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Rural Market Opportunities: a project that impacted more than 7500 women, youth and men in the Gulf of Fonseca region

Honduras
Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Upskilling and Reskilling, Initial vocational education and training, Sustainable agriculture
08.11.2022
In its five years of implementation, the project Rural Market Opportunities in the Gulf of Fonseca impacted the lives of more than 7500 women, youth and men in Honduras. 

The project significantly contributed to the improvement of commercial, technical and financial practices and the increase of productivity and sales of small enterprises and farmers, with special attention to those business initiatives that employ or are managed mainly by women, youth and/or people living in disadvantaged situations; exceeding 50% participation of women in all its activities, promoting the use of technology in the field with a gender approach and working jointly with the public sector in the reduction of inequalities and gaps.

The project impacted the lives of more than 7500 people and their families, for more inclusive and sustainable economic development for the Gulf of Fonseca on the southern coast of Honduras.

Within five years, the project Rural Market Opportunities impacted the lives of more than 7500 women, young people, and men in the Gulf of Fonseca.

The project contributed to strengthened regional systems for local economic development with gender equality.

The project reached 33 municipalities in the Gulf of Fonseca region.

The impact: 

  • Support to the creation of more than 500 new enterprises
  • More than 700 MSMEs strengthened.
  • Training of more than 2,400 employees
  • Technical assistance to more than 2900 farmers
  • Certification of more than 3500 young people

The results were achieved thanks to the close coordination with public and private partners: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the Sectoral Cabinet for Economic Development composed of the Ministry of Economic Development (SDE), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) and the Honduran Institute of Tourism; in addition to the CDEMIPYME-Golfo de Fonseca, FUNDER, the Chamber of Commerce and Industries of the South, the Commonwealths of Municipalities of the South (NASMAR), MAMBOCAURE, MANORCHO and MANSURPAZ, and with the co-implementing partners International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and McGill University of Canada.

Working towards inclusive economic development

As part of the project closing, Swisscontact organised the event "Inclusive economic development: progress and challenges for the Gulf of Fonseca", providing a space for the exchange of experiences between beneficiaries, strategic partners, local actors and central government linked through the project.

During the event, three panels were held:

  1. one where beneficiaries shared their stories as entrepreneurs assisted by the project
  2. another where local actors who worked together shared their experiences and plans to continue with the actions achieved in a sustainable way, 
  3. and finally, representatives of the central government gave their perspectives to address the progress and challenges for inclusive economic development in Honduras.

The Rural Market Opportunities in the Gulf of Fonseca project was financed by the Government of Canada and implemented by Swisscontact.

2017 - 2022
Honduras
Entrepreneurial ecosystems, Sustainable tourism
Rural Market Opportunities in the Gulf of Fonseca
The Dry Corridor is one of the most impoverished and economically depressed areas of Honduras. Here, 65% of households live below the poverty line, while 48% are extremely poor and experience high rates of malnutrition and other negative social consequences. Commercial agriculture for export is the main source of seasonal jobs for poor people,...
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