The Minister of Agriculture, Óscar Guardado, unveiled an initiative designed to benefit over 24,000 coffee farmers. This groundbreaking effort, developed in collaboration with FAO El Salvador, is set to require $21.3 million in funding with the aim of increasing estimated incomes by $1,400 per coffee grower.
The initiative was officially presented at the World Investment Forum of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), held at the FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. Vice President Félix Ulloa also participated in the event, highlighting the government’s commitment to supporting the country’s coffee sector, particularly in the Tecapa-Chinameca mountain range.
The investment proposal, a joint effort between the Salvadoran government and FAO, focuses on three key components: improving productivity and efficiency, enhancing post-harvest organization, and bolstering the position of Salvadoran coffee in the global market.
The total program budget is set at $21.3 million, with the ultimate goal of raising the average income of approximately 24,000 individuals working in the coffee sector to over $1,400. This, in turn, would indirectly benefit more than 99,000 people connected to the coffee industry.
Minister Guardado emphasized the importance of coffee cultivation in El Salvador, noting that the exceptional quality of Salvadoran coffee beans has positioned the country as a world-renowned producer, attracting discerning consumers.
«The coffee industry is a source of employment and foreign exchange in our country,» explained the minister. He also highlighted the environmental, cultural, social, and economic contributions of coffee production to El Salvador.
Guardado further emphasized the need for adopting technology in agriculture, referring to it as «Agriculture 4.0.» He stressed that the integration of technological tools is crucial for improving competitiveness, knowledge transfer, and the adoption of technologies that add value, increase farmers’ incomes, and positively impact food security and nutrition for coffee-related families.
The proposal presented by Minister Guardado in Rome is part of the FAO’s «Hand in Hand» initiative, which seeks to identify regions with high potential for rural transformation and the development of their inhabitants. This initiative brings together governments, investors, and technical support to catalyze rural development projects.