Bolivia – VOAGRO Technical Assistance Program

Preparing Bolivians for Success

Despite Bolivia’s extreme poverty—it has the lowest per capita GDP in South America—the country has great economic potential. The VOAGRO Technical Assistance Program, funded by Agrocapital and the VOCA Foundation, is helping it meet this potential by increasing expertise and improving practices in the agricultural sector. The program, which is implemented by ACDI/VOCA, helps Bolivian smallholders improve their economic well-being by giving them access to international expertise to improve agricultural practices. Through VOAGRO, ACDI/VOCA connects Bolivian smallholder producers with international volunteer consultants who provide short-term technical assistance in different aspects of the agricultural sector.

Volunteers consult on topics such as production technology, post-harvest management, agribusiness development, value-added processing, marketing, institutional strengthening and natural resource management. The program increases the viability of the host agricultural enterprises and strengthens the institutions that support these enterprises. It also increases the contribution of the agricultural sector to the national economy, improves the economic well-being of individual producers, and improves the sustainable management of natural resources.

ACDI/VOCA plans to complete 12 technical assistance assignments by the end of the program. These assignments will target the dairy, honey, animal feed, textile, chocolate, molasses, leather goods and furniture sectors. On the most recent assignment, a volunteer consultant advised dairy cooperative members on best practices in improving milk production and productivity. The volunteer also provided training to dairy farmer groups on the identification, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dairy animal diseases. The assignment benefited over 200 Bolivians.

ACDI/VOCA has a commitment to sustainability and this project itself is a testament to that commitment. In 1991 ACDI/VOCA helped form the Agrocapital , a nonprofit rural-lending foundation, under its Managed Rural Capital Resources Activity. Since its founding, Agrocapital’s loan portfolio has grown from under $1 million to more than $10 million. The institution provides rural financial services to 4,100 microentrepreneurs, farmers and agribusinesses, making it the premier institution of its kind in Bolivia. Now, thanks to the support of Agrocapital, VOAGRO is able to build expertise and economic success among smallholders.

For more information, contact David Lindgren at dlindgren@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 1/08