PFID News

GUATEMALA-CENTRAL AMERICA UPDATE –

ACCESS TO MARKET PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Program implementation continues with the 20 original participant groups, representing more than 1000 farmers with slightly more than 1000 manzanas (1700 acres) and in cultivation and sales of more than Q22,000,000 ($2,900,000)for the first three quarters of 2005. The total number of daily employment now surpasses 200,000 days with over 800 permanent jobs.

Access to Market Program (AMP) Phases Implementation of CAPGAPs Implementation of Good Business Practices Providing technical assistance in specific production and/or marketing areas Installing CAPGAP demonstration plots

  Additional accomplishments in recent months include the following:

• Assured selected suppliers use proper production technology (seed, fertilizer, pesticides, water use) and comply with GAP requirements in order to satisfy market needs.  This is an essential part of GAP training, 20 groups with over 1,000 producers are receiving training in GAP as well as production technology.  Twenty-six new groups have been selected and initial diagnosis and water analysis have begun.
• Made alliances between selected suppliers and potential buyers across the region.  We are currently working very closely with Hortifruti/Nicaragua and La Fragua/El Salvador and have begun implementing AMP in Guatemala with producer groups that export to El Salvador.  Contacts have been made with the GDA office in Washington to assist in these alliances. 
• Delivered technical assistance and short-term practical training to farmers in production systems, packaging, labelling.  The AMP implementation course includes training in production, processing, marketing and business management as well as logistical aspects related to shipping.  This training is not classroom only, but rather in field hands-on-training, and when/where producer groups require specific production or post harvest assistance, it is included as part of the course. 
• In cooperation with the public and private sector, designed inspection programs to upgrade the status of SPS compliance in small and medium farms in preparation for industry inspection/certification as a requirement to close a business transaction.  No one company offered the type of course we required, a consistent standardized training package that included third part certification, so we created one by training Fundación Agil technicians.  Another training course is also being implemented – this latter one by a EurepGAP certified trainer company -- to certify third party auditors in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

To date, PFID-F&V, through its sub agreement with the Fundación AGIL, has done remarkable work in implementing the Access to Market Program (AMP).  We expect them to have completed the AMP implementation process with twenty Guatemalan producer groups in November and December 2005.  The Agricultural and Environmental Integral Protection Program (PIPAA) -- a public-private entity that certifies and/or verifies the standards required by export markets -- will conduct the final diagnostic through January 2006 to verify compliance with the CAPGAP process.

Back