About ACDI/VOCA
ACDI/VOCA is a private, nonprofit organization that promotes broad-based economic growth and the development of civil society in emerging democracies and developing countries. Offering a comprehensive range of technical assistance services, ACDI/VOCA addresses the most pressing and intractable development problems.
Driven by the goal of adding value to local enterprise, which underlies prosperous free markets and stable democracies, ACDI/VOCA works in the following areas:
- Community Development
- Agrigulture and Agribusiness Systems
- Enterprise Development
- Financial Services
Latin America
ACDI/VOCA's work in Latin America focuses on creating and enhancing economic opportunities for small- and medium-scale farmers and rural entrepreneurs. Despite population increases in urban centers, many people remain in rural areas and rely on agriculture and related rural industries for survival. As a result, support to this sector advances ACDI/VOCA's efforts to promote broad-based economic growth.
Creating economic opportunities in Latin America is critical since many countries throughout the region are struggling to compete, or even survive, in the global economy and have experienced particularly difficult times as a result of the U.S. economic slowdown and more recently the repercussions of the September 11. Some countries have also been adversely affected by the worldwide collapse of coffee prices.
With rural-sector suffering on the rise, ACDI/VOCA's projects are particularly relevant. Its targeted interventions help alleviate poverty through the creation of employment and income opportunities. ACDI/VOCA's approach emphasizes local capacity and human resource development through the provision of services to cooperatives, agribusinesses, credit institutions, NGOs and government.
