Fish Farming Changes the Lives of Rural Residents in Guatemala

Rural residents of San Lucas Tolimán, Guatemala, raise tilapia through a fish farming project launched by the international development organization World Neighbors. They have not only gained a healthy source of protein but also increased their income by selling fish. Local fish farmers hope to expand the scale of their farming in the future with continued support.

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In San Lucas Tolimán, about 110 kilometers west of the Guatemalan capital Guatemala City, green mountains surround the area, and some families increase their income through fish farming while also obtaining a healthy source of protein. Fish farmers keep part of the catch for their own use and sell the rest to community residents and visitors from elsewhere. This aquaculture project was launched by the international development organization World Neighbors, which is dedicated to helping some of the most remote rural communities in Asia, Africa, and Latin America alleviate hunger, poverty, and disease.

The fish farmers raise the popular tilapia, which sells for 25 quetzals per pound, about 3.27 dollars. Genaro Pal has been raising fish for 16 years. He says that after deducting costs, fish farmers can earn a profit of about 50%. The farmed fish also provide these families with an important source of protein. Fish farmers in San Lucas Tolimán say they hope to expand their business further with the help of World Neighbors.

In Guatemala, about 1,200 fish farmers are spread across 12 communities. World Neighbors also runs fish farming projects in other countries. Fish farmers in San Lucas Tolimán hope that, with the continued support of World Neighbors, they can expand the scale of their farming to reach commercial-scale production and supply sustainably farmed fish to local businesses and restaurants.