Silvestre Santa Cruz is one of the more than 1600 members of the Sugar Cooperative Manduvira Ltda located in Arroyos y Esteros Paraguay. Silvestre produces not only fair trade certified organic sugar cane, but he and his wife also produce sesame seeds, fruits, vegetables, and other products for their food security needs at their farm.

In Ecuador, FAF client Jardin Azuayo has emerged as a leader in promoting inclusive rural development. Jardin Azuayo specifically targets rural, low-income communities traditionally excluded by other financial institutions as being too difficult or too costly to reach. Seventy-five percent of the organization’s 200,000 clients live in rural areas.

La Cooperativa del Sur del Cauca (COSURCA) offers financial support, processing and export services, and technical trainings on good agricultural practices to 1,400 families. COSURCA advocates for peace and acts as an educational platform for its members on issues related to health, food security and protecting local ecosystems.

Jaime Javier Medina Peña is a member of the organizing committee of the Yaneshas Producers’ Association. He is responsible for taking important decisions that affect the lives of his community of more than 150 families. Jaime has been a coffee producer for most of his life, working mainly on his wife´s inherited land.