FAO.org

Although the Plurinational State of Bolivia has made significant strides in reducing poverty and inequality in the last 20 years, economic growth and social gains have slowed in the last decade. The country has been hit hard by the pandemic, as well as by high and volatile food, fuel and fertilizer prices triggered by the war in Ukraine.

Bolivia’s agriculture sector, an important contributor to the country’s economy, livelihoods and food security, has good potential to boost productivity.

The Centre helped design the USD 351 million Innovation for Resilient Food Systems project (Rural Alliances Project – PAR III), approved by the World Bank for financing in 2022. The project, which builds on lessons from previous phases of PAR and the Community Investment in Rural Areas project, aims to increase food security, market access and adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices in the country. It is part of the World Bank’s Fast-Track Program for Food Security in response to the current global food and fertilizer price crises. The Fast-Track Program uses a multiphase programmatic approach to improve food security and nutrition in the short term and build resilience over the long term.

PAR III will encourage small-scale farmers to participate in rural community and rural producer organizations – a move that can increase their collective bargaining power and technology uptake while also reducing individual risk.

Small-scale investments in basic infrastructure and services, nutrition enhancement activities, improved farm management practices and technology – especially around more efficient agricultural water use – will strengthen beneficiaries’ climate resilience and reduce their vulnerability to acute and chronic food insecurity. The project will assist rural producer organizations with good market potential in forming productive alliances with commercial partners and technical assistance providers. These alliances can help rural producer organizations participate in value chains and improve their productivity through better, more equitable access to markets, technologies and organizational skills. The project will also carry out complementary productive infrastructure subprojects to improve logistics and market access.