Mariano Olazabal, Representative IICA - Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

A new era is dawning for El Salvador's farmers. Traditional crops like coffee and sugar are giving way to exotic fruits, natural dyes and other niche produce for export markets. Such diversification is a keystone of an ambitious program to overhaul the agricultural sector.

"It also includes a strategy for the integration of business models," explains Mariano Olazábal, El Salvador's representative for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), an agency within the Organization of American States. The strategy brings together small, medium and large producers in market-focussed associations to optimize production and commercial chains.