Farmers meet potential business partners at the Hand-in-Hand National Investment Forum in Peru

24.05.2024

Thanks to the collaborative efforts between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Irrigation (MIDAGRI) in Peru, sustainable investments have been promoted to support small-scale producers in the regions of Junín, Huancavelica, and Cajamarca.

On 14 June in Lima, Peru, the Hand-in-Hand (HIH) National Investment Forum took place as part of the third edition of the AGROFEST 2024, the largest agricultural fair in the country. Key players in the agricultural sector gathered to explore and enhance investment opportunities in the value chains of native potatoes, high-altitude avocados, coffee, and cocoa.

During the forum, six agricultural producer organizations from the prioritized value chains and regions under the HIH Initiative had the opportunity to engage with the market through a business roundtable with potential national and international commercial partners.

Since joining HIH in 2021, Peru has developed proposals aimed at mobilizing resources towards the previously mentioned value chains. The proposed investments are expected to directly benefit 18 000 individuals and indirectly impact an additional 65 000. This year, plans are underway to incorporate investment opportunities in Andean grains and camelids, thereby promoting the sustainable inclusion of more regions and associations of small rural farmers into the market.

National Investment Forum

Special guest, Máximo Torero, Chief Economist of the FAO stated, “FAO's HIH Investment Forum allows governments to present investment opportunities to investors, multilateral development banks, the private sector, and donors, achieving significant financial commitments and results.”

Furthermore, an interesting panel on strengthening and consolidating alliances with the food and agro-industrial sector was held, led by Mariana Escobar, representative of the FAO in Peru. 

Another significant moment was when Ángel Manero, Minister at MIDAGRI shared the country's experience with FAO's HIH Initiative, which aims at strengthening countries' capacity to attract investments and mobilize financial resources to support the development of their agrifood systems, reduce poverty, and promote inclusive economic growth with a territorial focus. "As a state policy, we are interested in promoting these kinds of initiatives. Therefore, FAO has something very important to showcase and Peru will take on this challenge knowing that the HIH Initiative is a valuable tool," said Manero. 

The conclusions and recommendations from this event will be crucial for strengthening the initiative and preparing Peru for its participation in the third edition of the HIH Investment Forum, which will take place on 15–17 October in Rome, Italy as part of the World Food Forum.