Integration of indigenous people into sustainable development through the territorial analysis of their potential: The case of the Lenca people in Honduras

The adversities of a globalized economy and the prolonged state of precariousness in which the indigenous peoples in Central America remain, are factors that push towards an imminent disappearance of their cultural identity and traditional livelihoods. Important global summits of sustainable development have declared the importance of preserving the ancestral wisdom of these native peoples as a world heritage site. However, Policies and strategies to respond to their current problems have generally not been very explicit and efficient in achieving long-term results. One problem identified is the limited empirical evidence of the indigenous territorial context, especially those socioeconomic and territorial analyzes that seek self-dependent and inclusive development styles. To address this research gap, an empirical work is explored to diagnose the current potential of the Honduran Lenca territory as a case study. This is combined with a statistical analysis on the spatial influence of poverty and income variables. The aim is to broaden the understanding of those factors that could oppose the current mechanisms of impoverishment. The main result is the construction of an index of development potential in municipalities of Lenca descent. Poverty patterns and modest deposits of community economies associated with space and its cultural pattern were identified. This provides inputs of important value for the planning of public policies that are more sensitive to the study context, with connections towards sustainable development initiatives.