PROJECT PRESENTATION
In June 2020, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) partnered with Agriterra, a global non-profit agri-agency, to implement AGRIdigitalizacion. This grant leveraged the technology, experience, know-how, and models of digital finance services, e-trade, and technology providers for the rural poor. It streamlined them within IFAD's portfolio to help producers cope with the COVID emergency and recover more rapidly, generating social, financial, and technical inclusion. These needs were identified in all the post-COVID19 sectoral recovery plans in the countries selected for the grant: Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Peru.
This grant focused on connecting IFAD's target group to its markets, financial systems, and technology and re-establishing internal communication within its organizations. The project focused on developing in-country platforms and apps which allowed producers and their organizations to communicate with their markets and technology providers and to improve communication among themselves. Farmers in most participating countries use very little of these technologies even though internet access is not a problem, but the lack of experience in using internet-based solutions is. Thus, training and capacity building was a central component of this project. The work done has been scaled to hundreds of Cajas Rurales in Honduras and will be scaled to other countries in the region.
Financing Instrument: Initial grant from the Rural Poor Stimulus Facility (RPSF) of USD 1,910,688 (from the prioritized country allocation of Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, and Honduras) and USD 389,312 from the regional allocation (Peru).
Duration: 1 year (this project has been completed)
PRESENTATION OF THE ORGANIZATION
IFAD is an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency based in Rome, the UN’s food and agriculture hub. At the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) we invest in rural people, empowering them to increase their food security, improve the nutrition of their families and increase their incomes. We help them build resilience, expand their businesses and take charge of their own development.