17 July 2017, La Concordia, Chiapas, Mexico - Dogs standing along a pavement in La Concordia.
Poverty and hardships have been pushing people in rural communities to migrate. The FAO-supported project - Strategic Food Security Project (PESA) of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) (2002-current) - has been rolled out in Oaxacan and Chiapas states, in poor rural areas. The two states have some of the highest migration rates in the country, with people migrating to the US or cities within Mexico in search of a better life. As part of the project, farmers learnt how to use compost to improve soil fertility; received training in honey production, raising livestock, and setting up greenhouses. They now also have access to water to irrigate their crops. The project is made possible thanks to the support of the Mexican Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture.