Agricultural Economy

The Maya of Guatemala, Chiapas and Yukatan still Depend Largely upon Subsistence Farming and because of this, there Exists an Independent Economy apart from Protelariat / Bourgeoise Money Exchanges for Goods and Services. Because of this Independence from Money there is a Large Segment of the Rural Population that are Illiterate, MonoLingual or Both. There is roughly 50% Illiteracy among Men, 70% among Women, with a High Percentage of MonoLingualism among the Women. Perhaps it is because of this MonoLingualism that the More than Thirty Maya Dialects have Survived, Virtually Intact to this Day.

Limited Crop Varieties

Because of this Separate Economy, the Maya have Maintained Their Culture and Religious Ties to Ancestral Practices, but have been Isolated by both Church and Government. The Net Result of this Isolation has been the Gradual Loss of Crop Varieties, although there remains many Crops Unique to Regions. What is needed is an Exchange of Crop Varieties, both between Maya Regions, but with the Rest of the World as well. Commercial Situations Exists that Justify the Use of Hybrid Seeds, although a Widening Base of Open Pollinated is Needed to Stabilize and Invigorate the Rural Economy from Within.

Dependance on Chemical Fertilizer

Because of the General Low Level of Activity in the Subsistance Agricultural Economy, Farmers are unable to Keep more than One or Two Animals [pigs and cows] for Fertilizer, even though it is Generally Acknowledged and Understood that Chemical Fertilizer Dries and Hardens the Soil, while Natural Fertilizer Softens and Enriches it. And this from the People who till this Soil by Hand ! I am often taken aback by a Vista of Corn Fields that Stretch through the Hills that are Inaccessible to Tractors, by the Fact that Every Row, Every Stalk of Corn, was Prepared, Planted and Cultvated with Wide-Bladed Hoes weighing about Three Times that of an American Field Hoe.

Limited Access to Organic Fertilizer

Even though there Exist Sources for Organic Animal Wastes as well as Vegetable Mulch, the Logistics Involved in Collection, Transportation, Curing and Distribution defeat All but the Most Determined and Well Financed Entrepreneurs and NGO’s. This Situation also Exists in the US, where Large Scale Hog Farms and Chicken Operations must deal with Staggering amounts of Nitrogenous Wastes that would Literally Poison the Ground Water of Any Area; yet should these Wastes be Processed into a Commercial Fertilizer Product, the Costs of Production for the Entire Operation would be at least in part, be offset. The Problem here, Naturally, is that the Sheer Quantity of Fertilizer on the Market would Present a Disaster for the Existing Fertilizer Industry, so Various Pretexts are Offered for the Lack of R&D in this Area. However, Guatemala is not so well Organised nor Dependent upon a Domestic Fertilizer Industry to be Averse to such Development and Enterprize.

Rural Medicine

Ouside of Urban Settlements, there are No Doctors, Nurses or Medics. All that Exists Currently in 90% of Rural Guatemala are Fairly Knowledgable Pharmacists and Deeply Traditional Mid-Wives. What is Urgently Needed [This Need CANNOT be Emphasized Enough !] is an Educational Program that would Satisfy the Mid-Wives' Insistence upon Traditional Methods and Herbal Medicines, while giving Information about First Aid Techniques, Basic Sanitation and When Antibiotics are Appropriate. [and more Importantly, when They are Not !] Over the Counter Favorites in Antibiotics can Lead Quickly to Resistant Cultures of Bacterial Strains that make it nearly Impossible to Treat Otherwise Minor Infections and Illnesses.

Mid-Wives / Herbal Medicine

The Dependence upon Mid-Wives in Rural Areas is a Direct Result of the Vacuum in Modern Medicine, and Represents a Rare Resource that SHOULD be taken Advantage of. These Highly Trained and Qualified Individuals have the Confidence of and Contacts with Rural Communities. By Diplomatically Approaching and Offering Informative Talks and Offering to Listen to Their Ideas and Treatment Methods, both Rural Medicine can be Improved and Natural Healing Techniques hitherto Unknown to Modern Medicine Shared with a World Confounded and Threatened by Three Diseases : Cancer, HIV/AIDS and Coronary Disease. [although 95% of All Coronary Problems can be Cured or Ameliorated by Basically “Getting Off of Your Fat Duff and Walking Around the Block a Few Times !”] [No Apologies to Over Weight Middle Class Americans, either !]