To stabilize income and make horticulture an attractive and sustainable activity capable of countering the increasing clandestine migration, it is essential to tackle the challenge of niche markets (with a specific focus on organic product sales) and establish agreements with institutional markets that have higher quality and quantity requirements. This necessitates strengthening and improving production and storage capacities to effectively meet institutional market demands.
The project aims to address difficulties in marketing local products by improving the production chain and promoting a sustainable and profitable agricultural system. Specifically, it seeks to combat post-harvest losses, which currently reach around 40% due to market oversupply and the lack of adequate infrastructure. The planned actions to reduce these losses include:
- Improving the quality, quantity, and diversification of products;
- Constructing storage facilities equipped for processing, drying, and preservation;
- Organizing efficient warehouse management for optimal conservation.
Additionally, the project aims to stabilize agricultural income through access to niche and institutional markets, supported by quality protocols and organic certifications issued by FENAB (National Federation of Organic Agriculture).
A key component will be farmer training, with a focus on enhancing agroecological techniques and improving management of storage, processing, and sales. Access to institutional markets will ensure fairer and more stable incomes, improving the living conditions of families, strengthening the role of women in cooperatives, and promoting local consumption of healthy and sustainable products. This initiative will also serve as a replicable model for other agricultural projects and strategic sectors in the country.
To achieve the set objectives, our commitment will be the establishment of two or three adequately equipped rooms/laboratories for:
- Selecting the best products for preservation;
- Drying using a solar oven chamber;
- Packaging and sales.
These actions will optimize the production chain, reduce losses, and improve the cooperative’s economic sustainability.
Lenders
This project was carried out with the collaboration of these public body lenders or private company lenders
OPM TAVOLA VALDESE
