ORGANIZATIONS & CIVIL SOCIETY | ORGANIZATIONS & CIVIL SOCIETY |
RUTA supports dialogue between the public sector and civil society regarding public policy toward small and medium producers Ronald Meza RUTA, together with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), is carrying out an analysis of the experiences, opportunities and limitations of rural producer organizations in Central America, in order to encourage policy dialogue between public institutions and the private sector. The strategic interest is to improve capacities of poor, rural populations and their organizations so that they might influence rural development and poverty reduction policies, develop strategic alliances, knowledge management and analysis of results. As part of the efforts undertaken for this topic, contacts have been made with different organizations in five countries in the Central American isthmus: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua (see sidebar). It is hoped that in the coming months new mechanisms for dialogue between the different agencies will be proposed, to benefit the rural poor populations of the region. Currently there are formal consulting agencies, such as the Consultative Committee (CC-SICA) and the Permanent Public Sector Forum of the Central American Commission on Environment and Development (CCAD). Other initiatives include the Mesoamerican Indigenous and Rural Movement, in which Mexico and the Dominican Republic also participate; the CID Initiative (Mesoamerican Commerce, Integration and Development Initiative), which grew out of CAFTA negotiations; and the Central American Indigenous and Rural Community Agroforestry Coordination Association (ACICAFOF). These initiatives are oriented toward social demands that have had more influence than production demands. In regional institutionalism related to Central American economic integration, the private sector’s important role is acknowledged, by including representatives of regional organizations in consultative committees and recognized forums
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Organizations consulted to participate in the dialogue on public policy toward small producers Belice Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua
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