USAID, Wal-Mart work with Central American farmers

USAID, Wal-Mart work with Central American farmers    USAID and Wal-Mart recently signed an agreement to support small rural farmers in Central America and connect them to the retail giant's regional and international supply chains.
   The new partnership links Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative, with Wal-Mart’s Global Sustainable Agriculture Goals program.
   'Small rural farmers in Central America will earn more from their fresh fruit and vegetable production, which will help them climb out of poverty,' USAID said. 'Consumers will benefit from greater access to locally-grown produce.'
   Wal-Mart announced its agricultural sustainability program in October 2010 and will focus it on three areas:
   ' Support farmers and their communities.
   ' Produce more food with less waste.
   ' Sustainably source key agricultural products.
   The USAID-Wal-Mart regional agreement builds on previous collaborations in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. One of the lessons from these efforts is that formal relationships between the suppliers and the corporate buyers ensure the sustainability of the program. Another is that small farmers benefit greatly when buyers explain their quality and quantity standards and share their production calendars, USAID explained.
   The funding for the three-year agreement comes from USAID, Wal-Mart, the Wal-Mart Foundation, non-governmental organizations, governments and other private sector partners.