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Nicaragua

USAID - University Partnership Helps
Nicaraguan Farmers and a Growing U.S. Market

As Sancocho finds its way onto more and more U.S. menus, a USAID – Michigan State University joint partnership is putting Nicaraguans to work and helping meet a growing market for plantains, one of the soup’s main ingredients.

Before the project, neglected fields produced small yields and undersized plantains. (Photos by Jan Howard, USAID-Nicaragua)

A staple throughout Latin America and Africa, plantains, a starchy relative of the banana, are finding their way into the hearts and dinner plates of hungry Americans. Amid this growing demand, USAID has formed a partnership with the Midwest university to increase production of plantains in Nicaragua.

Funded by USAID, the partnership provides management training in modern agriculture techniques, and through Michigan State University’s Partnership in Food Industry Development Program, facilitates the entry of the plantains to new markets.

Development of niche agriculture has developed into an increasingly successful USAID endeavor throughout the Latin America and Caribbean region.

“Before the project, many of the plantain fields in Nicaragua were neglected, producing small yields and underutilized plantains,” said Steve Olive, USAID trade and agribusiness office chief in Nicaragua. “As a result of the partnership, we’re seeing higher standards, a more efficient crop, and a promise of new growth opportunity among Nicaraguan farmers.”

The USAID-funded partnership initially helped 49 plantain farmers in Nicaragua’s southern department of Rivas to meet quality export standards through improved crop management and processing. An estimated 20,000 hectares are currently under cultivation with plantains in the region.

The project also supervised construction of a packing plant, where trained personnel introduced quality and sanitation control procedures. A second plant, financed by the project, opened last November.

Nicaragua’s first container of Nicaraguan plantains shipped to Miami through Tropical Commodities, a whole produce distributor, last May. Since then more than 80,000 pounds of Nicaraguan plantains are exported weekly to new markets that include Miami, Tampa, Chicago, Houston, New York and Washington, D.C.

With technical and market assistance from USAID, a group of Nicaraguan farmers are producing plantains that meet international quality standards for export.

“Already the program has generated 200 new jobs,” said Tomas Membreño, Nicaragua director of Michigan State University’s Partnership for Food Industry Development program. “As demand grows from the current 80,000 pounds to an expected 160,000 pounds per week, the number of jobs created by the partnership could reach 500.”

“The Latin America and the Caribbean regions’ seasons often complement the agricultural patterns of U.S. farmers,” said Adolfo Franco, assistant administrator for USAID’s Latin America and Caribbean bureau. “With an estimated annual U.S. sales potential of 12 million pounds of plantains, USAID is fueling new work opportunities in Nicaragua and helping to position Central America farmers as a major source for a growing appetite for Latin food products.”

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