In 2003 more than 60 percent of the Honduran population was living in rural areas. Seventy-five percent of rural households fell below the poverty line, which translates to roughly 442,000 families, encompassing more than 2 million citizens.

At the same time, agricultural activities represented 23 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employed more than 35 percent of the workforce. However, many micro- and small-sized farmers lacked access to affordable credit.