Agro-Productive Chains Development Project in the Barlovento Region

The Barlovento region is considered the rural and agricultural hinterland of Caracas. Despite the region’s proximity to the country's capital, rural people are isolated, and social and agricultural services are inadequate. This project targets small-scale farmers, households headed by women, landless rural labourers and small-scale processors in the region. At least 50 per cent of the target population are Afro-descendants.

The project was designed to increase household income and strengthen the capacity of local grass-roots organizations in civil, social and productive sectors to achieve rural development. For the first time, participants in the Barlovento region were involved in the planning process for a rural development project, identifying their needs, proposing solutions and forming social, productive and financial grass-roots organizations. Activities focus on local agricultural and non-agricultural productive processes, taking an integrated approach that strengthens the weakest links and provides support services at all stages of the economic chain: production, post-harvest, transformation and marketing.

To fulfil its general objective, the project works to improve people’s organizational capacities, fostering local and national market linkages and efficient management of productive activities. Specific aims include developing human resources and grass-roots organizations, increasing income through improvements in production and marketing, promoting capitalization of farms and small rural enterprises through self-governing savings and loan associations, and promoting gender equality.

Source: IFAD