil and climate degradation. We know of growers who see major improvement to their coffee when Macadamia is used as shade. The lateral and tap root systems hold the soils in place and bring moisture to the surface. The heavy leaf fall and green husks of the Macadamia are outstanding materials to work into the soils, rebuilding a healthy growing medium.

o Anyone interested in the carbon absorption value of the trees, combatting global warming, can read the following: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amit-Timilsina/publication/334780631_Estimation_of_Carbon_Sequestration_in_Macadamia_Nut_in_Kaski_District_Nepal/links/5f246c77299bf13404976eda/Estimation-of-Carbon-Sequestration-in-Macadamia-Nut-in-Kaski-District-Nepal.pdf?origin=scientificContributions

o Finally, we are seeing the first cash flowing back to the farmers who have invested their sweat and hopes into the trees.

Macadamia are known to produce for 100 years and perhaps 200 years or more. What we have accomplished will outlive us and many generations to come.

Our work continues. This week we made two deliveries, a total of 1,010 seedlings to new participants. Our continuing goal is to raise funds to continue subsidizing 40% of the cost of the seedlings.

I am also assisting in the purchase of the machine that strips the green husk off the fresh harvest. This machine is custom made and costs $4,600. The farmers will pay a portion up front. I have pledged $1250 and will loan the rest to be repaid. If you can contribute , please do so. We can use your help.

We have identified three growers with substantial amounts of nuts to process and sell. We are focusing on these three to establish the means to handle crop from multiple sources and maintain the quality required by the exporter. Each year we will expand the program to nearby small landholders so that anyone with even a small amount of crop will have much needed income.

Thank you all for your faith and support.

If you wish to continue contributing to this endeavor:

o Please specify if you wish to help plant trees, purchase the dehusker or both.

o 100% of your contribution goes directly to the farmers benefit. (I cover all administrative costs consisting of gasoline and our meals). Both my associate Lalo and I contribute our time, vehicles and expertise to the community.

If you know others who might wish to support our efforts please pass this posting to friends, associates and organizations.

We provide non-grafted open pollinated seedlings from the finest genetic parent trees available. This means no two trees are alike but they give superior results. We optimize the size of the seedlings for best transplant results

Now a short picture story

Harvest and bloom, the bloom will produce harvest in 8 months