This project will benefit about 25,000 people in the districts of Comasagua, Chiltiupán and Tamanique, all located in the department of La Libertad.
The Japanese Social Development Fund (JSDF) will contribute $2.76 million, approved by the World Bank (WB), for the project “Costa Viva”, which will be developed in 10 communities in these three districts.
The project, implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS),plans to directly benefit about 25,000 people through programs that improve nutritional diversity and hygiene practices in 5,000 vulnerable households located in Comasagua district,in the municipality of La Libertad Sur, and in the cities of Chiltiupán and Tamanique, in La Libertad Costa.
In addition, it plans to connect 1,250 agricultural families with the coastal markets and the Santa Tecla district, municipality of La Libertad Sur, creating new economic opportunities and access to fresh products and rural communities.
These producers, specializing in basic beans, fruits, vegetables and coffee, will partner with hotels, restaurants and markets to take their products to coastal areas.
The World Bank’s agricultural specialist, Francisco Bueso, indicated that they will support the project through an accompaniment granted by technical, environmental and financial specialists, based on experiences gathered in other regions.
This small project that we hope will be a pilot project that will start in La Libertad but can be expanded throughout the country, Bueso said.
Sectors benefiting
Under this project, 125 business plans will be funded in productive alliances. These coalitions consist of groups of one to 10 producers that are linked to a trading partner to take their products to the coastal zone and the Santa Tecla markets. Funding will allow them to invest in improving their productive capacity.
In my community, I am a farmer and producer of Costa Viva. I dedicate myself to the planting of corn, beans and maicillo. In summer, I amaze vegetables such as tomatoes, chillies, pipirons and cucumbers, and I also have a cocoa and banana plot. Costa Viva has given me great help, as they have provided me with technical advice and improved my products,” said Marta Lilian Manzanares, a beneficiary of the project.
Bueso noted that 10 community investment projects will be developed in these three districts. Each project will be able to receive up to $45,000 in funding to make improvements in areas such as water quality, among others.
The project, scheduled to be completed in December 2027 and is expected to benefit mostly young people and women, hopes to implement significant improvements in the target communities and establish a sustainable model that can be replicated in other regions of the country.
The Minister of Tourism, Morena Valdez, highlighted the effort of the new project that will link the agricultural products of the Cordillera del Bálsamo with the area of Surf City and the culinary training project, GastroLab.
“What we are doing is connecting these programs that already benefit young people, women and vulnerable groups with these kinds of programs. Morena Valadez, Minister of Tourism, mentioned.
This article has been translated after first appearing in Diario El Mundo