TİKA Implements a Rural Development Project in Mexico

Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA) implemented a rural development project for the Chontal people living in Santa Rita in southern Oaxaca, Mexico.

In addition to its other projects in Oaxaca State, TİKA implemented a rural development project for the construction of a barn and the installation of a rainwater harvesting system for the Chontal people who live in Santa Rita, a mountainous area in Tehuantepec in the municipality of Santo Domingo Chihuitán, have difficulty in accessing basic public services such as water and electricity, and earn a living from agriculture.

As part of the project, the Agency constructed a 9-km-long water transmission system for water supply for domestic and agricultural consumption, built a water tank of 64.000 liters, and installed solar panels to generate energy for domestic consumption, enabling local people to use these services for the first time.

While the solar panels power houses; the barn, coop, and fish pond built by the Agency provide income to local people.

In addition to the construction activities, it is aimed to organize a training program in collaboration with the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI) in order to help the community to develop their farming, animal husbandry, and food production techniques and set an example for farmers in other communities.

The facilities built as part of the project were delivered by Saúl Vicente Vázquez, Director of International Relations at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI), and Fatih Abdi Çetin, TİKA’s Coordinator in Mexico, to Artemio De la Cruz López, the leader of the Chontal people, and his people.