CAF contributes to the design of the Agricultural Master Plan of the western region of Panama

As part of its agenda to promote competitiveness and sustainable development in Panama, CAF, Development Bank of Latin America, led the financing of the Agricultural Master Plan for the western region of Panama, designed by the Instituto de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA) (Cooperation Institute for Agriculture). This plan included the support of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, the Frente Pro Rescate del Sector Agropecuario (Front for the Recovery of the Agricultural Sector), the Centro de Competitividad de la Región Occidental (CECOM-RO) (Competitiveness Center of the Western Region), The Chamber of Commerce, Industry, and Agriculture of Chiriquí, APEDE Chiriquí Chapter, and other public and private institutions. 

The Mater Plan contains six long-term crosscutting programs with products that have a high exporting potential, such as milk, palm oil, vegetables, coffee, banana, and cacao, which may be combined with others such as root crops, rice, potatoes, and others. 

This initiative also includes business plans and short and medium-term investment projects that will increase productivity and the efficiency of the value chains of the sector in products that are in high demand by consumers, such as cacao, coffee, banana, milk, cheese, varieties of tomatoes, and bell peppers, among others.  

Susana Pinilla, CAF's Director Representative in Panama, pointed out, "Participating in the construction of the Agricultural Master Plan in a region with so much potential as this, is an honor for CAF, as it is a way to contribute to the improvement of competitiveness and development through a sector that generates employment and equity. Public and private financing will be essential to achieve long-term growth in the region, so six crosscutting programs were presented, with a high technical component, and whose execution is feasible". 

Following are some of the initiatives that stand out in this plan:  Adapt the AUPSA to have a better sanitary control for the import of foods; make the cold chain operational at a national level; start the so called "Gran pacto por el agro" (Great agreement on agriculture); raise agro-food chains to laws; update and implement the roadway plan for production and agro-logistic development; implement laws for agricultural best practices and traceability; and improve and encourage agricultural higher education. 

Juan Carlos Varela, President of the Republic of Panama, received the Master Plan with enthusiasm, and called the promoters, CAF among them, to meet on May 15th in the Province of Chiriquí, to provide details of the initiatives in order to achieve a consensus for a final public and private financing proposal.