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Progress of work with value chains and Apex - Second phase of Ecomercados

NIcaragua, Honduras, El Salvador

Ecomercados in 2009 aims to implement cooperative projects signed with the leaders in the production and export of organic and fair trade (O + CJ) of more than 3.150 producers in value chains selected for the second phase.

The projects are being implemented in their areas of infrastructure, collection and post-harvest, agro equipment, FLO-GMP certification and strengthen ties with customers and importers in Europe United States.

In Posoltega (west of Nicaragua), is building a new plant for hulling of sesame, with modern technology that will produce an excellent seed quality at lower costs, thus improving the prices received by producers. The price of sesame FLO for this is 20% higher, so Nicaraocoop and three UCA's (Union of Agricultural Cooperatives) are in the certification process that will allow them to access these prices. EComerce team provides agribusiness, which in turn will export value added products such as oil and Tahina, these products looking for a newly identified market in Spain, Turkey.

At the same site was built production plant organic honey-FLO, which will produce honey in the three different categories (packaged in glass for the local market, regional markets for industrial honey and honey in bulk (for the European fair trade). eComerce finances equipment, FLO and GMP certification, traceability systems and laboratory, in addition to strengthening relationships with customers in FLO.

In Nandaime, Nicaragua, installing an agroindustrial plant producing pink drink of Jamaica (Hibiscus sabdarifa) organic. This project allows farmers and producers a profitable business, adding value to natural dry calyx. Thus allows the producer access to better prices, and produce in larger quantities. Currently the Cooperative commitments with producers reach 8 times more area per producer, to supply the demand of drinking from the supermarket chain Wal-mart (The union and Palí). Working in the award of bulk concentrate for sale to the market for restaurants and hotels, in addition to the third stage in the U.S. to export to bag 5 lts.

A cooperative multi-service La Campesina RL in alliance with e eComerce IDR is a final stage of the investment of a storage center in Matiguas principal, five centers of fermentation, drying and temporary storage in organic cocoa. Seven centers of community nurseries, where they play the best grafting trees in the area north Cocoa.

This is allowing them to recruit more quickly to the cooperative producers, considering nearly 400 farmers in total for the next crop of summer 2010. The fermentation and drying centers funded eComerce are being taken as models for other cooperatives in northern Nicaragua. Resulting quality of fermented cocoa is great because it follows the same standards of customer Ritter Sport. It is also working on the development of home coverage with Nicaragua and Felchlin Friendship Farm in Switzerland.

The honey bee project in Estelí (Prodecoop) is in the process of investment in producing a pilot school for women, this process of school ends with the installation of beehives of production.

In Honduras, exports APROCACAHO and 2 containers of fermented cocoa to Switzerland (Halba Chocolates). In a joint organization with Helvetas-Intercooperation-FHIA-Halba, this union of cooperatives to achieve the increase in the percentage of fine fermented cocoa for export. EComerce in this project serves as an adviser on issues of organic certification and fair trade, in addition to financing the cost of certification. COMUCAP in Marcala, Comayagua, Choluteca and in CREPAIMASUL, Honduras, go ahead with the projects of Aloe Vera and cashew nut with investment in plant (GMP) in partnership with the Zamorano Agricultural School. The other components of these projects are certified fair trade and the effort of trading with customers in Europe, USA.

Another important theme for 2009 is the realization of joint actions with APEX, to improve their ability to articulate with the SME sector, to organize trade missions and participating in trade fairs, with a strategic vision of promoting sustainable exports from the region.

Ecomercados, in alliance with the main Central American APEXS have made a successful stand at Biofach 2009 Central (Nuermberg, Germany). The joint work between APEXS has been beneficial in promoting the agro sector. More than 32 companies exhibited their products at the leading world fair of organic and fair trade. A company in El Salvador has put in Vivaness, leading international exhibition of natural cosmetics. Nine companies have expressed Honduras in Taiwan. 18 companies exhibited at the All Things Organics in Chicago, USA. All these activities have been fully coordinated with those of Central America APEXS: EXPORTA in El Salvador, FIDE (Honduras), CIS (Nicaragua) AGEXPORT (Guatemala).

FIDE and IEC have published directories of exporters with a section of organic produce and fair trade.

The APEX has been interested in the topic development and are providing advice to SMEs in the areas of certification. FIDE recently conducted a consultancy in the system of internal control of the cocoa cooperative project APROCACAHO.

Moreover, the work promoted by co eComerce allowed to coordinate among themselves and share valuable experiences in terms of regional inter APEXS with World Bank, USAID, and European cooperation.

By the time the effectiveness of interventions at the level of small producers, and organizations involved can be seen in the size of the collection and processing capacity installed, with a view to the upcoming summer harvest (November 09 - May 10) An ex ante analysis of projects in Nicaragua shows that investment by producers from eComerce is an average of 398 USD and should generate more than 4000 USD per additional sales. (See Appendix 1: Analysis of baseline).

Regarding the number of small producers, the 8 projects show a wide range that goes from 30 farmers for Estelí honey (in the case of a new chain) to producers for more than 1500 chain of cocoa in Honduras (where it works collaboratively with many allies). The main change is being considered in the cocoa chain, where producers can now certify their production and have a better price to customers solid quality of a pattern of fermentation and drying. Another important development is the consolidation of supply chains, in which all channels are involved in a process of increasing the free-volume collection of producers and for the next crop.

Thus the project Ecomercados summarizes a series of actions and strategic plan are closely linked to the phase, so that will achieve the overall objective of promoting exports and niche markets for organic products and fair trade by developing chain capabilities and market between organizations and the integration of topic between agencies promoting exports from Central America.

The activities will be coordinated by the facilitation team (4 persons) with follow-up and methodological support and strategic Intercooperation. For specific actions, is working with the FIBL, CIMS and SIPPO.

In the newsletter you will find more information on the work developed by avancesdel eComerce in its second phase.