Ecuador

<p>The <strong>SheTrades: Promoting Gender-Responsive Public Procurement for Agricultural Products project&nbsp;</strong>aims to deliver innovative solutions to help women in agricultural value chains benefit from government procurement opportunities. Target beneficiaries and partners include women entrepreneurs, governments, women&rsquo;s business associations, and research partners. Project activities include an awareness campaign, creating knowledge resources on leveraging inclusive procurement strategies for economic development, analysis of barriers and opportunities for women&rsquo;s participation in public procurement in agricultural value chains, training for women and government stakeholders on identified opportunities, creating national-level dialogues, and sharing of experiences and good practices across countries. Initial activities will be global in nature, with subsequent in-country activities taking place in 3 selected BMZ/GIZ priority countries.</p>

<p><span data-teams="true">Ecuador&rsquo;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&rsquo; 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&apos; families and local institutions, contributing to broader economic recovery and sustainability.</span></p>