Community members fill seedlings bags with soil at a Guaymi community tree nursery, established with the project's help. The pine seedlings are being planted as part of a reforestation effort already beginning to cover the barren hills seen in the background. - - Rural Development for Guaymi Communities. A Panamanian Government Rural Development Project is helping to improve the living standards, nutritional resources and incomes of poor small farmers of the indigenous Guaymi communities. The target group of about 3 000 families (about 20 000 people) live in the provinces of Veraguas and Chiriqui, at altitudes of up to 2 400 m where their cultural identity will be protected. They presently practice slash and burn shifting agriculture, grow corn, beans, rice tubers and sugar cane for family consumption and some coffee as a cash crop. The project, which is assisted by the UN/FAO World Food Programme, also aims to develop aquaculture facilities, establish agricultural credit, promote forestry production and soil conservation, construct roads, schools and health centres and provide technical assistance, applied research and training.