Consolidation of Entrepreneurial Development of South-West of Costa Rica

Following the collapse of the banana growing areas located in the South West of the Country and the leave of the Compañía Bananera S.A., the project aimed to diversify production in order to reduce the impact on rural population and support a social economic grow of the small holders. Throughout the provision of capacity building and technical expertise the project has strengthened local capacities which has permitted the establishment of smallholders organisations, production diversification and markets management. As an overall result, at the end of the project, a Consortium among 22 Co-operatives and farmers associations has been established with the main function of process and export agricultural production to several EU Countries (Germany and France). The project has supported local institutions boosting local technical expertise in management on diversification, planning of small irrigation schemes, production processing and marketing of agricultural production. Furthermore the project has provided advise and technical assistance in identifying priorities and in planning interventions, aimed at improving the agricultural and animal breeding productions and in promoting the diversification of the agricultural production. The project has contributed to the establishment of a permanent suitable financial tool in order to provide credit to small farmers and their organisation for production, marketing and processing activities. All project activities has ensured environmental sustainability and gender equity.

• Sustainability of INPALSUR (Agroindustrial Consortium among 22 co-operatives and farmers associations)
• Strengthening of other Small and Medium Enterprises
• Production reorganisation on the base of quality market requirements
• Establishment of a palm processing system including product flows and export logistic
• set up and management of credit funds
• training of the farmers members of the consortium and managers in charge of the agro-industry and export procedures; co-ordination with other EC and International projects in the area