January 2013 Local Purchases in the Ecuador-Colombia Border WFP in Ecuador

Response to Government Priorities Ecuadorian Constitution, art. 281 on food sovereignty: Strengthen producers’ organizations distribution promoting equality between urban and rural areas Organic Code for Territorial Organization, Autonomy and Decentralization: Local authorities charged with increasing productivity and ensuring good nutrition National Development Plan Food sovereignty Food security Safe, clean local production Why Local Purchases?

Link small-scale farmer associations with safety nets, special focus on women Improve: Access to markets and local seed varieties Agricultural practices Incomes and livelihoods of small scale farmers Promote: Diversified diets Refugee integration Objectives

Similarities with P4P Strengthening Farmer Associations * Improved access to markets through collective sales Public markets: Local government fairs Complementing school meals WFP food assistance to persons with disabilities etc. Private markets: Supermarkets with WFP’s voucher distribution Local rice fortification - Sucumbíos joint initiative with Ministry of Agriculture, UNHCR and private rice millers * Result: More sustainable incomes.

Strengthening local governments to improve: Implementation capacity Quality control Vegetable gardens for: Communities Schools Families caring for people with disabilities. Similarities with P4P

Supporting Women Farmers Target associations with women members of both nationalities Ensure more stable incomes for women farmers Promote women’s participation insales, access to new technologies and seeds Similarities with P4P

Increasing family knowledge on nutrition through trainings on food and nutrition security Increasing skills of farmers in small-scale associations Empowering women: 60 percent of purchases from women farmers Developing commitment and capacities of local governments: cost sharing, technical assistance, quality control and follow-up What Worked Well?

Nutritious menus adopted by schools, which improved the diet of 4,500 children in 2012 School committee and parents involved in reception of products and meal preparation Purchase of fruits and vegetables (WFP funds) for on- time delivery to schools Local government support – transport of products and quality control What Worked Well?

 Security: working in a conflict-affected areas: ensuring timely deliveries  Incorporate technology to track purchases, products delivered  Women empowered in associations to sell their products  Competitive prices for farmers associations  Sustainability and handover of activities Challenges to Expanding Local Purchases

 Adapting the school model – moving from deliveries to schools to service providers as part of the National School Meal Programme  Buying from fairs and local markets rather than from individual farmer associations to increase efficiency  Diversifying and expanding production to meet demand on a regular basis  Moving towards increased production of organic products What Next?

Expand credit access with partners Facilitate sales to supermarkets supporting WFP voucher initiatives Involve universities to support innovative and sustainable farming techniques Adoption of P4P successes

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