COOPERATIVE LEAGUE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

PEOPLE, NATURE AND SPICES PARTNERSHIP (PENS):ORIGINALLY, THIS WAS PLANNED AS A FIVE-YEARS PROJECT (SEP.2022-SEP 2027) FUNDED BY USDA/FOOD FOR PROGRESS ($23 M) TO SUSTAINABLY INCREASE THE PRODUCTIVITY AND TRADE OF THREE SPICES (GINGER, OREGANO AND TURMERIC) PRODUCED IN PERU AND FOLLOWING A COST-EFFECTIVE MODEL. THE PROGRAM WAS TERMINATED IN JUNE 2025 AS PART OF THE US FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S DECISION TO END FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION INNITIATIVES. DESPITE ITS SHORTER IMPLEMENTATION PERIOD, THIS PROGRAM HAD A POSITIVE SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, WHICH INCLUDED: THE USE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCTION PRACTICES BY FARMERS, STRENGTHENING LOCAL ASSOCIATIVITY CAPACITY -INCLUDING FARMER ASSOCIATIONS AND COOPERATIVES LED BY WOMEN. THE PROJECT DIRECTLY BENEFITTED OVER 6,000 PRODUCERS WITHIN THE GINGER, TURMERIC, AND OREGANO VALUE CHAINS, CLOSE TO 70 PRODUCER ORGANIZATIONS AND COOPERATIVES, PARTICULARLY IN THE GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS OF PIURA, LAMBAYEQUE, JUNN, MOQUEGUA, AND TACNA. PROJECT ACTIONS WERE GROUPED INTO SEVEN CLUSTERS, AS FOLLOWS: CLUSTER 1 FACILITATING ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES; CLUSTER 2 TRAINING OF AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION AGENTS WITH FOCUS ON DELIVERY OF HIGH-QUALITY AGRO-SERVICES; CLUSTER 3 TRAINING ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION TECHNIQUES (WITH FOCUS ON ORGANIC PRODUCTION AND ECO-FRIENDLY TECHNIQUES); CLUSTER 4 CAPACITY BUILDING ON RELEVANT QUALITY STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATIONS WITH FOCUS ON ORGANIC PRODUCTION; CLUSTER 5 CAPACITY BUILDING TO STRENGTHEN PRODUCER GROUPS AND COOPERATIVES, WITH FOCUS ON ASSOCIATIVITY AND MANAGEMENT SKILLS; CLUSTER 6 FACILITATION OF BUYER-SELLER LINKAGES AS A WAY TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO MARKETS; CLUSTER 7 -SUPPORT TO RELEVANT LOCAL-LEVEL REGULATIONS AND POLICIES, INCLUDING UPDATES TO STRENGTHEN COMPETITIVENESS AND WORK OF TECHNICAL COMMITTEES. THE PROJECT'S BASELINE WAS APPROVED BY USDA IN NOVEMBER 2023, AND OFFICIAL PROJECT LAUNCH FOLLOWED IN 29 NOVEMBER. BETWEEN DEC 2023 AND MARCH 2024, THE PROJECT PROFILED BENEFICIARIES FOR PROJECT ACTIVITIES, ADVANCED IN SIGNING MOUS WITH STRATEGIC PARTNERS, DEVELOPPED TRAINING MATERIALS FOR CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND ENGAGED IN THE ORGANIZATION OF ACTIVITIES FACILITATING BUYER-SELLER LINKAGES.

THE USDA-FUNDED INDONESIA SPICE TRADE ALLIANCE (ISTA): PROJECT WAS A SEVEN YEAR (2019-2026) INNITATIVE IMPLEMENTED BY NATIONAL COOPERATIVE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION CLUSA INTERNATIONAL (NCBA CLUSA) AND FUNDED BY USDA. WITH THE TERMINATION OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S FUNDING TO INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION INNITIATIVES, THE ISTA PROJECT HAD ITS CLOSING IN JUNE 2025. THE PROJECT COLLABORATED WITH LEADING ORGANIZATIONS IN SPICE SECTOR INCLUDING U.S. COMPANIES SUCH AS MCCORMICK & COMPANY, LEADING INDONESIA AGRIBUSINESSES AS WELL AS LOCAL COOPERATIVES AND FARMERS TO INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY IN THREE INDONESIAN SPICE VALUE CHAINS (BLACK PEPPER, CINNAMON, AND VANILLA) THROUGH STRENGTHENING THE CAPACITIES OF FARMERS, COOPERATIVES, AND OTHER PRIVATE ENTITIES; AND TO IMPROVE AND EXPAND THE PRODUCTION OF THESE CROPS THROUGH IMPROVING QUALITY TO MEET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS; STRENGTHENING COOPERATIVES; STRENGTHENING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS; CONNECTING FARMERS AND COOPERATIVES WITH INDONESIAN AND U.S. INTERNATIONAL SPICE TRADERS; IMPROVING ENVIRONMENTAL RESILIENCY, SUSTAINABLE CERTIFICATIONS, AND SPICE CROP DIVERSITY; AND LINKING RECENT UNIVERSITY GRADUATES TO CAREERS IN EXTENSION SERVICES. TO DATE, ISTA HAS HELPED 10,054 INDIVIDUALS IN AGRICULTURE TO APPLY IMPROVED MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND TECHNOLOGIES ON 4,900 HECTARES; AND GENERATE $6 MILLION IN ANNUAL SALES. OVER 1.8 MILLION IMPROVED SEEDLINGS/CUTTINGS WERE PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED WHILE OVER 7,000 ISTA FARMERS ACHIEVED CERTIFIED STATUS.