Ecuador: Promoting new non-traditional exports (NEXT Ecuador)

Summary

Ecuador’s post-pandemic economic challenges, worsened by increased poverty and the Venezuelan refugee crisis, have highlighted the resilience of its agricultural sector as a key opportunity for recovery. The NEXT Ecuador project, funded by the European Union, aims to boost rural incomes by enhancing the participation of small-scale farmers in export markets. Over four years, the initiative will focus on improving productivity, food safety, and quality to meet national and international standards. It will also strengthen organizational and business capacities of producers’ organizations and foster international market connections. Targeting 15 groups of small tropical and exotic fruit producers across rural provinces like Carchi, Imbabura, and Morona Santiago, the project is designed to indirectly benefit farmers' families and local institutions, contributing to broader economic recovery and sustainability.