Flagship Project Competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural chains for food security and economic development

Progress 2015 Our commitment : Results

Through the flagship project entitled Competitiveness and sustainability of agricultural chains for food security and economic development, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is working to improve the competitive and sustainable performance of agricultural chains through the management of policies, institutional strengthening and public-private capabilities, as well as support for processes relating to technological, business, institutional and commercial innovation.

Under the slogan “Our commitment: results”, we are sharing the progress achieved in the implementation of the project in 2015. 21 20 participating agricultural countries chains

countries priority partner with specific countries countries Sweet Potato 10 4 actions 7 Small ruminants Fruits Cashew Honduras Ecuador Cacao Poultry El Salvador Guatemala Canada Coffee Costa Rica Jamaica Chile Cacao Panama Nicaragua United States Coffee Peru Cacao Venezuela Mexico Spain Countries with Flowers priority chains Ovine Meat Partner countries Horticultural Trinidad and Tobago

9000 Total = 8410 Total = 528

8000

7000 Access and linkage 8410 to markets persons 6000 Innovation in trained 5000 production processes

4000 Chain management 3000 and agribusiness capacities 528 2000 institutional Policies and 1000 institutional entities framework strengthened * 0 Stakeholders Institutional entities

* As a result of diverse activities under the different components, an entity or institution may be represented on more than one occasion.

1 Products of technical cooperation 195

90 22 Training events or exchanges Studies and reports 29 Proposals for 13 policies, strategies, Methodologies or projects

10 21 Technological Consensus-building options for processes or strategic innovation partnerships 10 Baselines for the priority chains

2 Policies and institutional framework

The project generated national or international public Specific actions involved Argentina, Brazil, goods in order to improve the competitive and sustainable Canada, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, performance of the agricultural chains through: Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Colombia, Spain, United States and Venezuela. Their scope extended to the 34 member countries of IICA and to other countries in Europe, Africa and Asia that reported 11 2 16 similarities or were beneficiaries. Studies Methodologies Proposals for policies, plans, or strategies The topics dealt with include:

• Marketing standards 3 11 • Requirements for access to markets Capacity development Activities for exchange of • Price stabilization mechanisms activities information, strategic partnerships, • Trade facilitation horizontal cooperation or • Agricultural trade liberalization knowledge management • Facilitation of agribusiness and value-adding • Public policies for agriculture and its instruments for implementation, monitoring and evaluation These activities involved or directly • Agricultural chain outlook benefited at least: • Health and food safety standards, their application and international standardization • Instruments for competitiveness of products 6 and chains agricultural chains 120 • Technical and managerial boards for (coffee, cacao, flower, Institutions agricultural chains meat, sugar, fruit) • Actions to mitigate climate change • Commitments within the multilateral framework on topics related to Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) and 4500 agricultural trade Stakeholders from the 17 • Standards and international trade regulation public and private sectors Countries

3 Capacity development activities: 2 training processes directed toward stakeholders in the public 1 579 and private sectors to stakeholders from three support competitiveness process for strengthening countries in Central America of the chains in the capacities of benefited from the cycle of marketing standards for public-institutional face to face conferences on the sugar and requirements management for the topic of trade and international for granting access competitiveness and agricultural trade regulation, by small farmers to sustainability of chains within the framework of the institutional markets. in Peru. IICA-WTO work plan.

Processes for exchange of information, horizontal cooperation, and knowledge management:

technical forums on space for dialogue strategic partnerships monitoring of trends created in Peru to on issues relating and innovations in facilitate the process to Agricultural Health policy management of public policy and Food Safety (AHFS), 4 1 management in 3 Fund for the Application in agriculture, in view of the post-2015 agriculture. of Standards and development agenda. Trade Promotion (STDF), World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), and Codex Alimentarius. strategic chains with accessible, partnerships, signed up-to-date information and in force, with through the IICA regional forums on Observatory of the 2 10 Agriculture and Forestry technical consultancies issues relating to AHFS regulations. Sectors for stakeholders conducted on topics in Paraguay. relating to trade and agricultural trade 460 regulation through the Reference Center horizontal cooperation sessions of the World Trade from Peru, with Chile and Costa Organization (WTO) for Rica, on specific instruments for Latin America. implementing agricultural policies 3 (design of nationally appropriate mitigation actions - NAMAS, rust, price stabilization).

4 Studies, methodologies and proposals: 1 2 1

Documentation of cases and countries validate a tool to evaluate Methodology to evaluate the experiences in policy monitoring the impact of the application of the regulatory framework and and management based on 22 PVS instrument (Performance, Vision status of standardization with interviews involving 20 institutions and Strategy) for strengthening Food international regulation and in six countries around the region. Safety. AHFS requirements. 4 3 1

reports on the validation process for strategies designed that are Proposal presented at the PVS in 5 countries. geared toward strengthening international forums on the AHFS systems, and managed international regulations for within the framework of joint Paraguay and the region. work plans with regional and international organizations.

Proposals for policies, strategies and plans:

Costa Rica Honduras Paraguay Rubber-stamped by the national • Proposal for a Risk Plan presented to the • Resolution for implementation of authorities of Costa Rica: government of Honduras (includes project the inter-institutional work plan • Policy for the agriculture profile) for international financing. for development of the flower sector and development of • National strategy for trade liberalization. and meat chains in Paraguay. rural territories. • Plan for facilitating agribusiness and • Sectoral plan that guides the added value. Institute’s work with respect to agricultural and rural development. • Plan for competitiveness of protected agriculture. Perú • National Food Safety • Validated proposal for a Policy presented National Center for the Hemispheric to government Promotion of Added Value. • Report to the Committee on authorities in Peru. Agriculture of the WTO on IICA’s contribution to Food Security.

5 Management of chains and agribusiness capabilities

There has been progress in the design of international public goods that will strengthen and renew the 15 supply of IICA cooperation instruments which, by Specific being implemented in priority chains, will contribute to chains achieving the objectives of the component throughout the life of the project.

Activities have been carried out that have a hemispheric, 10 Countries regional (Southern, Andean and Caribbean), and national (Costa Rica, Argentina and Uruguay) scope. 24 Specific chains in which technical cooperation actions Technical cooperation were carried out within the framework of Component 2 products Chains Countries Coffee Honduras, Panama, Peru Cacao Honduras, Panama, Peru Cashew Honduras 745 Agents of development and Poultry Venezuela agricultural producers in Sweet Potato Jamaica capacity building processes. Flowers Paraguay Ovine Paraguay public and private institutions Small ruminants Trinidad and Tobago strengthened their capabilities in 91 competitive, sustainable and inclusive Vegetables Argentina management of agricultural chains Livestock Uruguay and in entrepreneurship, associative Beans Costa Rica and value-adding capabilities.

6 Consensus-building and coordination processes in chains:

agricultural chains provided with institutional 6 strengthening Countries 8 initiatives

Creation of boards and chain committees or support for existing initiatives:

Paraguay 2 Flower and Ovine Chain Venezuela Honduras Committees, established 1 Committee for 1 Cashew chain and functioning through competitiveness of committee Ministerial Resolution to the poultry chain ensure institutionalization and sustainability

Jamaica Panama Trinidad and Tobago 1 Sweet potato 2 Committees for 1 Committee for the goat chain chain committee the coffee and cacao chains

Opportunities for international exchange:

• Platform for Promotion, Knowledge Management and Commercial Outlook for Agribusinesses in , validated and launched at an international seminar-workshop, with the participation of 26 public, private and academic institutions from the 10 countries of the Southern and Andean regions.

• A Regional Exchange between Caribbean countries with regard to financing and cooperation funds, with participation from 80 leaders and stakeholders in the agricultural and financial sectors of six countries in the region.

7 Studies, methodologies and proposals:

Methodology for the management of agricultural chains with a multidimensional focus on competitiveness, environmental sustainability, inclusion, equity and institutional structure, with preliminary application in the poultry chain of Venezuela.

Study of the institutional framework and innovative models of cooperative and associative arrangements, in partnership with the International Cooperative Association.

Methodology for the design of agrotourism projects, within the framework of the construction of the Coffee Route in Western Honduras.

Methodology for conducting the Poultry Census in Venezuela, which will contribute strategic information for decision-making by the stakeholders in the chain.

1 Project for the promotion of sustainable and inclusive trade relations in the cacao chain of the San Martin Region of Peru.

Documentation of good practices for competitive and sustainable management of the coffee chain in Peru, with support from the Canadian counterparts.

Capacity building processes:

Design of a Hemispheric groups of the virtual Complete process of Institutional Capacity Building course entitled Value- capacity building in project Program in Associative and Agro- adding in Products of profile formulation and entrepreneurial Management, Agricultural Origin. management of agricultural 1including implementation in Uruguay and 2 1value adding in Costa Rica. Paraguay.

Training programs in Honduras: Development of Training for young people • Value-adding strategies for capabilities geared toward from the member institutions groups of small producers of educating facilitators and of the Federation of Rural cashew, potato, roses, onions, managers of associative Associations of MERCOSUR in 3and other products, including the 1processes, and cooperatives 1Uruguay, in associative management, development of two new products, of family farmers and small management of chains, and of brand name registration for producers in Argentina. international inclusion, in order to eight products and differentiation strengthen their family businesses. mechanisms. • Agrotourism for members of the Coffee Route, with preparation and presentation of nine agrotourism Training workshop on projects. focus and management • Financial analysis for decision- of chains, for public and making that resulted in preparation private stakeholders in the of business projects and plans, 1poultry chain, which resulted and in some cases, in financing in the formation of a Chain processes. Committee in Venezuela.

8 Innovation

Actions were carried out at both the multinational and hemispheric levels, as well as in the countries prioritized by the Project: El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Venezuela, Peru, Paraguay, and Argentina, with emphasis on the priority chains in each country. 10 Countries

Total = 2079 Total = 192 2000 85 10 2079 373 Others (validation of Stakeholders methodologies and 1500 guides, etc.) 90

Horizontal 192 1000 cooperation, sharing Participating of experiences, institutions 1621 and knowledge management

500 92 Capacity development 45 processes Events for strengthening capacities, sharing of 0 experiences, or horizontal Stakeholders, Participating cooperation. participants and institutions beneficiaries

9 Capacity development processes:

Good agricultural practices (GAP) in:

• The fruit and horticulture chain in Argentina • The poultry chain in Venezuela • Fruits and vegetables in Paraguay • Agricultural, livestock and forestry production in Paraguay • The coffee chain in Peru, with sharing of experiences with Colombia • The sweet potato chain in Jamaica (GAP and Processes for sharing of postharvest management) experiences, horizontal

Implementation of innovations: cooperation and knowledge management: • Composting processes using farm waste and introduction of the use of bioinputs (beneficial fungi • Experiences of Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador for pest and disease control) in the flower chain in in good poultry practices. Paraguay. • Horizontal cooperation on competitiveness • Quality assurance of milk and production of cheeses and health of sheep in Paraguay. and yogurt in the small ruminant chain in Trinidad • Horizontal cooperation on lepidopterans in and Tobago. cacao in Peru. • Bioinputs in Peru. • Experiences in measurement of the water • Sustainable forest management (water, mitigation, footprint in LAC. value chain and territorial planning) in the Andean • Linkages and management of information Region. relating to Central American regulation of • Organic and agroecological production in Paraguay. dairy terminology. • Establishment of a silvopastoral forage bank for the • Experiences and network creation on control small ruminant chain in Jamaica. and eradication of Newcastle in Venezuela. • Methodology geared toward reduction of food • Information system at infoagro.net to share losses in the value chains of Latin America and the information on priority chains. Caribbean (LAC). • Quality assurance throughout the poultry chain in Venezuela. Processes for validation of • Sanitary and safety issues in Peru (management of methodologies and guides: lepidopterous in cacao). • Priority topics for LAC in the Codex Committee on • Guidelines for the design of sanitary Veterinary Drug Residues. programs for animal health in Paraguay. • Diagnoses of retrotranscription polymerase chain • Guidelines for the design of programs relating reaction (RT-PCR) of Brucella and mycobacterium, rate to coffee rust in Peru. of bovine procreation and plant health inspection in Paraguay. • Transborder diseases in Costa Rica.

10 Studies, methodologies, and proposals:

2 1 1 Guides for the design of Systematization of Strategic plan and investment sanitary programs for indicators and case program for the competitive coffee rust and animal studies on efficient and sustainable development health, validated in Peru use of energy in the of the rice value chain in and Paraguay. agricultural food chains. Honduras (PEP–rice).

1 Value-added production 2 strategy for the fruit chain 1 Project profiles in Panama: in El Salvador: the case for Document on • Promotion of the competitiveness industrialization of mango mitigation measures for and income of producers in in Zacatecoluca. the priority production the export cacao chain and chains (rice, cashew and implementation of the technical cacao) in Honduras. cooperation model for improving technology management on farms, value-adding and business management. • Implementation of a model of technological extension to improve the competitiveness and income of the producers in the coffee chain, 2 1 through a change in technology Identification of Methodology for management on farms, value- alternatives for innovation measurement of adding and business management. in feed for poultry greenhouse gas effects production in Venezuela aimed at organizations of and for the production of small producers in Costa vegetables and potatoes Rica, validated in the bean in Honduras. chain. 1 Research internship report “Diagnosis of Nosema ceranae and Deformed Wing Virus (DWV) in overwintering honey bee colonies”, by a Uruguayan student in Canada.

11 Access to markets

Actions at the hemispheric, regional (Andean and Caribbean), and national levels (Honduras, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Panama, Costa Rica, Peru and 20 Jamaica) were carried out. Countries

At the hemispheric levels, activities were conducted on innovative marketing models and with respect to Agricultural Health and Food Safety (AHFS) on 8 topics related to Codex Alimentarius and Sanitary and Chains Phytosanitary Measures.

In the Andean Region, actions were carried out on the topic of market information, while in the Caribbean the 1096 Agribusiness Forum and agrotourism initiatives were Stakeholders supported.

Consensus-building and 125 coordination activities: Participating institutions

1 Events relating to Agreement on project consensus-building bodies, portfolio among the 30 capacity development members of the Committee activities, sharing of for the Cashew Chain in experiences, or horizontal Honduras. cooperation.

12 Capacity development activities:

Workshop on Products fair in Agribusinesses Forum in the Innovative Marketing Changuinola, Bocas Caribbean with participation from 1Models with the 1del Toro. 110 countries, held in Barbados at participation of IICA The Technical Center for Agricultural specialists and others from and Rural Cooperation (CTA) 11 countries, conducted in Lima, Peru. Workshop on the principles of Fair Trade applied to the Networks and virtual forums domestic markets of Panama. 1 related to food safety and Workshop for 12 thematic areas within Codex strengthening the Alimentarius. Under the SPS Project 1information and Technical Forum on in the Caribbean, supported the communication technologies regulation and technical participation of 12 countries to attend a of the market information 1aspects related to Veterinary workshop on transparency and the SPS systems with support from Drug Residues, conducted in Committee in Geneva, events in Brazil the Market Information collaboration with the Codex (rabies and RISNSAIA), Tennessee (RPPO, Organization of the Americas Coordination Committee for Latin plant health), Mexico, Nicaragua (CAC), (MIOA) in the Andean Region. America and the Caribbean. and Paraguay (national SPS).

Studies, methodologies and proposals: 3 1 1

Projects to improve the competitiveness of the Document on innovative Basic scheme for updating the different links of the cashew chain in Honduras. marketing models. processes of the Institutional The critical aspects underscored are access to Supply Program (ISP) in order financing, creation of added-value, and marketing. to improve the income of small producers in Costa Rica. 1 1 1 Strategy “One Village One Product” (OVOP) in Proposal to manage and strengthen Costa Rica and local economic development. support services for developing Route for updating the market agroexport capabilities, in general information system of the terms, and by priority product lines in National Production Board Peru, underscoring the case of coffee (CNP) of Costa Rica. 1 and cacao in the Agroexport Route.

Report of surveys for the creation of a practicing agrotourism community in the Caribbean.

13 Contact Us

Daniel Rodríguez Project Leader International Specialist in Agribusiness and Marketing [email protected]

James French Principal Officer of Competitiveness and Sustainability of Agricultural Chains [email protected]

Joaquín Arias Coordinator of Component 1 Policies and Institution Framework International Specialist in Policies and Sectoral Analysis [email protected]

Federico Ganduglia Coordinator of Component 2 Management of Chains and Agribusiness Capacities Specialist in Policies and Agribusinesses [email protected]

Viviana Palmieri Coordinator of Component 3 Innovation for Productivity, Efficiency and Sustainability Specialist in Management of Technological Innovation [email protected]

Manuel Messina Coordinator of Component 4 Access and Linkages to Markets Specialist in Agribusinesses and Marketing [email protected]

Telephone: (202) 458-6959 Website: http://goo.gl/1ev7m3