Central American MSMEs will receive support for the facilitation of agri-food trade, innovation and technology

09/04/2021 Other thematic areas in which they will receive support are family farming and nutritional food security; agricultural health and food safety; climate change and comprehensive risk management; competitiveness, trade and agribusiness, among others.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Regional Center for the Promotion of MSMEs (CENPROMYPE-SICA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the objective of promoting joint, coordinated and complementary actions that contribute to the development and sustainability of the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) sector, especially those MSMEs related to the agri-food sector.

This cooperation framework between FAO and CENPROMYPE will contribute to strengthening the relationship between MSMEs and the 2030 Agenda, towards guaranteeing food and nutritional security, socio-economic inclusion of rural communities, women and youth, regional and global trade, adaptation and resilience to climate change, and particularly in the current context: the response and recovery to the emergency due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The FAO-CENPROMYPE collaboration is based on the development and productive growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the countries of the region, as a powerful tool to combat poverty, reduce informality and food insecurity. As an important source of employment and income, MSMEs have the potential to become an engine of inclusive and sustainable growth, both for rural and urban communities, as well as for the active engagement of women and the young population.

David Cabrera, interim executive director of CENPROMYPE emphasized the need to “improve the competitiveness of MSMEs in the agricultural sectors through innovation, first having information about the needs and data of the companies and then strengthening the institutions and spaces collaboration of the ecosystems that are called to serve them ”. In addition, Cabrera continued to highlight the role of FAO as a strategic ally in the implementation of the SME Regional Agenda and this type of alliance to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs.

The MoU will allow to mobilize the south-south cooperation among different stakeholders and countries.

See the full article in Spanish here