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Vocational training ensures quality products in rural areas

Honduras
Upskilling and Reskilling, Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Labour market insertion
09.05.2022
Southern Honduras is hit hard by the effects of climate change, jeopardising secure food sources, people's financial stability and thus their livelihoods. In this context, vocational training opens up opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship; but it also allows farmers to reach quality standards that increase income. 

Such is the case of Mario René Moncada, an entrepreneur in the dairy processing sector in the rural village of El Guanijiquil San Marcos de Colón, Choluteca. He was one of the participants who trained in the processing of dairy products, thanks to the ProJoven programme, financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation and implemented by Swisscontact. 

Training in the processing of dairy products has enabled young entrepreneurs like 27-year-old Mario Moncada to improve hygiene and performance as well as diversify his products, which allowed him to increase his income by up to 30%.

"In 2021, before I was trained, I had difficulty with dairy processing, how to make dairy products and I didn't know how much rennet and salt should be used. I also wasted milk. When processing 500 litres of milk, I used to get between 80 and 100 pounds of product. After learning about product diversification, my performance improved and I managed to get between 130 and 140 pounds done."
Mario René Moncada, a young entrepreneur in the dairy processing sector

Among Mario's new projects is finishing the construction of a processing plant where he can have better conditions and more space, "I feel grateful to ProJoven, SDC and Swisscontact for giving us support to entrepreneurs who are in need of equipment and training".

Mario currently processes fresh cheese, semi-fresh cheese, cheese with chili,  butter cream and the local speciality "quesillo", which he sells in a market in Choluteca.

Learn more about the PrOjoven programme