The covid-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in the food system in colombia which depends on shipping agricultural products long distances to supply regional urban centers despite the quantity of food…

The U.S. Inter-American Foundation (IAF) awarded a $226,935 Project Grant under its IAF Assistance for Overseas Programs (CFDA 85.750) to Fundacion Red Agroecologica La Canasta, a non-profit organization in Colombia. The grant aims to strengthen food security and promote sustainable livelihoods by supporting La Canasta's community-supported agriculture program. Key products and services funded include:

• Implementing a participatory guarantee system, a peer-to-peer organic certification process managed by farmers and civil society organizations, to ensure compliance with national organic standards.
• Streamlining technical support to small-scale rural farmers and improving information and marketing technologies for La Canasta's online ordering and door-to-door delivery of fresh produce and value-added products.

The award period is from August 18, 2023 to February 18, 2026 and aligns with IAF's strategic initiative to support sustainable agriculture and viable livelihoods in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The covid-19 pandemic exposed weaknesses in the food system in colombia which depends on shipping agricultural products long distances to supply regional urban centers despite the quantity of food produced by small farmers across the country who could readily supply these urban centers and other nearby communities. IAF grantee LA canasta a network of small-scale rural farmers and urban consumers runs a community-supported agriculture model. IT purchases fresh produce and value-added products directly from farmers and sells these to urban consumers via online ordering and a weekly door-to-door service. LA canasta is implementing a participatory guarantee system a peer-to-peer organic certification mechanism that is managed by a collective body of farmers and civil society organizations to ensure all participants are abiding to organic standards and in compliance with national law. IT is also streamlining its technical support to farmers and improving its information and marketing technologies. This grant advances the IAF & rsquo; s strategic initiative to promote sustainable agriculture by strengthening food security efforts and supporting viable livelihoods.