Fourth Annual National Competition - Women Fighting Poverty

(La Paz, November 12, 2008).- On November 14 the Fourth Annual National Women Fighting Poverty Competition will be held in the city of La Paz. The objective is to give public recognition to the most meritorious enterprises of groups of rural women and fund them with cash prizes, as well as discovering successful initiatives with emphasis on "food security" which constitute sustainable businesses with market access.

This year, the competition was organized by the Natural Resources Management in El Chaco and Valles Altos Project (PROMARENA). The event is promoted by the Andean Development Corporation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), German Technical Cooperation (GTZ), the Canadian Center for International Studies and Cooperation, and the PRAIA Foundation, among others.

The 10 finalist groups will be selected from a total of 46 by an independent jury composed of people involved in rural development, belonging to institutional areas, NGOs and international cooperation; as well as the participants themselves who also evaluate the competing micro-enterprises. The competition uses the method of presentation and defense of entries.

The evaluation will recognize the degree of difficulty for starting up the enterprise and its effectiveness for reducing poverty, and improving profitability and market access. The evaluation will also take into account development of human and social capital, and the use of communication technologies. The semi-finalists will present their products in an internal fare to be held on the same day as the competition.

Winning producers will receive cash prizes from US$500 to US$2,000, without strings; however in past years the winning women have always reinvested the funds in their businesses to expand production, buy machinery or improve their products.

The objective of the CAF and IFAD joint projects is to reduce poverty levels, strengthen the capacities of rural people in activities related to sustainability; in this case, the competition stimulates the participation of campesino women in the economies of their communities.

The activity will be shown in a documentary video filmed in the top five winning communities. A book will also be published on the successful experiences of the rural enterprises and the competitions, taking into account market access and the fight against rural poverty as a model for other countries which want to replicate the experience of the women's competitions.

Finalists

1. “LLAMITAS” ANDEAN AGROPRODUCTS (ORURO)
2. “HUMAPHUSA” ORGANIZATION OF PRODUCERS OF MILK AND DERIVED PRODUCTS (ORURO)
3. SALADILLO GROUP OF WOMEN ORGANIC ENTREPRENEURS (TARIJA)
4. “EL TOJO” ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS (SANTA CRUZ)
5. “APROMEL” ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN PRODUCERS OF MARMALADE AND LIQUEURS (SUCRE)
6. “LA COMPAÑÍA” WOMEN PRODUCERS OF FERTILIZERS AND ORGANIC VEGETABLES (TARIJA)
7. “APROMECH” ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN CHOROMOMO PRODUCERS (SUCRE)
8. “KURUCHI” ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN PORK PRODUCERS (SUCRE)
9. “AMDESOY” WOMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF YAPACANI SOY DERIVATIVES (SANTA CRUZ)
10. CENTRO TIERRA VIVA ROSILLAS ASSOCIATION (TARIJA)