Improve the Land to Improve Life

The peach, plum, and apricot cultivars, as well as the production of goat milk and fodder are the agricultural products of the rural area ofMontevideo, to which USD 280,200 were allocated in order to improve the sustainability of farming families. 

Uruguay has a Human Development Index above 0.6, which is high according to the UNDP. However, the rural areas close to the capital are between 0.3 and 0.4. For this reason, the improvements derived from the project are focused on production as a source of work  for the farming population of Montevideo, which contributes with almost 3 per cent of the gross domestic product, and has an important participation in satisfying domestic demand. 

Farmers received technical advice  as a result of a study which identified a sustainable way to improve productivity and competitiveness  in each agricultural activity, as well as a short-term implementation plan. 

Based on the study, both the irrigation systems and the marketing of fodderwere optimized. Farmers received a Manual for Good Productive Practices  applied to goat milk and derived products. In addition, advanced were made inidentifying the demand, a certification process, and a market study with a profile for ecological products. 

In addition to the technical advice, the farmers received tools that will facilitate and improve the performance of their production. 

This project was carried out jointly with the Unidad Montevideo Rural  (Rural Montevideo Unit) of the Municipality's Administrative Offices, framed within their Territorial Zoning Plan which points to a comprehensive perspective, coordinating the improvement of farmer incomes,productivity increases, and caring for the environment.