Joining Forces to Help Small Producers Have More Opportunities

Small Mexican producers are being considered a priority by the National Service of Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA), the National Agricultural Council (CNA), the UN and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER). The objective is to promote the diversification and development of export and import markets, mainly in America, Europe and Asia, so farmers and consumers in poverty are no longer excluded. 

According to an official SADER report, SENASICA and CNA held a virtual meeting where they agreed to strengthen technical cooperation to promote development and training on food safety, animal and plant health. Part of the plan is to also provide online courses on said subjects and sanitary issues, especially for small-scale producers. “The main mission is to provide timely and efficient service to the millions of agriculture, aquaculture and fishery producers in Mexico, with actions that add value to their food and that open the door to more and better markets, to be more competitive and promote the development of rural communities in the country,” said Francisco Javier Trujillo, Chief Director of SENASICA. 

The government is also making a petition at UN World Summit on Agri-Food Systems to include poor farmers and consumers in development efforts, reports Forbes. This sector has been neglected, meaning farmers do not have guaranteed access to food or tools to continue or to develop their production. “The future of agri-food systems is still uncertain, but we do know that we must take measures to not continue marginalizing millions of small producers who remain in poverty,” Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Víctor Villalobos stated during a regional forum. The measures and proposals are aimed at helping to close the gaps in productivity between the different types of producers, between regions and even between countries. 

One of these initiatives, as previously mentioned by MBN, is Producción para el Bienestar (Production for Well-Being), with which the Mexican government hopes to boost agriculture in some of the areas most affected by the economic crisis caused by COVID-19. To date, close to 400,000 farmers in Chiapas and Veracruz have benefited from this program. There have also been meetings and strategies proposed to raise the rate of fish and shellfish consumption in the country, as reported by Agronoticias.