HONDURAS Purchase for Progress

GOAL

PROJECT OVERVIEW

P4P in Honduras works closely with partners to link WFP’s purchase activities

to a programme of training and capacity development designed to enable

farmer’s organizations to engage profitably with formal markets. The package

of interventions targets agricultural production to support farmers increase

their yields and improve the quality of staple crops, mainly beans and maize.

Training is provided in standards of quality, processing and post-harvest

practices and storage.

P4P also promotes organizational strengthening of the organizations involved

through trainings in business and management, procurement skills, and finan-

cial services.

The projects facilitates access of smallholder farmers to credit, both for

commercialization activities and infrastructure. P4P also promotes the

connection between farmers’ organizations and other formal buyers, including

institutional buyers within the private sector.

Through P4P, WFP works closely with the Ministry of Agriculture, INFOP

(Institute of Professional Formation), PROMECON (Yoro Rural Market and

Competitiveness Programme), MCA-EDA (Millennium Challenge Account /

Farmer Training and Development Program), Pan-American University of

Agriculture, Zamorano-PROMIPAC (Integrated Pest Management Program in

Central America), IICA (Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on

Agriculture) and FAO.

P4P in Honduras is funded by the Howard G. Buffett Foundation and the

European Union. All food purchases are financed by donations to WFP’s

regular operations.

In Honduras, P4P is part of WFP’s effort to address hunger and support the

Government’s poverty reduction strategy. The initiative promotes the

production of staple crops among 11,400 smallholder farmers while connecting

them with formal commercial markets. WFP offers these farmers a reliable

market opportunity by purchasing maize and beans to be distributed through

school meals - a programme funded primarily by the Government of Honduras

and managed by WFP .

QUICK FACTS

No. of farmers

11,400 (over 4 years)

No. of farmers’ organizations

31

Planned food purchases

24,000 metric tons (over 4 years)

Main commodities

Maize and beans

Main WFP activities

• Direct contracting

• Pro-smallholder competitive

practices for procurement of

maize and beans

• Capacity-building

For more information

wfp.p4p@wfp.org Last update: September 2010

HONDURAS Purchase for Progress

STORY FROM THE FIELD

BACKGROUND

Only one third of Honduran land is suitable for agriculture, while two thirds is

covered by forest. More than 80 percent of the farmers own less than 5

hectares of land each. Smallholders have access to only 15 percent of all

available agricultural land. They use basic production technology, relying on

family labour, recycled seeds and minimal quantities of fertilizers and usually

sell their production at a low price at the farm gate.

Despite many obstacles, Gladys Montoya, a 35-year-old single mother, has

undertaken the “great challenge,” as she calls it, of becoming a farmer. “I am

dedicated to growing maize. I have nearly two acres of land and with what I

produce, I am able to support my son and my elderly parents,” says Gladys.

Until recently, only men in the community of Santa Maria farmed. Now Gladys

is one of the 80 female smallholder farmers in the Eastern region of the country

benefiting from P4P . She is part of the Regional Association of the Eastern

Agricultural Services (ARSAGRO), a farmers’ organization with over 1,100

members targeted by P4P .

Gladys is grateful for the support provided through P4P. “The harvest has

improved with the agricultural supplies that they provided. After the training,

my production was better, the sales were better and they pay us a better price in

the market for a better quality product,” she says. Gladys nearly doubled her

production as a result of P4P. “I hope that they keep helping and training us so

that we can continue having good yields. With this support from P4P, I want to

continue farming.”

KEY PARTNERS

• Catholic Relief Services

• CADELGA/FERTICA

• DICTA / SAG (Secretaria de

Agricultura y Ganaderia)

• FAO (UN Food and Agriculture

Organization)

• FINTRAC-EDA

• IICA (Inter-American Institute for

Cooperation on Agriculture)

• INFOP (Instituto Nacional de

Formacion Profesiona)

• JICATUYO Foundation

• MCC – Millennium Challenge

Cooperation

• PROMECON

• PROMORCO (Proyecto de

Modernizacion del Riego en el

Oeste del Valle de Comayagua)

• PROLANCHO Foundation

• VECOMA

• Pan-American Agricultural School,

Zamorano / PROMIPAC

For more information

wfp.p4p@wfp.org Last update: September 2010

P4P IMPLEMENTATION AREAS