News
U.S. Supported Products Exhibited at Agroexpo 2009
July 24, 2009
For the first time, over 2,400 peasant families -- many of them former coca-leaf growers -- participated in the 2009 Agroexpo, a cattle and agricultural international fair. These families, represented by six peasant organizations from Putumayo, south of Bolivar and the Middle Magdalena regions, received support from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Presidential Agency for Social Action and International Cooperation (Acción Social).
Over five years ago, many of these peasants grew, processed and traded coca. Today, they grow hearts of palm, pepper and cacao. They took the first steps in trading these in domestic and international markets and are now displaying them before the world at the 10th Agroexpo Trade Fair that will end in Corferias on July 26, 2009.
Hearts of palm, pepper and cacao are on display at the Corferias International Pavilion. The hearts of palm, produced by Agroamazonia, have been a favorite among visitors and are now being sold for their healing properties. In its first week alone, the company’s sales were over 10 million pesos. It’s important to point out that during the first semester of 2009, Agroamazonia processed 607,000 hearts of palm and is preparing to begin exporting them.
In turn, Condimentos Putumayo S.A. has introduced its key product: 100% pure whole and ground black pepper. With the support of USAID and the UN, this company has managed to establish a business and now has 300 hectares of the crop creating 42,000 direct and indirect jobs through the entire chain of production.
On the other hand, the cacao available at Agroexpo is produced by three organizations from the Magdalena Medio region that benefit over 1,400 families: Aprocafrum (San Vicente de Chucurí), Cortipaz (Carmen de Chucurí) and Asoprolan (Landázuri). They have made important contacts with Italian and Asian companies and Colombian distributors for an eventual sale.
This exhibit was made possible in part thanks to the efforts of over 300 families from all over the country, who decided to abandon illicit crops and seek a new and productive alternative to raise their standard of living and better their lives.
In addition to becoming known in the international market, producers established key contacts with other Colombian organizations who wished to duplicate USAID’s productive business model. That is, a model where peasants work for peasants who, in turn, are the key actors of the process.
USAID’s Alternative Development program seeks to strengthen economic alternatives that may offer greater employment and licit opportunities to people by means of productive projects. It also seeks to support small businesses and local governments, and raise their standard of living for small producers.