Information System for Access to Public Funding by Small Producers in Agriculture - Bolivia

The Office for Coordination of the Integration of Farmer Organisations in Bolivia (CIOEC) aims to strengthen the position of farmer organisations through support to production and marketing activities, notably in accessing public funds for productive investments. Local partners are the 778 OECAs (farmers’ economic organisations).

Organisations are provided with information on funding opportunities and are guided in the submission process. In addition, the project lobbies to overcome obstacles in this submission process. For this an information system has been developed and the communication (e-mail) system between CIOEC and the organisations has been improved. Both CIOEC and the farmer organisations are trained in basic ICT skills and in the related information processes.

The current, second, phase of this project is the result of a joint proposal to Agriterra and IICD focusing on setting up a Market Intelligence System containing socio-economic data about the OECAs, production figures, inventories, suppliers’ lists, and opportunities, including on-line transactions. The platform contains two parts, offer and demand, which are tightly interwoven. Through the use of this platform, with its underlying databases, it is expected that the sales volume of the OECAs will increase considerably.

In the beginning of Q4 2009, Agriterra has withdrawn its commitment to co-finance the CIOEC project in 2010. IICD has taken upon it to ensure funding the Agriterra part in 2010. It is hoped Agriterra will resume its donor role in 2011.

Towards the end of 1999 Bolivia stopped paying off its external debt in the HIIPIC programme. Condition was that funds thus made available were used for poverty reduction. In addition, civic society was to be consulted in finding a destination for these funds. In the national dialogue on this subject in 2000, the OECA' s were heavily involved. The final result was the development of a Bolivian Poverty Reduction Strategy in which destinations were identified for the released funding.

Read more about IICD's Bolivia Country Programme.

The first phase of the CIOEC ICT project ran from 2003 until 2005. After that, project services diminished considerably, for lack of funding, but also as a result of an internal reorganisation. A new phase has started in 2009, building further on results from the first phase.

There are currently 778 OECAs (farmers’ economic organisations) connected to CIOEC, with roughly 500,000 producers.

The ICT component is still a big challenge in this project. Connectivity among and with the offices in the 9 departments is far from good.

Within the three-year strategy of CIOEC (2009-11) a number of vital ICT components have been identified. The new project phase focuses on setting up a Market Intelligence System. In the framework of the Agriterra-IICD MoU, these project activities are being financed between Agriterra and IICD. Implementation has started in Q1 2010.

The current, second, phase of this project is the result of a joint proposal to Agriterra and IICD focusing on setting up a Market Intelligence System containing socio-economic data about the OECAs, production figures, inventories, suppliers’ lists, and opportunities, including on-line transactions. The platform contains two parts, offer and demand, which are tightly interwoven. On this platform production by the various OECAs will be linked to market opportunities, at national level. Also, market information needs of the OECAs will be covered through this information platform. Through the use of this platform, with its underlying databases, it is expected that the sales volume of the OECAs will increase considerably.

Implementation of the second phase has started in Q1 2010. Development and testing of the platform has been completed. A series of capacity development events is currently underway in order to prepare responsible of the OECAs for using the data base, starting with data input of the respective OECAs. This data collection by the OECAs will take place in October-November-December 2010. Testing of data input is taking place with 9 users: 1 per Departamental. Eventually, all 778 OECAs should use the system.

Events to socialise the platform are part and parcel of the project. A Comunicator has been hired for 3 months specifically for the promotion of the platform.

In the beginning of Q4 2009, Agriterra has withdrawn its commitment to co-finance the CIOEC project in 2010. IICD has taken upon it to ensure funding the Agriterra part in 2010. It is hoped Agriterra will resume its donor role in 2011.

CIOEC will be a partner in the new C4C sector programme on economic development in Bolivia. The current phase has created the necessary preconditions for upscaling the use of the platform to all OECAs during the next phase.

Results are:

• The CIOEC information system functions properly.
• Leaders of the OECAs have been trained in the use of ICT.
• Leaders of the OECAs know about possibilities for investment, commercialisation and capacity development.
• Leaders of the OECAs know how to present project proposals and how to follow up on these.

This project empowers farmer organisations by means of informing and lobbying for public investment funds available for small producers. As a result, farmer organisations will have increased access to public investment funds. Specific objectives are:

• Identify and evaluate existing possibilities for public funding at municipal, departmental and national levels and inform ‘Organizaciones Económicas Campesinas’  or ' Economical Farmer Organisations'  (OECA's) about these.
• Support proposals by the OECAs.
• Disseminate experiences of OECAs in obtaining public funding.
• Develop capacities of OECAs in the use of ICT.

The project is innovative in terms of the type of information services provided and may have a considerable impact on empowerment and access to public funds by small farmers. The project owner plays an important political role in Bolivia and has strong support of the affiliated farmer organisations. The main risk is found in the weak institutional capacity of the project owner and limited possibilities of finding financial sustainability. It is expected that the project can help the project owner to enhance its institutional capacity and to bring a clearer focus in the service package offered to affiliated organisations.

Read more about IICD's approach towards Livelihoods.

Embedding of the project into the CIOEC organisation has turned out to be difficult. Apart from the financial burden, very real for vulnerable organisations like CIOEC, the internal reorganisations over the past period have moved the attention away from the project. It is vital for IICD to maintain frequent contacts with projects in independent continuation to make sure that the focus is maintained and to help in the identification of follow-up funds.

The Coordinator for the Integration of Economic Farmers'  Organisations of Bolivia (CIOEC Bolivia) is the institution that groups and represents the Economic Farmers' Organisations in Bolivia. CIOEC Bolivia's mission is to develop political and economic plans that help the Economic Farmers' Organisations to undergo a permanent competitive development, within a frame of equality, sustainability and integration.