MEXICO CITY - The Governments of the United States and Mexico today partnered with the Government of El Salvador to increase cacao production as an alternative source of income for rural farmers affected by the coffee rust outbreak.

This trilateral partnership will support the Government of El Salvador’s agriculture strategy which aims to increase the value chain of cacao and position the country as an export leader.  The three countries will also be part a $50 million, five-year, public-private cacao initiative.

“This dynamic partnership will leverage our joint expertise along with that of the private sector to help tens of thousands of rural farmers to double their income and rise out of poverty,” said USAID’s Administrator Raj Shah. “Through innovative approaches to farming, these women and men will have sustainable livelihoods and increased market access.”

The initiative, expected to commence in August, will:

• Train approximately 10,000 female and male farmers on supply chain opportunities, sustainable farming, and access to finance.
• Create more than 22,000 jobs, produce at least 8,000 metric tons of cacao, and generate $65 million in net income.
• Increase cacao production and taste quality to meet international buyer standards.
• Establish a national cacao institute for soil and seed research, agricultural technologies, and climate change adaptability.

The partnership will be implemented by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Mexican International Cooperation Development Agency (AMEXCID), and El Salvador’s General Office of Development Cooperation.