Venezuela is in political, social, and economic turmoil. The majority of households are suffering from a lack of food security. People are facing food shortages, a lack of access to food due to its high cost, and a lack of gas, electricity, or safe drinking water. Many of Venezuela’s food staples are no longer available or affordable.
Venezuelans at Work
Farmers-led organizations, such as PROINPA, are making progress toward resolving Venezuela's food shortage crisis. This grassroots initiative engages in sustainable agricultural production for a variety of reasons, including crop diversification, agroecology, and high-quality seed potato development. These activities take place in a modern seed lab, a germplasm bank, and an aeroponic seed production plant.
Another example of a farmer grassroots organization is Acción Campesina. It has been serving Venezuela's most vulnerable communities in rural areas since 1992, with a particular focus on the Barlovento region. It has had a significant impact on improving the quality of life in these communities through its Family Gardens, Water Solutions, Gender-Based Violence, and WASH programs and has formed local, national, and international alliances.
CESAP is a Venezuelan organization that works with other non-governmental and humanitarian organizations to organize projects and train people in Venezuela's most vulnerable areas. According to all utility surveys, less than 30% of Venezuelan households have continuous access to piped water. In this case, training is essential to preventing infections spread through water. Through water-related programs, such as Safe Water or WASH, CESAP develops training strategies, particularly for children and adolescents, aimed at making the best possible use of water, understanding strategies for collecting and purifying rainwater, building community wells, and other related topics. Training programs for safe drinking water are frequently used in conjunction with other training initiatives, such as nutrition endeavors.