Caribbean & Central America

ACDI/VOCA participated in a recent study of the "Competitive Transition of the Central American Coffee Sector." ACDI/VOCA provided two international consultants that examined the "Management of Environmental Impacts of Coffee Production in Central America" and the "Structure, Conduct and Performance of the Coffee Sector in Central America." The information gathered and recommendations were utilized by the IDB to help plan a strategy to assuage the impacts of the current coffee crisis on the rural poor of Central America.

CHF International Mitigation Initiative for Communities and Municipalities (MICAM)

MICAM improves local risk management in vulnerable areas of Central America and increases private sector involvement in mitigation and risk management by accelerating the dialogue within the private sector and between the private sector and government. DELIVERABLES: By the end of the program at least 133,145 people in 149 communities will have reduced vulnerability to natural disasters.

CHF has developed and successfully applied the Local Environmental Policy and Program Initiative (LEPPI) methodology for local planning and action in 22 communities throughout six countries in Central America. The methodology has generated community leadership for improving environmental and sanitation conditions in diverse localities, and has created healthier living environments for 7,000 families. LEPPI brings together local and national government officials, NGOs, community leaders, businesses and citizens in a participatory planning process to prioritize and facilitate environmental improvement in urban areas.

Dominican Republic

National power operations in the Dominican Republic face serious problems. Historically, Dominican utilities have faced high theft rates, as well as low collection rates, and the system as a whole suffers from serious under-investment. Businesses and households struggle with daily power outages, and 20 percent of Dominicans have no power at all. The privatizing of distribution systems by the government in 1999 was not successful, and in some respects, left the system in worse shape than before.

As an approach to help solve these problems, the Government of the Dominican Republic recently engaged NRECA International to develop two model electric cooperatives.. The cooperatives are the first of their kind in the Dominican Republic, and they will seek ways to reduce losses, control theft, and improve collection rates. This effort is being carried out under programs funded by USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

AAC/MIS Cooperative Insurance: Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS and Poverty in the Dominican Republic

The challenges addressed by this project is two-fold: to help the cooperative insurance companies in the country extend their service to a greater number of low-income people who have no access to insurance products that both meet their needs and are affordable; and, to have it be a good business decision that will help the companies achieve scale and salience.

Other activities under this project include dissemination of best practices and lessons learned with the AAC/MIS membership, strengthening organizational culture development through training with the Instituto Desarrollo Humano of Puerto Rico, and collabrative activites with other development organizations to strengthen the legal and regulatory enabling environment of cooperatives.

El Salvador

CDP Funded - PROEXSAL is a marketing cooperative, owned by twelve member cooperatives serving some 15,000 producers. The primary objective of this on-going activity is to continue with the business-restructuring plan that was initiated in late 2001. The plan focuses mainly on the reduction of operational costs and the management of the procurement, marketing, and distribution of services being provided, as well as increasing working capital. PROEXSAL will also identify new markets and provide market and buyer information that will benefit its members and other producer groups it is assisting. A major market focus is to identify new products and assist members with diversification to respond to new market opportunities.

InterAmerican Development Bank, Mission and CDP Funding - Through CLUSA de El Salvador (a LCUSA/NCBA local affiliate) train producers being assisted by the IDB project in application of micro irrigation drip systems; conduct a workshops on Intensive Organic Coffee Production and Certification; assistance in promotion of use of its products was continued to HUISIL, S.A., a producer of organic certified fertilizers and insecticides; assisting ADISA (Association for the Development of the Agricultural Sector) reach an agreement with HUISIL to be its distributor in the Sonsonate and Ahuachapan departments; assistance in marketing of certified organic roasted and packed coffee was continued to Santa Adeliada, San Mauricio and El Espino Cooperatives.

CHF worked with local organizations and community members to provide temporary shelters under a self-help, grass-roots program. CHF reconstruction experts trained program participants to construct safe, temporary shelters on a solid foundation with sturdy, reusable materials.
RESULTS: CHF exceeded all of its goals. Provisional houses built: 11,264 Provisional schoolrooms built: 66Provisional health rooms built: 71Latrines built: 1,348 Water wells rehabilitated: 976

CHF will conduct municipal finance and administration studies of about 40 municipalities in El Salvador. CHF will sell agricultural commodities in El Salvador and use the proceeds to build houses for January and February 2001 earthquake victims and help communities undertake disaster mitigation and preparedness activities.
DELIVERABLES: Houses to be built: 250

The program incorporated disaster mitigation elements in two communities that were hard hit by Hurricane Mitch through a local NGO, the Salvadoran Foundation for Development and Minimum Housing (FUNDASAL).
RESULTS: Developed comprehensive plans for the communities of Maria Auxilidora and Los Manantiales. The plans serve as guidelines to integrate the relationship between hazard mitigation and planning for post disaster recovery and reconstruction.

CHF implemented two watershed management projects.
RESULTS: Soil and water conservation: 192 hectares Reforestation: 44 hectares Construction of plant barriers: 66,633 lineal m Construction of stone barriers: 18,256 lineal mInfiltration pits: 6,875 cubic meters Training: 393 local leaders and 36 US Peace Corps volunteers in mitigation preparedness

The program provides permanent houses for low-income victims of the January and February 2001 earthquakes. CHF is also building water and sanitation systems for the houses, repairing or improving water systems, and carrying out environmental mitigation measures.
DELIVERABLES: Houses built: 1,315Latrines built: 1,035Gray water pits built: 570 Washing sinks built: 300

CHF mobilized the formation of local organizations to review and prioritize the natural disaster problems of the community. Trained and advised the organizations, helped them prepare an action plan, and used FEMA funds to leverage additional funding from the public and private sectors for the implementation of disaster mitigation and preparation activities.
RESULTS: Organizations formed and supported in 3 municipalities

CHF will carry out a survey of and prepare an estimate of maintenance costs for the rural road system.

AAC/MIS offers technical assistance and training opportunities to new and emerging member societies. The association responds to requests from cooperatives, credit unions and trade union movements throughout the hemisphere that ask for assistance in forming their own insurance agency, department or company.

A second major program is to foster the exchange of information and viewpoints among member societies. Meetings and training is carried out in Central, South America and the Caribbean present topics of general interest to large and small member organizations. These meetings also provide opportunities for executives and managers of member societies to exchange views and to develop supportive professional relationships. Past topics have covered subjects such as meeting changing capital requirements, investment practices, strategic alliances, fraud, and claims and techniques.

To the top

Guatemala

Land O'Lakes Guatemala Integral Community Development Program

This program organizes producers to competitively and profitably participate in the formal dairy system, educates processors on new value-adding technology to improve product quality and costs, and develops products and marketing strategies to foster dairy consumption. The program started in January 2004 with funding from USAID and builds upon gains from the Cooperative Development Program. Land O’Lakes targets existing and emerging dairy groups in the Zona Paz micro-regions of Guatemala that will be carried-out simultaneously throughout the duration of the project:
· Producer Organization to Attain Efficiency and Scale
· Adding Value along the Supply Chain
· Market System Development

NCBA, UNAG Program

UNAG is a national level union of campesino cooperatives that serves approximately 35,000 rural families countrywide. It is the only national level organization serving small-scale producers. UNAG is developing business capability through its business unit AGRONEGSA, and second it is seeking to become a more effective advocate at the national level for its member co-ops. AGRONEGSA is a marketing entity owned by UNAG with the role of improving producer income by purchasing product at fair prices at the time of harvest. The primary risk to AGRONEGSA is the lack of access to short term capital.

NRECA

NRECA, with support from USDA and USAID, has been working for several years to bring electricity and economic growth to rural areas of Central America. In Guatemala, proceeds from monetized agricultural commodities are being used to improve and rebuild rural electric systems in rural agriculture producing areas.

In July 2000, USAID signed a cooperative agreement with NRECA to rebuild the electric infrastructure in Mitch-impacted areas of Guatemala and Nicaragua. The program promoted rapid relief and recovery of the rural economy in affected areas through the rehabilitation and improvement of electric distribution systems. Projects included conventional and renewable energy electrification systems.

To the top

Honduras

In an effort to increase small-scale farmer access to credit after Hurricane Mitch, ACDI/VOCA supported the sole provider of medium-term agricultural credit in Honduras, the Financiera de Cooperativas Agropecuarias (FINACOOP). ACDI/VOCA helped to strengthen the institution with expert advice and $2.5 million in loan capital. This activity increased the sustainability of FINACOOP by strengthening its management, improving the quality of its loan portfolio, developing new products and services, and regaining profitability.

CHF International Financial Management Services Project (Servicios Administrativos Financieros or SAF)

CHF provides financial and administrative support services to two Honduran organizations - SANAA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) - which are implementing a USAID program entitled "Sustainable Improvements to Family Health". CHF manages the purchase and payment of all needed goods and services for four components of this program.

CHF International HOGARPost-Mitch Housing Reconstruction Program(Programa Hondureno de Gestión de Actividades de Reconstrucción)

Provided coordination, leadership, grants, technical assistance and management expertise to local non-governmental and community-based organizations and municipalities in Honduras affected by Hurricane Mitch to build homes and infrastructure. More than 3,000 families constructed core permanent homes on titled and serviced land.
RESULTS: Grants Management: 13 grants, $6.1 million Houses built: 1,659Infrastructure/land solutions delivered: 2,958Counterpart leveraged: $5,376,838

Specific objectives of this program were to strengthen the institutional capacity of the municipalities in health education, loan monitoring and recovery, provision of health and sanitation education to all clients and their families, access to credit for the targeted populations to finance sanitation needs, and assistance to low-income households in building appropriate sanitation facilities to connect with recently installed municipal sewer systems.
RESULTS: Municipalities impacted: 3Loans disbursed: 1,098 Sanitation facilities built/homes improved: 350Health and sanitation workshops held: 293

The project combined credit, modest subsidies, self-help training, and technical assistance to enable 600 families to acquire, plan and construct new housing. The project emphasized self-help learning in order to maximize impact.
RESULTS: Houses built: 635 Person months of employment generated: 1,250 Counterpart contributed: $604,244

This new initiative builds upon Land O'Lakes' previous project developed with Hurricane Mitch reconstruction funding for short-term assistance in the dairy sector which has proven very successful in revitalizing the Honduran dairy industry. The Dairy Enterprise Initiative for Honduras and Central America will expand producer-owned collection centers, availability of breeding services, and use of high protein feed concentrates, veterinary medications and best management practices.

Objective: Create a stronger demand for dairy products and improve farmer incomes by improving milk quality and link US dairy businesses to provide services, equipment and products to developing opportunities resulting from the growth of the Honduran and Nicaraguan dairy sectors.

Strategy: These efforts will be combined with an emphasis on increased profitability and modernization of small processors through wider access to technology, new product development, national "drink milk" campaigns, and expanded domestic and international marketing. Campaign awareness messages will include HIV/AIDS prevention and the important immune enhancing role dairy products play in maintaining health. A Central America-U.S. Dairy Links Center will strengthen and engage the U.S. industry by using Honduras as a regional base for U.S. dairy technology diffusion, sales of U.S. inputs such as semen and quality feeds/ components, sales of U.S. food ingredients (whey, non-fat dry milk), and specialty dairy products.

WOCCU Honduras is a $1.4 million project (8/00– 12/02) funded by the National Federation of Honduran Savings and Credit Unions (FACACH). This program focuses on improving the financial and administrative quality of FACACH and its affiliated credit unions. For more information, go to: http://www.woccu.org/development/md_country.php?cid=6

Mexico

WOCCU Mexico is a $3.5 million project (9/01 – 9/05) funded by USAID’s Office of Microenterprise Development. WOCCU works with Caja Popular Mexicana (CPM) to improve the financial and administrative quality of CPM and affiliated credit unions, and serve the needs of SME credit union members. The program is in its start-up phase. For more information, go to: http://www.woccu.org/development/md_country.php?cid=12

With strong private support, CHF International provides technical assistance and loans through local lending institutions, Foundation for Habitat and Housing (FUNHAVI) and Foundation for Progressive Housing (FVP), each created by CHF International. Housing loans serve low- and moderate-income residents struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families. Home improvement loan programs provide alternative financing to families who do not have access to the formal financial sector. The programs can be multiplied to improve living conditions in US/Mexican border communities.

CHF International has successfully made over 4,200 loans totaling more than US $4 million. Loan amounts range from $360 to $2,100, with repayment periods of 1 to 3 years. With a 98% loan repayment rate, the program has demonstrated the capacity of the beneficiaries to repay loans for which they have not traditionally had access.

The project supports the development of cooperative and association systems overseas through volunteer technical assistance. In Mexico, the program focuses in border areas with Guatemala and helps Mayans in organic cocoa and other production.

Nicaragua

Americas Association of Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Societies (AAC/MIS)

As there is no insurance company in Nicaragua that can or will serve the middle and low-income segments of the rural population, AAC/MIS is working with the Central Cooperativa Financiera de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Credito to establish an insurance department within its fourteen-member credit union federation to make insurance services more widely available for people at lower income levels.

Mission Funded - The goal of the project is to increase the incomes of small farmers and their families by increasing and improving the production and marketing of small farmers, cooperatives, and production groups of non traditional cash crops; strengthening existing and developing new linkages between producers and processors/exporters/brokers; by strengthening cooperative and producer organization business management abilities: and by identifying new deals in which small producers can participate. All of these activities will result in increased rural employment.

CDP Funded - UNAG is a national level union of campesino cooperatives that serves approximately 35,000 rural families countrywide. It is the only national level organization serving small-scale producers. UNAG is moving simultaneously in two new directions. First it is developing a business capability through its business unit AGRONEGSA, and second it is seeking to become a more effective advocate at the national level for its member co-ops. AGRONEGSA is a marketing entity owned by UNAG with the role of improving producer income by purchasing product at fair prices at the time of harvest. The primary risk to AGRONEGSA is the lack of access to short term capital. The objectives of this activity are to:
- Increase regional market access for cooperatives and other types of member-owned businesses;
- Improve the business capacity and business operations of member-owned businesses; and
- Create an organizational business culture that respects NCBAA/cooperative principles.

The project reduced the environmental vulnerability of communities in the Department of Esteli to future natural disasters associated with soil erosion, landslides and flooding. The agricultural productivity of farmland was increased through the conservation of water and fertile soils, farmers and local NGOs were trained in watershed assessment and management techniques and assisted in the preparation of action plans to reduce the risk of damage by natural disasters.
CHF International Project Impact Disaster Mitigation Activities
CHF mobilized the formation of local organizations to review and prioritize the natural disaster problems of the community. Trained and advised the organizations, helped them prepare an action plan, and used FEMA funds to leverage additional funding from the public and private sectors for the implementation of disaster mitigation and preparation activities.

RESULTS:

Land O'Lakes (LOL) and Cooperative Resource International (CRI) are implementing this dynamic pilot dairy industry development project to directly increase dairy producer incomes, specifically in Camoapa, Department of Boaco, Nicaragua, by creating cooperative value-adding capacities, business linkages directly to processors, and markets for safe, quality dairy products. Increased incomes will be achieved through:

· the establishment of value-adding capacities at the cooperative level thereby improving the ability of producers to maintain control (quality and price) of their product as it reaches the market.
· major linkages and resources through cooperation with other donor programs such as NRECA in rural electrification development activities, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Rural Development within the Government of Nicaragua, and the state of Wisconsin for technical assistance and access to used dairy/cheese equipment contributions.
· the adoption of new production management, value-adding and marketing to cooperatives that are reaching the final phase of economic development and represent attractive business models for other dairy stakeholders interested in increased profitability and becoming major players in Nicaragua's dairy industry.
· access to small loan funds for working capital and farm improvements.
· an increased quantity of available, high quality, safe cheeses in local markets and a coordinated effort to provide improved information on the nutritional value of milk and ways to improve the quality of milk products.

Land O'Lakes and CRI are experienced in facilitating the advancement of cooperatives, member services, processing and marketing. Both are leaders in their respective fields in the United States. In this pilot project, CRI will focus on organizational and production needs and Land O'Lakes will be responsible for all aspects of value-adding and marketing capacities of three dairy cooperatives in the Camoapa areas.

A $2.3 million project (7/01 - 7/03) funded by USAID Nicaragua. WOCCU Nicaragua works to promote private sector involvement in the local economy and to revitalize the rural sector by providing needed financial services. Member-client outreach increased by 224.9% from 3,967 to 12,890 in two years; more than half (52.6%) of all member-clients are women. WOCCU Nicaragua has emphasized savings mobilization over shares as a source of funds. Total deposits to assets increased from 30.1% in June 1999 to 61.2% in December 2001. The average loan size in December 2001 was $305.

NRECA, with support from USDA and USAID, has been working for several years to bring electricity and economic growth to rural areas of Central America. In Nicaragua, NRECA’s International Foundation with donations from U.S. electric cooperatives built a grid extension to serve rural coffee growers in the department of Mesa. These programs energize rural infrastructure and stimulate economic growth to the rural poor.

AAC/MIS Cooperative Insurance: Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS and Poverty in Nicaragua

Panama

The Darién Community Development Program comprises four key elements which further program goals of building local capacity to prioritize, plan, and implement sustainable projects for essential infrastructure and income generating opportunities while promoting civic participation within an environmentally and culturally sensitive framework. The social investment fund provides an agile and efficient method for addressing the social and productive infrastructure needs of the local communities. An effective delivery system is critical in the Darién where a large portion of the population lives in small, river communities accessible only by canoes (piraguas), and indigenous communities are isolated by cultural and language barriers. Strategic partnerships and alliances make it possible to leverage additional resources for the development of the Darién. Increasing community and institutional capacity is a cornerstone of the program and a critical element for sustaining the infrastructure and methods introduced by the program.

		Cooperative Development Organizations Building a More Prosperous World
More Information About OCDC:	Central America Dominican Republic, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama

	*ACDI/VOCA Central American Coffee Study - Inter-American Development Bank* ACDI/VOCA participated in a recent study of the "Competitive Transition of the Central American Coffee Sector." ACDI/VOCA provided two international consultants that examined the "Management of Environmental Impacts of Coffee Production in Central America" and the "Structure, Conduct and Performance of the Coffee Sector in Central America." The information gathered and recommendations were utilized by the IDB to help plan a strategy to assuage the impacts of the current coffee crisis on the rural poor of Central America. *CHF International Mitigation Initiative for Communities and Municipalities (MICAM)* MICAM improves local risk management in vulnerable areas of Central America and increases private sector involvement in mitigation and risk management by accelerating the dialogue within the private sector and between the private sector and government. DELIVERABLES: By the end of the program at least 133,145 people in 149 communities will have reduced vulnerability to natural disasters. *CHF Local Environmental Policy and Program Initiative (LEPPI)* CHF has developed and successfully applied the Local Environmental Policy and Program Initiative (LEPPI) methodology for local planning and action in 22 communities throughout six countries in Central America. The methodology has generated community leadership for improving environmental and sanitation conditions in diverse localities, and has created healthier living environments for 7,000 families. LEPPI brings together local and national government officials, NGOs, community leaders, businesses and citizens in a participatory planning process to prioritize and facilitate environmental improvement in urban areas. To the top Dominican Republic NRECA Model Rural Electrification Cooperatives in the Dominican Republic National power operations in the Dominican Republic face serious problems. Historically, Dominican utilities have faced high theft rates, as well as low collection rates, and the system as a whole suffers from serious under-investment. Businesses and households struggle with daily power outages, and 20 percent of Dominicans have no power at all. The privatizing of distribution systems by the government in 1999 was not successful, and in some respects, left the system in worse shape than before. As an approach to help solve these problems, the Government of the Dominican Republic recently engaged NRECA International to develop two model electric cooperatives.. The cooperatives are the first of their kind in the Dominican Republic, and they will seek ways to reduce losses, control theft, and improve collection rates. This effort is being carried out under programs funded by USAID and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. *AAC/MIS Cooperative Insurance: Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS and Poverty in the Dominican Republic* The challenges addressed by this project is two-fold: to help the cooperative insurance companies in the country extend their service to a greater number of low-income people who have no access to insurance products that both meet their needs and are affordable; and, to have it be a good business decision that will help the companies achieve scale and salience. Other activities under this project include dissemination of best practices and lessons learned with the AAC/MIS membership, strengthening organizational culture development through training with the Instituto Desarrollo Humano of Puerto Rico, and collabrative activites with other development organizations to strengthen the legal and regulatory enabling environment of cooperatives. To the top El Salvador *NCBA Cooperative Business Development* CDP Funded - PROEXSAL is a marketing cooperative, owned by twelve member cooperatives serving some 15,000 producers. The primary objective of this on-going activity is to continue with the business-restructuring plan that was initiated in late 2001. The plan focuses mainly on the reduction of operational costs and the management of the procurement, marketing, and distribution of services being provided, as well as increasing working capital. PROEXSAL will also identify new markets and provide market and buyer information that will benefit its members and other producer groups it is assisting. A major market focus is to identify new products and assist members with diversification to respond to new market opportunities. NCBA Organic Coffee Production InterAmerican Development Bank, Mission and CDP Funding - Through CLUSA de El Salvador (a LCUSA/NCBA local affiliate) train producers being assisted by the IDB project in application of micro irrigation drip systems; conduct a workshops on Intensive Organic Coffee Production and Certification; assistance in promotion of use of its products was continued to HUISIL, S.A., a producer of organic certified fertilizers and insecticides; assisting ADISA (Association for the Development of the Agricultural Sector) reach an agreement with HUISIL to be its distributor in the Sonsonate and Ahuachapan departments; assistance in marketing of certified organic roasted and packed coffee was continued to Santa Adeliada, San Mauricio and El Espino Cooperatives. *CHF International Earthquake Response* CHF worked with local organizations and community members to provide temporary shelters under a self-help, grass-roots program. CHF reconstruction experts trained program participants to construct safe, temporary shelters on a solid foundation with sturdy, reusable materials. RESULTS: CHF exceeded all of its goals. Provisional houses built: 11,264 Provisional schoolrooms built: 66Provisional health rooms built: 71Latrines built: 1,348 Water wells rehabilitated: 976 *CHF International Municipal Evaluation Study* CHF will conduct municipal finance and administration studies of about 40 municipalities in El Salvador. CHF will sell agricultural commodities in El Salvador and use the proceeds to build houses for January and February 2001 earthquake victims and help communities undertake disaster mitigation and preparedness activities. DELIVERABLES: Houses to be built: 250 *CHF International Municipal Planning and Community Development Program* The program incorporated disaster mitigation elements in two communities that were hard hit by Hurricane Mitch through a local NGO, the Salvadoran Foundation for Development and Minimum Housing (FUNDASAL). RESULTS: Developed comprehensive plans for the communities of Maria Auxilidora and Los Manantiales. The plans serve as guidelines to integrate the relationship between hazard mitigation and planning for post disaster recovery and reconstruction. *CHF International Watershed Management* CHF implemented two watershed management projects. RESULTS: Soil and water conservation: 192 hectares Reforestation: 44 hectares Construction of plant barriers: 66,633 lineal m Construction of stone barriers: 18,256 lineal mInfiltration pits: 6,875 cubic meters Training: 393 local leaders and 36 US Peace Corps volunteers in mitigation preparedness *CHF International Permanent Housing I* The program provides permanent houses for low-income victims of the January and February 2001 earthquakes. CHF is also building water and sanitation systems for the houses, repairing or improving water systems, and carrying out environmental mitigation measures. DELIVERABLES: Houses built: 1,315Latrines built: 1,035Gray water pits built: 570 Washing sinks built: 300 *CHF International Project Impact Disaster Mitigation Activities* CHF mobilized the formation of local organizations to review and prioritize the natural disaster problems of the community. Trained and advised the organizations, helped them prepare an action plan, and used FEMA funds to leverage additional funding from the public and private sectors for the implementation of disaster mitigation and preparation activities. RESULTS: Organizations formed and supported in 3 municipalities *CHF International Rural road survey* CHF will carry out a survey of and prepare an estimate of maintenance costs for the rural road system. *AAC/MIS* AAC/MIS offers technical assistance and training opportunities to new and emerging member societies. The association responds to requests from cooperatives, credit unions and trade union movements throughout the hemisphere that ask for assistance in forming their own insurance agency, department or company. A second major program is to foster the exchange of information and viewpoints among member societies. Meetings and training is carried out in Central, South America and the Caribbean present topics of general interest to large and small member organizations. These meetings also provide opportunities for executives and managers of member societies to exchange views and to develop supportive professional relationships. Past topics have covered subjects such as meeting changing capital requirements, investment practices, strategic alliances, fraud, and claims and techniques. To the top Guatemala Land O'Lakes Guatemala Integral Community Development Program This program organizes producers to competitively and profitably participate in the formal dairy system, educates processors on new value-adding technology to improve product quality and costs, and develops products and marketing strategies to foster dairy consumption. The program started in January 2004 with funding from USAID and builds upon gains from the Cooperative Development Program. Land O’Lakes targets existing and emerging dairy groups in the Zona Paz micro-regions of Guatemala that will be carried-out simultaneously throughout the duration of the project: · Producer Organization to Attain Efficiency and Scale · Adding Value along the Supply Chain · Market System Development *NCBA, UNAG Program* UNAG is a national level union of campesino cooperatives that serves approximately 35,000 rural families countrywide. It is the only national level organization serving small-scale producers. UNAG is developing business capability through its business unit AGRONEGSA, and second it is seeking to become a more effective advocate at the national level for its member co-ops. AGRONEGSA is a marketing entity owned by UNAG with the role of improving producer income by purchasing product at fair prices at the time of harvest. The primary risk to AGRONEGSA is the lack of access to short term capital. *NRECA* NRECA, with support from USDA and USAID, has been working for several years to bring electricity and economic growth to rural areas of Central America. In Guatemala, proceeds from monetized agricultural commodities are being used to improve and rebuild rural electric systems in rural agriculture producing areas. In July 2000, USAID signed a cooperative agreement with NRECA to rebuild the electric infrastructure in Mitch-impacted areas of Guatemala and Nicaragua. The program promoted rapid relief and recovery of the rural economy in affected areas through the rehabilitation and improvement of electric distribution systems. Projects included conventional and renewable energy electrification systems. To the top Honduras *ACDI/VOCA Financiera de Cooperativas Agropecuarias (FINACOOP)* In an effort to increase small-scale farmer access to credit after Hurricane Mitch, ACDI/VOCA supported the sole provider of medium-term agricultural credit in Honduras, the Financiera de Cooperativas Agropecuarias (FINACOOP). ACDI/VOCA helped to strengthen the institution with expert advice and $2.5 million in loan capital. This activity increased the sustainability of FINACOOP by strengthening its management, improving the quality of its loan portfolio, developing new products and services, and regaining profitability. *CHF International Financial Management Services Project (Servicios Administrativos Financieros or SAF)* CHF provides financial and administrative support services to two Honduran organizations - SANAA and the Ministry of Health (MOH) - which are implementing a USAID program entitled "Sustainable Improvements to Family Health". CHF manages the purchase and payment of all needed goods and services for four components of this program. *CHF International HOGARPost-Mitch Housing Reconstruction Program(Programa Hondureno de Gestión de Actividades de Reconstrucción)* Provided coordination, leadership, grants, technical assistance and management expertise to local non-governmental and community-based organizations and municipalities in Honduras affected by Hurricane Mitch to build homes and infrastructure. More than 3,000 families constructed core permanent homes on titled and serviced land. RESULTS: Grants Management: 13 grants, $6.1 million Houses built: 1,659Infrastructure/land solutions delivered: 2,958Counterpart leveraged: $5,376,838 *CHF International Municipal Credit for Family Sanitation Program* Specific objectives of this program were to strengthen the institutional capacity of the municipalities in health education, loan monitoring and recovery, provision of health and sanitation education to all clients and their families, access to credit for the targeted populations to finance sanitation needs, and assistance to low-income households in building appropriate sanitation facilities to connect with recently installed municipal sewer systems. RESULTS: Municipalities impacted: 3Loans disbursed: 1,098 Sanitation facilities built/homes improved: 350Health and sanitation workshops held: 293 *CHF International Project Impact Disaster Mitigation Activities* CHF mobilized the formation of local organizations to review and prioritize the natural disaster problems of the community. Trained and advised the organizations, helped them prepare an action plan, and used FEMA funds to leverage additional funding from the public and private sectors for the implementation of disaster mitigation and preparation activities. RESULTS: Organizations formed and supported in 3 municipalities *CHF International Starter Home* The project combined credit, modest subsidies, self-help training, and technical assistance to enable 600 families to acquire, plan and construct new housing. The project emphasized self-help learning in order to maximize impact. RESULTS: Houses built: 635 Person months of employment generated: 1,250 Counterpart contributed: $604,244 Land O'Lakes Dairy Enterprise Initiative. This new initiative builds upon Land O'Lakes' previous project developed with Hurricane Mitch reconstruction funding for short-term assistance in the dairy sector which has proven very successful in revitalizing the Honduran dairy industry. The Dairy Enterprise Initiative for Honduras and Central America will expand producer-owned collection centers, availability of breeding services, and use of high protein feed concentrates, veterinary medications and best management practices. Objective: Create a stronger demand for dairy products and improve farmer incomes by improving milk quality and link US dairy businesses to provide services, equipment and products to developing opportunities resulting from the growth of the Honduran and Nicaraguan dairy sectors. Strategy: These efforts will be combined with an emphasis on increased profitability and modernization of small processors through wider access to technology, new product development, national "drink milk" campaigns, and expanded domestic and international marketing. Campaign awareness messages will include HIV/AIDS prevention and the important immune enhancing role dairy products play in maintaining health. A Central America-U.S. Dairy Links Center will strengthen and engage the U.S. industry by using Honduras as a regional base for U.S. dairy technology diffusion, sales of U.S. inputs such as semen and quality feeds/ components, sales of U.S. food ingredients (whey, non-fat dry milk), and specialty dairy products. *World Council of Credit Unions Honduras* WOCCU Honduras is a $1.4 million project (8/00– 12/02) funded by the National Federation of Honduran Savings and Credit Unions (FACACH). This program focuses on improving the financial and administrative quality of FACACH and its affiliated credit unions. For more information, go to: http://www.woccu.org/development/md_country.php?cid=6 *AAC/MIS* AAC/MIS offers technical assistance and training opportunities to new and emerging member societies. The association responds to requests from cooperatives, credit unions and trade union movements throughout the hemisphere that ask for assistance in forming their own insurance agency, department or company. A second major program is to foster the exchange of information and viewpoints among member societies. Meetings and training is carried out in Central, South America and the Caribbean present topics of general interest to large and small member organizations. These meetings also provide opportunities for executives and managers of member societies to exchange views and to develop supportive professional relationships. Past topics have covered subjects such as meeting changing capital requirements, investment practices, strategic alliances, fraud, and claims and techniques. To the top Mexico *WOCCU Mexico* WOCCU Mexico is a $3.5 million project (9/01 – 9/05) funded by USAID’s Office of Microenterprise Development. WOCCU works with Caja Popular Mexicana (CPM) to improve the financial and administrative quality of CPM and affiliated credit unions, and serve the needs of SME credit union members. The program is in its start-up phase. For more information, go to: http://www.woccu.org/development/md_country.php?cid=12 *CHF Home Improvement Loan Program (HILP)* With strong private support, CHF International provides technical assistance and loans through local lending institutions, Foundation for Habitat and Housing (FUNHAVI) and Foundation for Progressive Housing (FVP), each created by CHF International. Housing loans serve low- and moderate-income residents struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families. Home improvement loan programs provide alternative financing to families who do not have access to the formal financial sector. The programs can be multiplied to improve living conditions in US/Mexican border communities. CHF International has successfully made over 4,200 loans totaling more than US $4 million. Loan amounts range from $360 to $2,100, with repayment periods of 1 to 3 years. With a 98% loan repayment rate, the program has demonstrated the capacity of the beneficiaries to repay loans for which they have not traditionally had access. *Land O'Lakes Farmer to Farmer* The project supports the development of cooperative and association systems overseas through volunteer technical assistance. In Mexico, the program focuses in border areas with Guatemala and helps Mayans in organic cocoa and other production. To the top Nicaragua Americas Association of Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Societies (AAC/MIS) As there is no insurance company in Nicaragua that can or will serve the middle and low-income segments of the rural population, AAC/MIS is working with the Central Cooperativa Financiera de Cooperativas de Ahorro y Credito to establish an insurance department within its fourteen-member credit union federation to make insurance services more widely available for people at lower income levels. *NCBA Nicaragua Small-Scale Farmer Income and Employment Project* Mission Funded - The goal of the project is to increase the incomes of small farmers and their families by increasing and improving the production and marketing of small farmers, cooperatives, and production groups of non traditional cash crops; strengthening existing and developing new linkages between producers and processors/exporters/brokers; by strengthening cooperative and producer organization business management abilities: and by identifying new deals in which small producers can participate. All of these activities will result in increased rural employment. *NCBA Cooperative Business Development* CDP Funded - UNAG is a national level union of campesino cooperatives that serves approximately 35,000 rural families countrywide. It is the only national level organization serving small-scale producers. UNAG is moving simultaneously in two new directions. First it is developing a business capability through its business unit AGRONEGSA, and second it is seeking to become a more effective advocate at the national level for its member co-ops. AGRONEGSA is a marketing entity owned by UNAG with the role of improving producer income by purchasing product at fair prices at the time of harvest. The primary risk to AGRONEGSA is the lack of access to short term capital. The objectives of this activity are to: - Increase regional market access for cooperatives and other types of member-owned businesses; - Improve the business capacity and business operations of member-owned businesses; and - Create an organizational business culture that respects NCBAA/cooperative principles. CHF Watershed Reclamation and Hazard Mitigation Project The project reduced the environmental vulnerability of communities in the Department of Esteli to future natural disasters associated with soil erosion, landslides and flooding. The agricultural productivity of farmland was increased through the conservation of water and fertile soils, farmers and local NGOs were trained in watershed assessment and management techniques and assisted in the preparation of action plans to reduce the risk of damage by natural disasters. CHF International Project Impact Disaster Mitigation Activities CHF mobilized the formation of local organizations to review and prioritize the natural disaster problems of the community. Trained and advised the organizations, helped them prepare an action plan, and used FEMA funds to leverage additional funding from the public and private sectors for the implementation of disaster mitigation and preparation activities. RESULTS: Organizations formed and supported in 3 municipalities CHF International Flooding vulnerability reduction and weather alert CHF is working with local officials in Esteli and Condega to train technicians and install early alert weather systems to enable them to forecast possible floods in the Esteli and Pire River watersheds. *Land O'Lakes Dairy Business Link* Land O'Lakes (LOL) and Cooperative Resource International (CRI) are implementing this dynamic pilot dairy industry development project to directly increase dairy producer incomes, specifically in Camoapa, Department of Boaco, Nicaragua, by creating cooperative value-adding capacities, business linkages directly to processors, and markets for safe, quality dairy products. Increased incomes will be achieved through: · the establishment of value-adding capacities at the cooperative level thereby improving the ability of producers to maintain control (quality and price) of their product as it reaches the market. · major linkages and resources through cooperation with other donor programs such as NRECA in rural electrification development activities, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Rural Development within the Government of Nicaragua, and the state of Wisconsin for technical assistance and access to used dairy/cheese equipment contributions. · the adoption of new production management, value-adding and marketing to cooperatives that are reaching the final phase of economic development and represent attractive business models for other dairy stakeholders interested in increased profitability and becoming major players in Nicaragua's dairy industry. · access to small loan funds for working capital and farm improvements. · an increased quantity of available, high quality, safe cheeses in local markets and a coordinated effort to provide improved information on the nutritional value of milk and ways to improve the quality of milk products. Land O'Lakes and CRI are experienced in facilitating the advancement of cooperatives, member services, processing and marketing. Both are leaders in their respective fields in the United States. In this pilot project, CRI will focus on organizational and production needs and Land O'Lakes will be responsible for all aspects of value-adding and marketing capacities of three dairy cooperatives in the Camoapa areas. *WOCCU Nicaragua* A $2.3 million project (7/01 - 7/03) funded by USAID Nicaragua. WOCCU Nicaragua works to promote private sector involvement in the local economy and to revitalize the rural sector by providing needed financial services. Member-client outreach increased by 224.9% from 3,967 to 12,890 in two years; more than half (52.6%) of all member-clients are women. WOCCU Nicaragua has emphasized savings mobilization over shares as a source of funds. Total deposits to assets increased from 30.1% in June 1999 to 61.2% in December 2001. The average loan size in December 2001 was $305. *NRECA* NRECA, with support from USDA and USAID, has been working for several years to bring electricity and economic growth to rural areas of Central America. In Nicaragua, NRECA’s International Foundation with donations from U.S. electric cooperatives built a grid extension to serve rural coffee growers in the department of Mesa. These programs energize rural infrastructure and stimulate economic growth to the rural poor. In July 2000, USAID signed a cooperative agreement with NRECA to rebuild the electric infrastructure in Mitch-impacted areas of Guatemala and Nicaragua. The program promoted rapid relief and recovery of the rural economy in affected areas through the rehabilitation and improvement of electric distribution systems. Projects included conventional and renewable energy electrification systems. *AAC/MIS Cooperative Insurance: Mitigating the Effects of HIV/AIDS and Poverty in Nicaragua* The challenges addressed by this project is two-fold: to help the cooperative insurance companies in the country extend their service to a greater number of low-income people who have no access to insurance products that both meet their needs and are affordable; and, to have it be a good business decision that will help the companies achieve scale and salience. Other activities under this project include dissemination of best practices and lessons learned with the AAC/MIS membership, strengthening organizational culture development through training with the Instituto Desarrollo Humano of Puerto Rico, and collabrative activites with other development organizations to strengthen the legal and regulatory enabling environment of cooperatives. To the top Panama *AAC/MIS* AAC/MIS offers technical assistance and training opportunities to new and emerging member societies. The association responds to requests from cooperatives, credit unions and trade union movements throughout the hemisphere that ask for assistance in forming their own insurance agency, department or company. A second major program is to foster the exchange of information and viewpoints among member societies. Meetings and training is carried out in Central, South America and the Caribbean present topics of general interest to large and small member organizations. These meetings also provide opportunities for executives and managers of member societies to exchange views and to develop supportive professional relationships. Past topics have covered subjects such as meeting changing capital requirements, investment practices, strategic alliances, fraud, and claims and techniques. *Darién Community Development Program* The Darién Community Development Program comprises four key elements which further program goals of building local capacity to prioritize, plan, and implement sustainable projects for essential infrastructure and income generating opportunities while promoting civic participation within an environmentally and culturally sensitive framework. The social investment fund provides an agile and efficient method for addressing the social and productive infrastructure needs of the local communities. An effective delivery system is critical in the Darién where a large portion of the population lives in small, river communities accessible only by canoes (piraguas), and indigenous communities are isolated by cultural and language barriers. Strategic partnerships and alliances make it possible to leverage additional resources for the development of the Darién. Increasing community and institutional capacity is a cornerstone of the program and a critical element for sustaining the infrastructure and methods introduced by the program. To the top

Back to Cooperative Development Center: Home \| CDOs \| Library \| Contact Us All rights reserved © 2004-06

Central America