FINAL
REPORT
“El Salvador Coffee Stabilization and Agricultural
Diversification Project Mid-Term Evaluation”
Presented by:
Final 18 Av. Norte, Plazuela Ayala #318 S.S.
Tel. (503) 21222-5120; Cel. (503) 7883-9723
e-mail: direccion@hevi-ca.com; y helmanvillalta@gmail.com
July 2017
ii
[FY 2014 El Salvador Coffee Stabilization and Agricultural Diversification 
Project Mid-Term Evaluation]
Program: Food for Progress
Agreement Number: FCC-519-2014/051-00
Funding Year: Fiscal Year 2014
Implemented by: NCBA CLUSA
Evaluation Authored by: Hevi S.A. de C.V.
DISCLAIMER: This publication was produced at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture. It was 
prepared by an independent third-party evaluation firm. The author’s views expressed in this publication do not 
necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of Agriculture or the United States Government.
Accessibility Note: An accessible version of this document can be made available by contacting 
fas.monitoring.evaluation@usda.gov
iii
CONTENT
CONTENT ....................................................................................................................................................................ii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...............................................................................................................................................vi
1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 1
2. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................... 1
3. DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPED INTERVENTIONS ................................................................................................ 4
4. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: RELEVANCE ....................................................................................................................... 8
a. Alignment with national priorities..................................................................................................................8
b. Project relevance within the coffee grower’s context: ................................................................................10
c. Actions within the context of Coffee Rust effects....................................................................................... 14
5. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: EFFICACY......................................................................................................................... 15
a. Capacity building: government institutions .................................................................................................36
b. Capacity building: producer groups/cooperatives...................................................................................... 37
c. Financial services: facilitate agricultural lending......................................................................................... 40
d. In-kind grants: inputs................................................................................................................................... 42
e. Inputs: develop agro dealers and/or other input suppliers ........................................................................ 44
f. Access to market: Facilitating buyer and seller relationships..................................................................... 45
g. Market Access: Facilitate Private and/or Public Partnerships..................................................................... 47
h. Training: Improved Marketing and Branding. ............................................................................................. 50
i. Training: improved agricultural production techniques.............................................................................. 52
6. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: SUSTAINABILITY.............................................................................................................. 56
a. Sustainability of actions in the national environment................................................................................. 56
b. Sustainability of actions in the local environment ...................................................................................... 57
c. Public-private partnerships ......................................................................................................................... 58
7. PROGRESSS IN SCOPE OF PROJECT RESULTS................................................................................................... 60
8. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 62
9. LESSONS LEARNED........................................................................................................................................... 64
10. RECOMMENDATIONS ...................................................................................................................................... 65
iv
TABLES AND FIGURES INDEX
Table 1-2 Field work programming ........................................................................................................................... 3
Figure 2-1: Geographic coverage of project.............................................................................................................. 4
Table 2-1: Value chain and project intervention ....................................................................................................... 6
Figure 2-2: Intervention in value chain........................................................................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 3-1a Low-cost coffee production systems.................................................................................................... 11
Figure 3-1b: Capacity building events for coffee sector by the project .................................................................. 11
Figure 3-2: Best performance of the project, according to nursery managers....................................................... 13
Figure 3-3: Changes to project suggested by nursery managers............................................................................. 13
Figure 3-4: Frequency of rust per strata, since July 2014 until December 2016 ..................................................... 15
Figure 4-1: Average level of progress in goal attainment per component.............................................................. 16
Table 4-1a Consolidation of progress per project component................................................................................ 16
Table 4-1b Detail of progress per indicator and per component............................................................................ 17
Table 4-2: Main comments from technical team CENTA-CAFE ............................................................................... 36
Table 4-3a: Farmer Field School organized by cooperatives and producer organizations...................................... 38
Table 4-3b: Participation by surveyed producer on a Farmer Field School............................................................. 38
Figure 4-2: Responses from surveyed producers related to how many Farmer Field Schools has your cooperative
and producer organizations developed in average ................................................................................................. 38
Table 4-4: Technical Assistance suppliers for coffee producers (per region).......................................................... 39
Figure 4-3a: Did technical assistance received from the project cover your needs? .............................................. 39
Figure 4-3b: Was the technical assistance received from the project, appropriate?.............................................. 39
Figure 4-4: Access to financing to project beneficiaries (per region)...................................................................... 41
Figure 4-5: Project beneficiaries who declare they have been trained in coffee nurseries.................................... 43
Table 4-5: Entity that has trained on the establishment and management of coffee nurseries............................. 43
Table 4-6: Indicators with greatest progress in Component 5 of the Project ......................................................... 45
Figure 4-6a: Participation in business round tables per coffee producing region................................................... 46
Table 4-7: Organizing entity of business round tables per coffee producing region............................................... 46
Figure 4-6b: Examples of international contracts from coffee sales sponsored by the Project.............................. 48
Figure 4-7: Knowledge on PPP among surveyed producers, per region ................................................................. 49
Table 4-8a: Knowledge on key subjects on Coffee Commercialization................................................................... 50
Figure 4-8a: Knowledge on international coffee buyers in regions that the project serves................................... 51
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Figure 4-8b: Commercial agreements with international coffee buyers.................................................................51
Figure 4-9: NCBA-CLUSA Trainings Distribution .......................................................................................................52
Table 4-9: Educational templates developed by the project ...................................................................................53
Figura 4-10: Educational training materials elaborated by the project ...................................................................55
Table 5-1: Investment on NCBA CLUSA-RURAL DEVELOPMENT MAG partnership projects....................................59
Table 7-1: Progress on results indicators .................................................................................................................60
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ACRONYMS
BANDESAL: Banco de Desarrollo de El Salvador - Salvadoran Development Bank
BFA: Banco de Fomento Agropecuario - Agriculture Development Bank
BH: Banco Hipotecario - Mortgage Bank
CENTA: Centro Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria - National Center for Agriculture and Forestry Technology
CLUSA: The Cooperative League of the United States of America
DGDR-MAG: Dirección General de Desarrollo Rural / General Directorate for Rural Development - Ministry of
Agriculture and Livestock
ECA: Escuela de Campo para Agricultores – FFS: Farmer Field School
IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development
MAG: Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock
MaSL: Meters above Sea LeveI
NCBA: National Cooperative Business Association
PPP: Public-Private Partnerships
USDA: United States Department of Agriculture
vii
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
NCBA CLUSA is implementing a four-year agricultural program with financing from the United States of America
government through USDA, known as “El Salvador Coffee Stabilization and Agricultural Diversification Project”,
funded by the United States Department of Agriculture. The project seeks to benefit an estimated 7,500
producers, 50 producer organizations and cooperatives, government agencies, and the private sector particularly
in the coffee producing regions of El Salvador including the specific areas of Apaneca-Ilamatepec, El Bálsamo￾Quezaltepeque, Tecapa-Chinameca, Cacahuatique, Chinchontepec, and Alotepeque-Metapán.
The project’s objectives are (a) to support small and medium farmers to increase productivity in the coffee value
chain through improved agricultural techniques and technologies for coffee and product diversification, (b) to
support the activities of governmental institutions and foster the capacities of producers and cooperative
organizations, (c) to increase access to agricultural credits and improve the quality of inputs for coffee production,
and (d) to expand the trade of agricultural products through increase in the value of products post-harvest, as well
as market access through quality improvement, greater efficiency, and a better commercialization and market
links.
The project started in October 2014, however field implementation started in October 2015, and to date has
conducted a comprehensive midterm evaluation and review of the project’s progress and adequacy to the
conditions of Salvadoran coffee cultivation. The main conclusion obtained is that the design of the project is
considered pertinent to the strategy and objectives of rehabilitating Salvadoran coffee cultivation in all the links
of the productive chain, for which it is working in coordination with governmental institutions, particularly with
the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and the National Center of Agricultural and Forest Technology "Enrique
Álvarez Córdova" - CENTA, and its specialized division CENTA-CAFE. This has been very important in the training
that the project conducted to CENTA-CAFE extension agents, the territorial coordination work, and the field
activities that have been jointly organized.
The Project develops the reactivation and improvement of coffee plantations through the promotion of improved
rust resistant coffee varieties and the use of organic agriculture, actions very pertinent to the situation of coffee
cultivation expressed by the producers and parallel to the government’s actions.
The most significant achievements of the project are training in the creation of coffee nurseries, the promotion
and training in organic agriculture, the introduction of mechanization with the use of Pole Pruners, Motorized
Sprayers, Brush Cutters, and Earth Augers; which forms part of the basic mechanization kit, as well as the
promotion of commercialization with training and events to facilitate linkages between producers and buyers. In
this regard, it was particularly important to point out that the training activities were conducted using mainly the
Farmer Field School (FFS) model, aptly developed in parallel to the actions of CENTA-café, which promoted this
model of technology transfer. Additionally, it allowed the grouping of producers and the grants of inputs to be
strengthened with materials and equipment within the Cooperatives and Producer Organizations.
About the development of plants producers’ or nurseries, the methodological processes have been implemented
in three lines: i. The supply of certified and enhanced coffee seeds resistant to the coffee rust fungus, ii. The
promotion of organic agriculture techniques for the establishment of seedbeds and nurseries, and iii. The
promotion of new management techniquesfor nursery development in combination with organic agriculture. This
mid-term evaluation took advantage of the survey of the producers to identify those who have benefited with the
promotion of nurseries. These producers expressed they have all received NCBA CLUSA training on seedbeds and
viii
Activity 1: Capacity Building:
Government Institutions
3.5
Activity 9: Training: Improved 1773 .5% Activity 2: Capacity Building: 
Marketing and Branding 5 Producer Groups/Cooperatives
91.8% 122.3% 2
1.5
Activity 8: Training: Improved
Agricultural Production
Techniques
Activity 3: Financial Services:
69.9% Facilitate Agricultural Lending
1
0.5
Activity 7: Market Access: 42.7% 
Facilitate Private and/or Public
Partnerships 334.6% 
Activity 6: Market Access:
Facilitate Buyer-Seller
Relationships
42.8% 
Activity 4: In-kind Grants: Inputs
299.5% 
Activity 5: Inputs: Develop agro
dealers and/or other input
suppliers
Value MTE Project Goal (100%)
123.9%
nurseries preparation, having received an average of 4.5 trainings in the last two years. 95% of those surveyed are
applying the organic agriculture practices, and 45% rate their results as excellent, and an equal percentage rate
them as good totaling, 90% with a good qualification of organic agriculture. On the other hand, 95% will continue
in the future applying organic agriculture practices. In nurseries, a very novel and positive trend has developed:
the increase in female producers participating in the care and management of coffee nurseries stemming from
the project's resources.
The main instrument of work has been the identification and training of extension agents among personnel of the
Cooperatives and Producer Organizations part of the methodology of the FFSs. The project has provided technical
training to 519 extension agents (128% of the originally established goals), who later worked with an estimate of
4000 agricultural producers in FFSs led by the cooperative extension agents. During the survey conducted among
the producers, it was verified that 7 out of 10 interviewees confirmed that their Cooperative or Producer
Organization had developed an FFS, and 9 out of every 10, confirmed to have participated in an FFS.
The annexed Figure summarizes the average progress for each of the 78 indicators describing the progress of the
nine components of the Project. To prepare the graph, the primary information from the project’s Data
Management System has been compiled, refined, and analyzed, and in turn the data was compiled emphasizing
the reference data requested from governmental institutions that have worked on the project.
In general terms, 24.4% of indicators are in a critical phase of execution with less than 40% progress at the date
of this evaluation (with 55% progress across all the projects’ performance indicators), 48.7% of indicators are on
track to comply with the accelerated deadlines for compliance, and notably, there are 26.9% of indicators whose
goals have already been surpassed significantly at the time of this evaluation.
The project is satisfactorily fulfilling the goals set for most its indicators at the date of this evaluation. However,
there are areas where more intensive effort is necessary to reach the planned goals, or a change in strategy that
allows finding new paths to reach said goals:
ix
✓ Within the " Market Access: Facilitate Buyer-Seller Relationships" component, it is necessary to increase efforts
associated with increasing the number of trade agreements with international buyers for coffee being
produced with assistance from the project (including a monitoring system for said agreements). NCBA CLUSA
must make the maximum effort to leverage its international negotiation capacity and its s available contacts
in the North American and European markets.
✓ In the "Increased Use of Financial Services" component, very modest progress has been made: in terms of the
volume of credits managed with project assistance represent 44.6% of the total target originally planned
(among female producers, this represents 41.0% of the target in monetary terms).
✓ The amounts of credit being supported by the project is of a lower amount than originally planned given that
they have been concentrated in harvesting collateralized loans and to a lesser extent, in credits associated with
new crops. This implies that the efforts and results obtained by the project, although positive, have not been
enough to increase access to financing by project beneficiaries specifically those located on Tecapa￾Chinameca, Cacahuatique, Chinchontepec y Alotepeque-Metapán mountain ranges.
✓ In the component "Training: Improved Marketing and Branding", the project has made efforts to create
linkages between producers benefiting from the project with potential international buyers, however, these
linkages will consolidate over time. During the survey of the producers participating in the project, it became
evident that in four of the six regions served there is an average knowledge of international coffee buyers, and
very few have been able to consolidate commercial relations and exports. The progress of these commercial
relationships requires monitoring and follow up in time.
✓ It is necessary to review the project’s strategy for crops that support diversification in the coffee sector. The
results obtained to date with the cultivation of beans and certain vegetable varieties have not reached the
expected results on volume and value of sales (See table 4-1b of Chapter 5).
✓ The positioning of the project may allow for widening the spectrum of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) that
benefit from the commercialization and positioning activities of coffee producers with international buyers.
Additionally, valuable co-investment spaces can be generated to multiply the results obtained to date by the
project (see Chapter 5), particularly with DGDR-MAG and IFAD funds, for which NCBA CLUSA can provide the
technical resources necessary for the formulation and implementation of the projects (besides the co￾investments that multiply the investment from USDA funds).
The component of the project promoting low-cost agriculture needs can be evidenced with the registered
information from producers applying these techniques. At the end of the project this can be capitalized and
provide documentation to CENTA, as well as research and educational organizations related to coffee production,
which will promote the continuity of this technology.
Efforts made to consolidate and publicize the results obtained by this project will fulfill its legacy of becoming a
public good that can be replicated by public and private institutions, NGOs and others.
Based on the information gathered in the baseline Evaluation Report, the main recommendations that can be
issued in this mid-term evaluation are:
To increase the communication positioning of the Project, taking advantage of the present mid-term evaluation,
to propose a relaunch of the project with a greater strategic support from MAG, CENTA-CAFÉ, and the
Salvadoran Coffee Counsel authorities. This implies that in the short term NCBA CLUSA will design with the
support of the public and private institutions that provide services to the Salvadoran coffee sector, a calendar of
strategic activities with the producing population in the six regions that the project attends, including the
Communicational Relaunch of the project.
x
Foster a relationship with national academic entities (and national chapters of international entities, such as
CATIE) to include them in applied research activities. In this line of action, it is also important to approach the
National School of Agriculture as the leading institution in the training of agronomists in El Salvador who can
become the replicators of the techniques for organic agriculture.
Increase the Use of Financial services provided by banks for the producing population, to seek greater spaces
of collaboration with BFA and BH, and attempt to include BANDESAL in the financing efforts for the producers
of the project. In this line of action, it is also very important that the project approach private sector banks.
Evaluate new options for productive diversification. Negotiate technical support from CENTA’s scientific
research teams for new crop options under the agricultural diversification component, with the objective of
improving production yields and sales revenues. International experiences suggest considering (i) medium cycle
fruit crops, and (ii) partner coffee with honey production, since coffee plantations are excellent for honeybees
because plant diversity on the coffee farms offer good flower resources for bees.
Increase efforts in commercial promotion and marketing: it is necessary that NCBA CLUSA leverage its local and
regional institutional capacity to work on coffee positioning and trade in international markets, without neglecting
the importance of the national domestic market. Here it is key: (i) to consolidate and follow-up with the contacts
from international buyers, (ii) Search for new buyers leveraging the international positioning of NCBA CLUSA, (iii)
involve in these commercial promotion efforts entities of the government and private sector, especially the
Commercial Network Management of the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Relations, and (iv) design an ad-hoc
monitoring system for these matters. On all these matters, BANDESAL as well as the Ministry of the Economy with
FONDEPRO may be key allies in financial subjects that make these negotiations among producers more viable.
Develop an evaluation process for the effectiveness of all training events and exchanges of experiences to
establish niches of opportunity and improvement that multiply the effectiveness of these capacity building efforts.
This is another area in which PPP may work with private academic institutions.
1
1. INTRODUCTION
This present document is the Final Report of the Independent Evaluation Contract for the Project "El Salvador
Coffee Stabilization and Agricultural Diversification Project".
The Project’s objectives are (a) support the small and medium farmers to increase productivity in the coffee value
chain through the improvement of agricultural techniques and technologies for coffee and products
diversification, (b) support governmental institutions activities and foster the capacities of producers and
cooperatives organizations, (c) increase access to agricultural credits and improve the quality of inputs for coffee
production, and (d) increase the trade of agricultural products through the increase in the value of post-harvest
products, as well as market access through quality improvement, greater efficiency, and a better
commercialization and market links.
The mid-term evaluation was performed during the project’s activities midway through the third year of
execution. The mid-term report considers the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability, and lessons
learned from the Project. The period assessed includes from the date field implementation started October 5,
2015, until March 31, 2017.
This document has been structured in four sections; the first section describes the general context of the project
evaluation. The second section consists of Chapters 3-5. This includes the project relevance analysis, the results
achievement and the sustainability of the established action analysis considering as well the effects under the
social and economic environment in which it was implemented. The third section analyzes the project’s
achievements (Chapter 6).
In the finalsection of the document, all inputs contributed in the previoussections are combined to derive general
conclusions obtained with the implementation, underlining lessons learned, recommendations, and aspects of
interest to use as guidelines in the execution of the second half of the project.
2. EVALUATION METHODOLOGY
This consultancy has a multi-dimensional and multi-sectoral approach at the country level, as has been established
in the corresponding terms of reference.
Based on this premise and complying with the general and specific objectives, this consultancy has considered the
review of bibliographic references, interviews with the conglomerate of institutions that have participated in the
project's implementation, review of official information on the six regions of project intervention, surveys among
benefited producers, as well as other sources.
The methodology has been based on the quantitative and qualitative information systematization focus; the first
is focused on the project achievements shown according to objectives, targets, and indicators, as well as the level
of beneficiaries and territorial vision, identifying the good practices or successful cases; the second (qualitative)
was focused on the analysis and value of the processes and results from the experience of the different
institutional and commercialstakeholders associated with the project. Thus, to comply with the specific objectives
of the mid-term evaluation, the different techniques were used as combined in Table 1-1.
2
Table 1-1. Methodology used in the evaluation
Specific objective Methodology to assure compliance
i.Establish a historic perspective of the project, considering the changes in agricultural context,
its relevance for the original design of the project and its implementation influence in the
activities to reach project objectives.
Secondary information, local and
international context, and interviews of key
institutions personnel.
ii.Determine whether objectives continue being relevant and reachable, considering the possible
changes in the economic, political, and social context of the project and participating
institutions.
Analysis of contextual information and work
conditions encountered by the project, and
information collected in key source
interviews.
iii.Provide data on relevance, efficiency, and effectiveness levels developed until mid-project
implementation and evaluate sustainability.
Secondary information analysis, and
evaluation from beneficiaries - survey
iv.Determine the internal and external factors that influence NCBA CLUSA, the beneficiaries, and
other interested parties related to the project for the achievement or not of the medium-term
objectives.
Surveys of beneficiaries; focus groups and
interviews of key project personnel and
technical advisors.
v.Identify the contribution to changes in the development of the interested stakeholders (results)
within the period between the beginning of the project and the time when the mid-term
evaluation takes place in the project’s influence areas, identifying probabilities of achieving
efficacy and sustainability of the progress in relation to the foreseen effect of the project.
Interviews and focal groups with key persons
from institutions to key project personnel,
project technical team, and surveys of
beneficiaries.
vi.Document the best practices and lessons learned from the project implementation until mid￾term with the value chain partners.
Analysis of secondary information, interviews
to sample cooperative’s presidents and
representatives of producer organization, and
interviews with project technical advisors.
vii.Provide recommendations to improve performance in the development of the project until the
compliance of final project goals.
Information analysis collected from different
sources.
Source: Internally-produced by HEVI S.A de C.V.
Framed in the above and complying with specific objectives of the mid-term evaluation, the methodology was
developed in three phases: i) Review of documentation associated with the project; ii) Recollection and
processing of data; and iii) Information analysis and final presentation.
Within the framework of primary information registration, 1147 valid surveys were taken, of which a valid
base of information of 4101 active beneficiaries in the intervention area was processed, with a margin of error
of less than 4% estimated in all cases. The final distribution of the sample appears in Figure 1-1.
The field work was programmed per Table 1-1, parallel to the survey and group meetings illustrated on Table
1-2, the survey process was rescheduled, which began after the sample was determined and the different
NCBA CLUSA field contacts were established. Then proceeded to territorial deployment planning of the
pollsters in the six regions: Apaneca-Ilamatepec, El Bálsamo-Quezaltepeque, Tecapa-Chinameca,
Cacahuatique, Chinchontepec and Alotepeque-Metapán, counting with the basic information provided by
NCBA CLUSA and the expertise of its Senior and Junior technical advisors to whom it was jointly planned the
distribution of the daily work to be done in each of the mountain ranges. An important point to note is that
the field work relied on the recommendation and support of the junior technicians who due to their proximity
to producers, producer associations and beneficiary cooperatives, were the links with the leaders and
corresponding representatives in each of the regions to carry out the meetings with individuals to be
interviewed.
3
15.1% 16.8% 16.7% 16.2%
10.0%
Figure 1-1 Sample distribution per region
25.1%
Alotepeque -
Metapán
Apaneca -
Llamatepec
Cacahuatique Chinchontepec El Bálsamo -
Quezaltepeque
Mountain Range
Tecapa -Chinameca
Source: Internally produced by HEVI S.A de C.V.
Table 1-2 Field work programming
Technique
(according to Participants DATES
guidelines) Semi-structured interview
Director of the Salvadoran Coffee Council Thursday, June 22, 3:00pm
Director of the Rural Development Directorate Wednesday, June 20, 8:30 am
Vice Minister of Agriculture Monday, July 10, 9.00 am
Representative of CENTA-CAFE Tuesday, May 20 at 2:00 pm
President of Mortgage Bank Wednesday, June 7, 11 am
President Foster Bank Monday, June 5, 10 am
Structured interview A
CENTA-CAFE Technicians
WESTERN REGION Thursday, June 8, 2017. Location: DGSV Santa Ana,
Portezuelo, Time: 2:00 pm
CENTRAL REGION Thursday, June 8, 2017. Place: Oficina Guadalupe (Coffee
Association) Time: 1:00 pm
EASTERN REGION Thursday, June 8, 2017. Place: Processing Plant of
Cooperative Ciudad Barrios, Time: 8:00 am
Structured interview B
Technicians Junior
Apaneca- Ilamatepec
On June 16, 2:00 pm for 1 hours, in two meetings: one at
NCBA CLUSA office, and in Ciudad Barrios
Cacahuatique
Chinchontepec
El Balsamo - Quetzaltepec
Metapan - Alotepec
Tecapa - Chinameca
Structured interview C
Sample of inputs suppliers
AGROAHACSA La Palma, Chalatenango
Did not respond
ACOPO DE R.L. Thursday, June 14
VIDE S.A. videsacv@hotmail.com
Friday, June 15
MAOES info@maoes.net
Tuesday, June 13, 3:00 pm
COEX 
Tuesday, June 13, 3:00 pm
ECOSOL Arch. Monday, June 12, 4:00 pm
4
ecosol.elsalvador@gmail.com
INVERSIONES MAPA
mapasacv@hotmail.com
. Míster Donut Merliot
Tuesday, June 13, 5:00 pm
JOALMO DIAZ Restaurant Don Boni, Los Naranjos,
Sonsonate. Wednesday, June 14, 2:30 pm
PRODUCTOS ECOLOGICOS proecos2012@gmail.com
Monday, June 12, 11:00 am
INDUPAL ventas@indupal.com
Blvd Venezuela 1233 Monday, June 12, 2:00 pm
3. DESCRIPTION OF DEVELOPED INTERVENTIONS
NCBA CLUSA is implementing a 4-year agriculture project known as “Coffee Stabilization and Agricultural
Diversification Project”, financed by the United States Department of Agriculture USDA.
The project goal is to work with 7,500 producers, 50 producer organizations and cooperatives, governmental
agencies and private sector, particularly in the coffee producing regions of El Salvador, including the specific areas
of Apaneca-Ilamatepec, El Bálsamo-Quezaltepeque, Tecapa-Chinameca, Cacahuatique, Chinchontepec and
Alotepeque-Metapán (see Figure 2-1).
Figure 2-1: Geographic coverage of project
5
The project is structured in 9 components:
i. Capacity building for governmental institutions, structured based on three key activities:
• Activities to support coffee rehabilitation and agricultural diversification through FFSs for
governmental extension agents, producer organizations and cooperatives, attempting to strengthen
their capacity on subjects related to: the preparation of organic fertilizers, use of enhanced seeds,
post-harvest management, and others. This is work performed in parallel to the Salvadoran
Government’s activities.
• Strengthening of links with existing market information systems, and early warning systems through
the incorporation of coffee farms mapping.
• Support local governmental institutions to organize a forum to discuss the coffee sector, coordinating
efforts with the stakeholders and promoting support and incentives to the sector.
ii. Capacity building: in groups of producers/cooperatives, which considers:
• Extension agents training on coffee plantations improvement and crops diversification, as well as the
development of FFSs and other basic extension techniques for coffee growers.
• Institutional leadership training and entrepreneurial management for cooperatives.
• Promotion of coffee cooperatives and support to the creation of networks among them and the
national associations.
• Support round tables to help develop a promotional agenda for the coffee sector and facilitate
linkages among private and public sectors.
iii. Promotion of financial services for the coffee sector, focuses on the facilitation of agricultural loans,
especially improving access to financing for coffee producing organizations affected by coffee rust,
through the expansion of existing guarantee funds and financing funds. Specifically, NCBA CLUSA works
directly with BANDESAL, the Salvadoran Development Bank and other banks to extend the scope of its
present portfolio of agricultural loans’ guarantees and loans funds supported by the government of El
Salvador.
iv. Grants for agricultural inputs: In this component, NCBA CLUSA supplies inputs to producers to ease the
dissemination and adoption of new seeds for coffee varieties and other planting stock for agricultural
diversification, including bell pepper, cucumber, and red beans. These single in-kind grants attempt to
reduce the risk of the rehabilitation activity and coffee diversification.
v. Inputs: Development of agricultural inputs distributors or other inputs providers. On this component,
NCBA CLUSA focuses on the following:
• Development of available local plant suppliers through the training of cooperatives and private
nurseries on the production of local nurseries with rust resistant varieties.
• Identification and facilitation of links among local inputs companies, suppliers of different crops, and
cooperatives to promote agricultural diversification.
• Organization of field days when the supplying companies are invited to introduce and sell their
products.
vi. Access to market: Facilitating relations between buyer and seller. NCBA CLUSA works with cooperatives
to research specific requirements from buyers on quality and buying volumes, identifying new
opportunities and existing relationships, assisting in the production of volumes, development of supply
chains, identifying national and export markets through events, links among sellers and buyers, and
identifying financing needs and sale opportunities.
vii. Access to market through the creation and/or building of PPP: NCBA CLUSA facilitates a wide range of
public-private alliances fostering dialog and association to focus on the problem of coffee rust faced by
coffee producers; establishing relationships and coordinating meetings among the stakeholders, creating
6
links, promoting crops diversification, taking advantage of important private resources, financing for
development and technical assistance, and developing and solidifying public-private associations which
are efficient for specific products.
viii. Provision of Training Services: improvement of agriculture production techniques: In this component,
NCBA CLUSA focuses on the following:
• Support to producers and cooperatives beneficiaries in the coffee regions affected by rust, teaching
improved and new agricultural techniques.
• Establishing FFSsto support in parallel the effort of the Ministry of Agriculture - CENTA-CAFE, together
with cooperatives and the producer’s organization team, developing a system of learning-by-doing.
• Development of a series of simple training models and informational triptychs jointly with NCBA
CLUSA partners.
• Organization of radio programs to make the community of coffee growers, private sector and the
general public, aware of coffee rust.
ix. Capacity building to improve marketing and branding. NCBA CLUSA has focused on:
• Training of cooperatives in all aspects of marketing and branding of coffee, particularly market needs,
quality, pricing, transportation, logistics, promotional efforts, and public relations. This includes the
identification and training of local cooperatives in marketing concepts.
• Support to promotional campaigns of producers most affected by coffee rust that are linked with
specialty coffee markets and networks.
The project works with a complete and diversified view of the coffee value chain, considering different
intervention strategies for the different stakeholders involved in the value chain, as shown in Table 2-1.
The relationships ofstakeholders in the chain are quite diverse, and we find producers (individuals or groups) who
can assume functions within the process (coffee millers) who are transformed into buyers and sellers. The project,
within its operations, developed its intervention in three levels:
• Training: includes work developed with the producers, cooperatives, and producer organizations within their
functions as producers, and were considered as sellers. At this level are the subjects of new techniques and
technologies (organic input production, rust resistant varieties, business plans, marketing techniques,
financial planning, and credit management).
• Management: includes suppliers of agricultural input, linked with project beneficiaries, and orienting them to
the incorporation of their comprehensive services to low cost technology.
• Advisory: includes actions developed with buyers, with whom business round tables were organized, as well
as the promotion of links among sellers and producers.
Table 2-1: Value chain and project intervention
Stakeholder in the value
chain
Intervention
Producers NCBA CLUSA has trained coffee producers in the rehabilitation of coffee farms with rust resistant varieties, organic inputs
for fertilization and disease control post-harvest management. Has established FFSs with mechanization tools.
Cooperatives and
Producers Organization
Benefited coffee growers are part of the different cooperatives, producer organizations, ADESCOS, Producers Associations,
as well as individual producers. NCBA CLUSA has trained coffee growers on the new techniques and technologies to
promote the rehabilitation of coffee production, financial planning, and management and financing requests for all
administrative and financial personnel of cooperatives or producer organizations.
Marketing and Branding NCBA CLUSA has facilitated the drafting of business plans and trained in marketing techniques addressed to the team of
cooperatives and producers’ organizations.
Agro dealers and/or
other input suppliers
NCBA CLUSA supports input providers and company agents in developing linkages with the 7,500 target coffee farmers.
The low-cost production technology promoted by NCBA CLUSA should become an embedded service to agentsselling their
seeds, organic fertilizers, organic disease control, as well as the basic mechanization tools kit.
7
Stakeholder in the value
chain
Intervention
Buyers - Sellers NCBA CLUSA advises coffee buyers and organized round table events to link buyers to coffee producers. NCBA CLUSA has
linked new buyers to coffee producers.
Ministry of Agriculture
and Livestock Extension
Services
Project personnel has trained Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock officials, CENTA-CAFE and has assisted in capacity
building of farmers in their regions about new techniques and technologies promoted by the project, either through direct
training workshops, meetings, or disseminating written information.
Source: HEVI S.A. de C.V. Internally-produced.
It is important to point out that training activities were developed using mainly the FFS model, appropriately
developed in parallel to CENTA-CAFÉ’s actions. Additionally, it also allowed the grouping of producers to deliver
the in-kind grants that strengthen these structures with inputs and equipment within the agricultural
communities.
Figure 2-2: Coffee value chain intervention
8
4. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: RELEVANCE
The concept of relevance (or pertinence) is defined as the adequate measure of objectives and results of the
project interventions at the local, regional and national context, underlining how its interventions have been
adapted to coffee production priorities in El Salvador, and the needs of the target population, from the
institutional, as well as from the productive side throughout the six regions of intervention.
It has been verified that the design of the Project is considered appropriate vis-á-vis the strategy and objectives
for the rehabilitation of Salvadoran coffee cultivation in all links of the productive chain previously seen in Figure
2-2.
Based on the evaluation findings, we can conclude that the project's management has included a series of
activities addressed to build capacitiesfor public and private institutional technical staff that aid coffee producers,
as well as the producers themselves.
• The program content of the project is quite relevant to accompany and strengthen the governmental
institutions'strategies, mainly underlining that from the institutional point of view, institutionssuch as CENTA￾CAFE have been supported in the execution of their annual operations plans, besides the capacity building of
its extension agents.
• Among the producers, capacity building in low cost organic agriculture and inputs granted with rust resistant
enhanced varieties, have promoted acknowledging an alternative in the improvement of a productivity vis-á￾vis coffee prices in the market.
a. Alignmentwith national priorities:
The project was designed with a multidimensional perspective, focused on productive chains, attempting to
tackle the different causes that affect national coffee production, with an emphasis on coffee production at
an altitude above 800 MaSL, through an innovative combination of thematic focus and skills. Conceptually,
the technical approach of the project has opened to work as a team with the government institutions on
coffee subjects, combining the technical and institutional capacities of the counterparts in the Salvadoran
government, and thus face a subject that necessarily requires consensus and an ample focus to generate
adequate solutions to all present challenges in coffee production.
In terms of Salvadoran public policies related to agriculture, the project is quite relevant and is currently
important, because it is articulated with the territorial display of strategies of governmental attention to the
coffee sector, including complementary actionsthat favor food security and nutrition of the coffee producers.
In the opinion of the Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, "the project has built valuable practical work
references to promote the concepts of organic agriculture in the reactivation of Salvadoran coffee growing
culture, a solution that not only helps re-activate the cultivation of coffee, but also doesit within a context that
favors the preservation of the environment and helps towards the social development of the coffee producing
family”.1
Based on the experiences and lessons learned, this project can be used as a basis to develop a road map for
the territorial implementation of a national policy on coffee subjects linked to the organic production, which
at the same time is friendly to the environment, and adapted to climate change (see further in the chapter on
1
Interview with HUGO FLORES, Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, July 10, 2017.
9
recommendations, where suggestions from the Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock are summarized for
a more intense coordinated effort during the second half of the execution of the project).
During the working sessions developed in this evaluation, an analysis through group interviews was made of
the relationship between the project and CENTA-CAFÉ extension agents that provide its services at the
different regions. All those interviewed have been related to the project from its inception with CENTA, just
as they all received training on techniques and technologies for coffee production improvement, as well as
agricultural diversification subjects. Notwithstanding the use of agricultural equipment, only two regions
expressed having received training (Western and Paracentral). Moreover, all extension agents highlight that
project beneficiaries have been benefited with training, inputs, and agricultural equipment.
Aside from CENTA-CAFE's opinion of the project’s relevance, it is also evident through the activities jointly
developed, such as:
• Seminars on fighting coffee rust. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) through its National
Center for Agriculture and Forestry Technology (CENTA) and the Salvadoran Coffee Council (CSC) jointly
with NCBA CLUSA, organized the first coffee rust seminar in El Salvador to contribute to the improvement
of coffee productivity through different appropriate techniques and technologies. Rafael Alemán, CENTA's
director, thanked NCBA CLUSA for the effort supporting the reactivation of coffee growing, and especially
to make sure all these efforts "contribute to the promotion of a new beginning for agriculture in general,
and coffee cultivation in particular."2
• New techniques and technologies demonstration during field days. For example, with coffee growers from
different municipalities in the departments of Cuscatlán, La Paz, San Vicente & San Salvador, a field day
was organized by CENTA-CAFE Management at Claro de Luna farm, Municipality of San José Guayabal,
department of Cuscatlán, with the support of NCBA CLUSA. The purpose was to present important
subjects on crop management during the dry season, among which are noted: the application of
moisturizing solutions, rust sampling and its control, pruning, and coffee plantation renewal.3
Although the extension agents expressed a positive opinion of the project, they also pointed out their
perception that the delivery of certified seed of rust-resistant coffee varieties was not timely, and questioned
the use of very small bags for the establishment of seedlings; which shows two realities:
• It is necessary to continue carrying out the process of strengthening government institutions’
extension agents,
• It is important to make greater efforts to communicate the achievements and methods of the project,
particularly the fact that the Project does not have control over its availability since the producers
specialized in this input offer it to the extent that they harvest and process it according to Production
cycles and quality standards required by the project; secondly, their opinion regarding the use of
smaller bags does not coincide with the results obtained by the project in cooperatives and producer
organizations where nurseries have been established under this technique.
2 CENTA-CAFE PERFORMS SEMINAR ON FIGHTING COFFEE RUST 2/05/2016. CENTA http://www.centa.gob.sv/2015/centa-cafe-realiza-seminario-sobre-el￾combate-a-la-roya/
3 COFFEE GROWERS OF THE CENTRAL REGION LEARN MORE ON COFFEE MANAGEMENT 12/04/2016. CENTA http://www.centa.gob.sv/2015/caficultores￾conocen-mas-acerca-del-manejo-de-cafetales/
10
On the other hand, the extension agents acknowledged the support granted by the project in training and
promotion of the FFSs, provision of inputs for its organic production, agricultural equipment, and informative
materials. It is important to point out that the project deserves special recognition from all the extension
agents interviewed for the support of field trips that textually consider a success in the joint work.
In summary, the evaluation of the achievements of the Project is predominantly excellent and relevant to the
needs of coffee growers. Its best achievements are the training in organic agriculture, the introduction of
mechanization with the use of: Pole Pruners, Motorized Sprayers, Brush Cutters, Earth Augers, which are part
of the mechanization basic kit, as well as the promotion of commercialization, training, and buyer and seller
events. These latter subjects are recommended to continue during what is left of the project.
On the other hand, based on secondary information, CENTA-CAFE extension agents agree that there has been
a reduction in the incidence of rust on the harvest seasons 2015-2016 and 2016-2017, see Figure 3-4, (with
higher rates of Reduction in the western zone), but they do not attribute it as a primary result of the execution
of this Project in the first place by the volume of producers with which the project works (less than 25% of the
total production at the national level) and secondly where the behavior of varieties resistant to coffee rust
can be appreciated in the future and not during the execution of the project.
In relation to this perception, we must not lose sight of the fact that extension workers are working to mitigate
the effects of rust on coffee with traditional methods that only include the use of chemical fungicides and the
donation of coffee trees, therefore, their experience relies on the use of these products and do not recognize
the contributions of the use of organic fungicides and the management of varieties resistant to rust. It is also
important to mention that the project carried out its first pilot test in the 2015-2016 cycle with a series of
organizations in tandem with the development of nurseries with the low-cost system, whose plants were
already planted with satisfactory results by surviving the transplant. On the other hand, producers have been
trained in the production of organic fungicidesthat have contributed to the reduction in the incidence of rust.
b. Project relevance within the coffee grower’s context:
From the perspective of producers, the project is highly appropriate to reactivate coffee cultivation, since the
goal is to increase coffee value chain productivity through the improvement of agricultural techniques and
technologies for coffee and diversified products.
The project focuses on the reactivation and improvement of coffee plantations through the promotion of rust
resistant enhanced coffee varieties and the use of organic agriculture, very appropriate actions to face the
situation of coffee cultivation expressed by the producers and parallel to government actions. The project’s
focus on low-cost coffee production systems has the following components:
• Low-cost coffee nurseries: use of organic fertilizers and small bags reducing the time for transplant to
six months.
• Input factories: production of biofertilizers and pest controllers, for the producer's own consumption
and with expectations of becoming agricultural suppliers of these inputs.
• Mechanization: improvement of efficiency in the field and reduction of costs in the renovation and
maintenance of coffee plantations, with the use of specialized equipment such as Pole Pruners,
Motorized Sprayers, Brush Cutters, Earth Augers among others.
The result of the practice of these three components can reduce the costs of production that leads to
improving the profitability and competitiveness of the producer (see Figure 3-1a)
11
Mechanization
Organic
Inputs
Provides:
- Use of organic
fertilizer and small
bags
- Reduction of time
at nursery
Provides:
- Production of
biofertilizers and
biopest controllers
Provides:
- Improvement and
efficiency of coffee
farm management
Provides:
- Cost
effectiveness
- Competitiveness
Figure 3-1a Low-Cost Coffee Production Systems
1 2 3
+ + =
Within this context, one of the most relevant activities in the project is the development of seedlings
producers or nurseries, which have been implemented in three lines: i. The supply of coffee rust resistant,
certified, and enhanced seeds, ii. The promotion of organic agriculture techniques for the establishment of
seedbeds and nurseries, and iii. The promotion of new techniques to manage nursery development in
combination with organic agriculture.
Figure 3-1b: Capacity building events for coffee sector by the project
Coffee Nursery Coffee Nursery
Low Cost
Nurseries
Cost
Reduction
Production
Low-Cost Production System
12
Field Day Field Day
Capacity Building Mechanization Demonstration Capacity Building Mechanization Demonstration
Capacity Building Organic Inputs Training Capacity Building Organic Inputs Training
Field Day – Training Materials Field Day – Training Materials
The mid-term evaluation took advantage of the producer’s survey, to identify those who have also benefited
from the promotion of nurseries (originally it was foreseen to do it through focus groups). This was because
it was the same producers to be surveyed who had limited available time when it was urgent to tend to their
13
own field activities to be developed at the beginning of the rainy season. The instrument used for this survey
is in Annex 1.
The results indicate they all received NCBA CLUSA training for the preparation of seedbeds and nurseries,
having received an average of 4.5 trainings in the last two years. 95% of those surveyed are applying the
organic agriculture practices, and 45% qualify their results as excellent, and an equal percentage qualify them
as good; that is, 90% have a good qualification of organic agriculture. On the other hand, 95% will continue,
in the future, with organic agriculture.
Related to the certified seed, all received this product from the project; however, 35% say they did not
received it on time (located on the following mountain ranges: Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Bálsamo-Quezaltepec,
Chinchontepec, and Tecapa-Chinameca), only Cooperative El Refugio and Producer Organization Guadalupe
de Chinchontepec stated that the quality of the seeds was not good.
It is important to mention that the comments regarding the seed originate from a delivery at the end of 2016,
and in the cases of the bad quality seed, it was necessary to make a new delivery at the beginning of this year.
In both cases producers expressed the vegetative development of the plants was not enough, and since the
bag provided for the nursery is smaller than usual, the plants to be delivered to the producer organization or
cooperative members, will be smaller. In the culture of the coffee growers, during planting it is customary to
select plants with the greatest development and in larger bags, because in their opinion this guarantees the
plant will survive the transplant; nonetheless, technically it has been demonstrated that the size of the bags
and the plants used in the project have led to establish good coffee plantations in the field. These are the
cultural subjects to be solved with the results demonstration through time.
In this group of nursery managers, 90% consider the project appropriate, and the best activities are: trainings
(70%), inputs delivery (20%), and technical assistance (10%). On the project's coordination, 55% qualify it as
excellent, 35% as good, and 10% as regular. Figure 3-2. Regarding what the nursery managers would change
before the end of the project, 25% requested more training, 15% required more technical assistance, 25%
would make no changes, and the rest asked for more inputs, improve the quality of the seed and other (see
Figure 3-3).
In both Figures (3-2 and 3-3) the importance of the capacity building component is underlined as one of the
project's strength.
Figure 3-2: Best performance of the project,
according to nursery managers
Figure 3-3: Changes to project suggested by
nursery managers
Source: Internally-produced.
14
c. Actions within the context of Coffee Rust effects
Another project area that has special relevance for reactivation processes of coffee production, are works
performed in capacity building, at the institutional level, as well as for producers, on coffee rust mitigation.
After the severe attacks of the coffee rust fungus to the coffee orchard, the Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock through CENTA-CAFE has been developing efforts towards the recovery of the coffee orchard
productivity, promoting coffee plantation renewal programs, and fungicide packages provision for the control
of the disease.
Official data indicates that the effects of this this disease shows a reduction trend since 2014 until December
2016, as shown in Figure 3-4. However, the high percentages threatening coffee plantations productivity, are
maintained.
This year MAG has continued the delivery of more than 13.54 million coffee plants nationally. With this
incentive to production, 6,000 producers will be favored, among associated and individuals, and 4,982
hectares of coffee plantation will be renewed. The government has invested over 5 million 768 thousand 474
dollars in this initiative. In 2015, MAG reported that the amount invested in the purchase of fungicides
increased to 3.4 million dollars, and 15 thousand coffee growers throughout the country were benefited,
representing an increase in benefited producers, compared to 2014.45
Figure 3-4 shows the notable impact of rust per production strata (in meters above sea level - MaSL). There is
no doubt among coffee growers that coffee rust continues being one of the greatest concerns, without
forgetting the unfavorable situation of international coffee prices. The chairman of the Coffee Forum, said
that in the West, the fungus of the rust infestation "does not go down from 50%" on average perfarm.
Meanwhile, at the Coffee Association, there is a registry that in Santa Ana and Ahuachapán, the average is
70%; he then adds that during the 2016-2017 harvest, it was necessary to invest $129 additionally per hectare
to face coffee plant diseases. The chairman of the Las Cruces Cooperative, also says that production used to 
be 5,000 bags, and after the infestation it went down to 598 bags. This season 2016-2017 would reach 3,500 
bags, but with the massive resurgence seen since last year, "we will go back to 598 or similar next season;
we need help with plants (for renewal) and long term loans." 6
4 Government delivers over 14 million coffee plants nationally. 14/06/2017 http://www.mag.gob.sv/gobierno-entrega-mas-de-14-millones-de-plantas-de￾cafe-a-nivel-nacional/
5 MAG officially delivers fungicides to fight coffee rust and protect plantations. http://www.presidencia.gob.sv/mag-oficializa-entrega-de-fungicidas-para￾combatir-la-roya-y-proteger-los-cafetales/
6 ACUTE PROBLEMS DUE TO COFFEE RUST IN THE WEST 15/06/2017. La Prensa Gráfica. http://www.laprensagrafica.com/2015/02/09/graves-problemas￾por-la-roya-en-occidente
15
Figure 3-4: Frequency of rust per strata, since July 2014 until December 2016
Source Report on the epidemiological situation of coffee rust in El Salvador during the month of December, 2016. Coffee Management. CENTA CAFÉ-MAG.
Actions of the project oriented towards increasing productivity in the coffee crop, especially with the planting
of varieties resistant to this fungus, will hardly show results within the term of the project if we consider that
plantations started their significant crops in the third year. It is possible that the degree of resistance of these
varieties will allow the project to show a contribution to the decrease of impact on the plantations, which may
be done at the completion of the project using the evaluations of the agricultural cycles 2017-2018 and 2018-
2019.
5. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: EFFICACY
These criteria focus on analyzing the degree at which the performance indicators for each of the nine components
of intervention for development, have been reached. For this, an analysis base has been structured with the
programmed targets during the five years of intervention, the results obtained at the end of the assessed period
which is equivalent to approximately 55% of the execution time.
Figure 4-1 summarizes the average progress per each of the indicators conglomerated to describe the progress of
the nine components of the project.
Table 4-1a indicates the proportion of indicators per component grouped in four categories of progress while
Table 4-1b shows the progress for each of the 78 indicators. Based on this information: (i) 24.4% of performance
indicators have an attainment of less than 40%, and this group of indicators have a critical role that needs to be
carefully monitored by NCBA CLUSA; (ii) 25.6% of the indicators are located between 41% and 60% of attainment,
in these cases the progress observed is found within what is expected for the time of this evaluation; (iii) 23.1%
of the performance indicators are between 61% and 100% of attainment, what shows an accelerated progress
towards total completion of programmed goals; and (iv) 26.9% of the indicators have already exceeded the
programmed goals at the time of this evaluation. When grouping the previous progress per component, it can be
inferred that NCBA CLUSA must focus its attention on the following:
• Promotion of financial services for the coffee sector (55.6% of its indicators).
16
For the preparation of this matrix, primary information has been compiled, filtered, and analyzed from the project
Data Management System, and at the same time a data collection effort has been made from the evaluation
survey specially conducted for this evaluation, as well as reference data solicited from government institutions
that have accompanied the project. It’s noteworthy, when reviewing the system information with NCBA CLUSA,
some deficienciesthat were found in the project Data Management System on the information bundling processes
and reports creation, which will be reviewed and corrected.7
Figure 4-1: Average level of progress in goal attainment per component
Table 4-1a. Consolidation of progress per project component
Components Less than
40%
Between
40% and
60%
Between
60% and
100%
Above
100%
Average
Progress
A1 Capacity Building: Government Institutions 33.3% 0.0% 0.0% 66.7% 177.5%
A2 Capacity Building: Producer Groups/Cooperatives 20.0% 30.0% 0.0% 50.0% 122.3%
A3 Financial Services: Facilitate Agricultural Lending 11.1% 44.4% 22.2% 22.2% 69.9%
A4 In-kind Grants: Inputs 46.7% 26.7% 26.7% 0.0% 42.8%
A5 Inputs: Develop agro dealers and/or other input
suppliers 0.0% 22.2% 33.3% 44.4% 299.5%
A6 Market Access: Facilitate Buyer-Seller Relationships 25.0% 0.0% 0.0% 75.0% 288.5%
A7 Market Access: Facilitate Private and/or Public
Partnerships 50.0% 30.0% 10.0% 10.0% 42.7%
A8 Training: Improved Marketing and Branding 0.0% 0.0% 33.3% 66.7% 123.9%
A9 Training: Improved Agricultural Production Techniques 13.3% 26.7% 46.7% 13.3% 91.8%
General Total 24.4% 25.6% 23.1% 26.9% 139.9%
Source: Internally produced based on information of the NCBA CLUSA Monitoring System and complementary information,see Table 4-1b.
7
The project’s technical team granted to the assessing team of the project, total access to system inquiries, besides providing complementary information
that explains or details additional aspects for the construction of analyzed information.
17
Table 4-1b. Detail of progress per indicator and per component
REF Description of
Activities 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 TOTAL Mid-term
evaluation
Progress
related to
total
project
goal
1.1
Number of
training sessions
in improved
coffee and
diversification
crop productivity
techniques and
technologies
conducted for
government
extension workers
2 2 2 2 0 8 17 212.5%
1.2
Number of
government
extension workers
trained in
improved coffee
and diversification
crop productivity
techniques and
technology
20 20 20 20 0 80 256 320.0%
1.3
Number of market
info and early
warning systems
for coffee sector
strengthened
within GOES with
USDA assistance
through the
addition of coffee
field mapping
0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0.0%
18
2.1
Number of coffee
round table
events organized
by the local
government
institution with
USDA assistance
1
1
1
1
0
4 10 250.0%
2.2
Number of
cooperatives /
producer
organizations
benefiting from
attending the
coffee round table
events organized
by the local
government
institution with
USDA assistance
10 20 30 30
0 90 53 58.9%
2.3
Number of
training in coffee
improvement and
crop
diversification,
farmer field
schools and basic
extension
techniques
conducted for
extension workers
4
4
4
4
0 16 30 187.5%
2.4
Number of
cooperative
extension workers
trained in coffee
improvements
and crop
diversification,
100 100 100 100
0 400 519 129.8%
19
farmer field
school and basic
extension
techniques
2.5
Number of
training sessions
in cooperative
governance and
management
conducted for
cooperative board
staff
3
3
3
3
0 12 42 350.0%
2.6
Number of
cooperative board
staff trained in
governance and
management
100 200 200 100
0 600 350 58.3%
2.7
Number of
business plans
developed by
cooperatives with
USDA assistance
10 20 20
0
0 50 29 58.0%
2.8
Number of
cooperative
networks
developed with
USDA assistance
0
1
0
0
0
1
1 100.0%
2.9
Number of coffee
related public
-
private
networking events
organized with
USDA assistance
1
2
2
2
0
7
2 28.6%
2.10
Number of
cooperatives
benefiting from
attending the
0 50 50 50
0 150
3 2.0%
20
public
-private
networking events
organized with
USDA assistance
3.1
Number of
training sessions
in expanding
financial services
to coffee farmers
conducted for
financial
institution officers
2
2
2
0
0
6
3 50.0%
3.2
Number of
financial
institutions
officers trained in
expanding
financial services
to coffee farmers
5 10
5
0
0 20 33 165.0%
3.3
Value of loans
provided as a
result of USDA
assistance (male)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 6)
$500,000 $500,000 $784,797 $784,797 $500,000 $3,069,594 $1,370,320 44.6%
3.4
Number of
training sessions
in financial
planning,
management, and
applying for
financing
conducted for
administrative
and/or finance
officers of
targeted
4
4
4
4
0 16 12 75.0%
21
cooperative
and/or producer
organizations.
3.5
Number of
administrative
and/or finance
officers of
targeted
cooperative
and/or producer
organizations
trained in
financial planning,
management and
applying for
financing
50 100 100 100
0 350 159 45.4%
3.6
Number of
individuals
receiving financial
services as
a
result of USDA
assistance (male)
Food for Progress
(FFPr indicator 4)
500 500 1000 1000
0 3000 2487 82.9%
3.7
Number of loans
disbursed as a
result of USDA
assistance
200 400 750 125 300 1775 402 22.6%
3.8
Value of loans
provided as a
result of USDA
assistance
(female) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 6)
$100,000 $200,000 $200,000 $261,690
$
- $761,690 $312,292 41.0%
22
3.9
Number of
individuals
receiving financial
services as
a
result of USDA
assistance
(female) Food for
Progress (FFPr
indicator 4)
200 200 300 300
0 1000 1021 102.1%
4.1
Number of in
-kind
input grants
distributed to
farmers with
USDA assistance
2600 3800 1600
0
0 8000 6657 83.2%
4.2
Value (in USD) of
in
-kind input
grants distributed
to farmers with
USDA assistance
$650,000 $500,000 $250,000
$
-
$
- $1,400,000 $729,857 52.1%
4.3
Number of
farmers receiving
in
-kind input
grants with USDA
assistance
2000 2600 1200
0
0 5800 3703 63.8%
4.4
Number of
hectares under
improved
agricultural
techniques and
technologies
(coffee) (new)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 1)
7500 7500
0
0
0 15000 9209 61.4%
4.5
Number of
hectares under
improved
agricultural
0
0 5000 5000 5000 15000 3356.53 22.4%
23
techniques and
technologies
(coffee)
(continuing) Food
for Progress(FFPr
Indicator 1)
4.6
Number of
hectares under
improved
agricultural
techniques and
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(new)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
after baseline)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 1)
1000 1000
0
0
0 2000 687.3 34.4%
4.7
Number of
hectares under
improved
agricultural
techniques and
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(continuing)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
0
0 1000 1000 1000 3000
0 0.0%
24
after baseline)
Food For Progress
(FFPr Indicator 1)
4.8
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance (coffee)
(male) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 2)
1050 1260 1260 1260 420 5250 2941 56.0%
4.9
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance (coffee)
(female) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 2)
450 540 540 540 180 2250 938 41.7%
4.10
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(male)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
630 756 756 756 252 3150 1080 34.3%
25
after baseline)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 2)
4.11
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(female)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
after baseline)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 2)
270 324 324 324 108 1350 359 26.6%
4.12
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(new)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
after baseline)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 2)
900 270 270 270 90 1800 486 27.0%
26
4.13
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
(diversified crops)
(continuing)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
after baseline)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 2)
0 810 810 810 270 2700
0 0.0%
4.14
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance (coffee)
(new) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 2)
1500 450 450 450 150 3000 2518 83.9%
4.15
Number of
individuals who
have applied new
techniques or
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance (coffee)
(continue) Food
for Progress (FFPr
Indicator 2)
0 1350 1350 1350 450 4500 2499 55.5%
27
5.1
Number of private
nurseries with
expanded
production or rust
resistance coffee
varieties
8 10 12
0
0 30 48 160.0%
5.2
Number of
training sessions
in coffee seedling
multiplication
conducted for
nurseries and
cooperative staff
and farmers
2
2
2
0
0
6 50 833.3%
5.3
Number of
cooperative and
nursery staff
trained in seedling
production
16 20 24
0
0 60 573 955.0%
5.4
Number of
training sessions
in the production
of organic
fertilizer and
pesticides for
cooperative staff
/
lead farmers
10 10 10
0
0 30 126 420.0%
5.5
Number of
cooperative staff /
lead farmers
trained in the
production of
organic fertilizer
and pesticides
100 150 200
0
0 450 292 64.9%
28
5.6
Number of
farmers benefiting
from agriculture
inputs with USDA
assistance
2500 2500 2500
0
0 7500 3712 49.5%
5.7
Number of field
days involving
input suppliers
and input
companies
40 60 80 100
0 280 217 77.5%
5.8
Number of
linkages created
between
cooperatives and
inputsuppliers
20 30 40 50
0 140 106 75.7%
5.9
Number of direct
beneficiaries
benefiting from
attending field
days
2000 5000 7000 7500
0 21500 12735 59.2%
6.1
Number of
buyer/seller
meetings held
0
4
4
4
0 12 18 150.0%
6.2
Number of
linkages
buyer/seller
created
0 30 30 30
0 90 268 297.8%
6.3
Number of new
buyers of
specialty coffee
linked to target
cooperatives with
USDA assistance
0
0
2
3
0
5 34 680.0%
29
6.4
Number of
producer
organization
members
benefiting from
buyer/seller
meeting
1000 1000 3000 2500
0 7500 1952 26.0%
7.1
Number of public
-
private
partnerships
formed as a result
of USDA
assistance, Food
for Progress (FFPr
Indicator 8)
1
2
2
2
0
7
7 100.0%
7.2
Value of coffee
related joint
public
-private
initiatives aimed
at expanding
trade
250000 250000 500000 875000
0 $1,875,000 $969,107 51.7%
7.3
Number of public
and private
financial
institutions
participating in
coffee related
public
-private
initiatives
1
1
1
0
0
3
2 66.7%
7.4
Value of new
public and private
sector investment
leverage as a
result of USDA
assistance (public)
Food for Progress
(FFPr indicator 9)
$250,000 $250,000
$ 500,000
$ 750,000
$
- $1,750,000 $499,005 28.5%
30
7.5
Value of new
public and private
sector investment
leverage as a
result of USDA
assistance
(private) Food for
Progress (FFPr
indicator 9)
$250,000 $250,000 $500,000 $750,000 $ - $1,750,000 $299,150 17.1%
7.6
Value of sales by
project
beneficiaries
(coffee) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 13)
$5,000,000 $6,820,000 $9,300,000 $12,700,000 $17,330,960 $ 51,150,960 $20,772,930 40.6%
7.7
Volume of
commodities
METRIC TONS
(quintales
bag=100 pounds)
sold by project
beneficiaries
(coffee) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 14)
3200 3200 3200 3200 0 12800 5817 45.4%
7.8
Volume of
commodities
(metric tons) sold
by project
beneficiaries
(diversifies crops)
(diversification
will be at farmers'
discretion; targets
will be revised
after baseline)
500 500 500 500 0 2000 303.256 15.2%
31
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 14)
7.9
Value of sales by
project
beneficiaries
(diversified crops)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 13)
$500,000 $500,000 $500,000 $750,000 $0 $2,250,000 $498,329.00 22.1%
7.10
Value of sales by
project
beneficiaries
(coffee)
(diversified crops)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 13)
$5,500,000 $7,320,000 $9,800,000 $13,450,000 $17,330,960 $53,400,960 $21,253,986 39.8%
8.1
Number of
cooperative
personnel or
organizations that
have been trained
in marketing
techniques.
150 150 150 150 0 600 467 77.8%
8.2
Number of
training sessions
in marketing
techniques
conducted for
cooperatives
and/or producer
organizations staff
4 4 4 4 0 16 23 143.8%
8.3
Number of
promotional
campaigns
supported
benefiting
1 1 1 1 0 4 6 150.0%
32
producers
affected by coffee
rust
9.1
Number of farmer
field schools
established
15 20 25
5
0 65 61 93.8%
9.2
Number of
individuals who
have received
short
-term
agricultural sector
productivity or
food security
training as a result
of USDA
assistance (male)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 16)
1400 2100 1400 350
0 5250 2819 53.7%
9.3
Number of
training sessions
in improved
techniques and
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
conducted for
farmers
80 120 80 20
0 300 836 278.7%
9.4
Number of radio
programs about
coffee rust
mitigation
practices
broadcasted with
USDA assistance
8 12 12 12
0 44 32 72.7%
33
9.5
Number of
farmers who have
received training
on improved
agricultural
techniques and
technologies as a
result of USDA
assistance
2000 3000 2000 500
0 7500 4101 54.7%
9.6
Number of
individuals who
have received
short
-term
agricultural sector
productivity or
food security
training as a result
of USDA
assistance
(female) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 16)
600 900 600 150
0 2250 1094 48.6%
9.7
Number of
individuals who
have received
short
-term
agricultural sector
productivity or
food security
training as a result
of USDA
assistance (new)
Food for Progress
(FFPr Indicator 16)
2000 750 500 125
0 3375 3206 95.0%
34
9.8
Number of
individuals who
have received
short
-term
agricultural sector
productivity or
food security
training as a result
of USDA
assistance
(continuing) Food
for Progress (FFPr
Indicator 16)
0 2250 1500 375
0 4125 1435 34.8%
9.9
Number of jobs
attributed to
USDA assistance
(male) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 15)
4359 4359 4359 4359
0 17436 4342 24.9%
9.10
Number of jobs
attributed to
USDA assistance
(female) Food for
Progress (FFPr
Indicator 15)
400 400 400 650
0 1850 1263 68.3%
9.11
Total number of
individuals
benefiting directly
as a result of
USDA assistance
(male) (standard
FFPr) Food for
Progress
(Indicator 17)
700 1400 1400 1400 350 5250 3984 75.9%
35
9.12
Total number of
individuals
benefiting directly
as a result of
USDA assistance
(female) (standard
FFPr) Food for
Progress
(Indicator 17)
300 600 600 600 150 2250 1546 68.7%
9.13
Total number of
individuals
benefiting
indirectly as a
result of USDA
assistance
(standard FFPr)
Food for Progress
(Indicator 18)
5000 10000 10000 10000 2500 37500 27650 73.7%
9.14
Total number of
individuals
benefiting directly
as a result of
USDA assistance
(new) (standard
FFPr) Food for
Progress
(Indicator 17)
1000 300 300 300 0 1900 5530 291.1%
9.15
Total number of
individuals
benefiting directly
as a result of
USDA assistance
(continuing) Food
for Progress
(Indicator 17)
0 1700 1700 1700 500 5600 2399 42.8%
Source: Internally produced based on information of the NCBA CLUSA Monitoring System and complementary information.
36
a. Capacity building: government institutions
Average attainment of indicators of this component is 177.5% of the foreseen goal (see Figure 4-1). Activities
developed in this component have been directly associated with consolidating a working relationship with
CENTA-CAFÉ’s territorial technical, and strengthening technical capacities on subjects of interest for the
project, mainly the introduction of new work methodologies in organic agricultural production, organic
fertilizers preparation and their components, and agricultural diversification for the coffee sector.
In these project activities, on the date of this evaluation, 17 training activities in techniques and technologies
has been conducted to enhance coffee's productivity and agricultural diversification, where 256 extension
agents from CENTA-CAFE participated doubling and tripling the targets foreseen for both activities.
There are no post event evaluations that allow us to have an idea of reception ofsubjects included in trainings
and their post-training daily work application. It is a recurrent weakness in all training efforts that the project
has performed.
In this case the CENTA-CAFE team had three sessions in each of the regions where this operative division of
CENTA is located, and where there was an opportunity to interact with these working teams and hear their
opinions on what has been achieved by the project to date. Table 4-2 shows a summary of the main opinions
collected within this group, which in general are very positive and underline that the most relevant
contribution of the project to national coffee production, are the training and technical support efforts
provided by the project, for which NCBA CLUSA and CENTA-CAFE must generate the necessary sustainable
mechanisms.
Table 4-2: Main comments from technical team CENTA-CAFE
Aspect Eastern Zone Paracentral Zone Western Zone
What is your
evaluation of what the
project has achieved?
Excellent Excellent Very Good
The best achieved
1. Training on organic
and
commercialization, 2.
Equipment delivery,
3. Support to CENTA
on field days.
Training
Training - Technical backing in CENTA-CAFE
support and coordination.
Introduction of new production technologies and
coffee processing.
Needs to improve
1. More coordination
with CENTA, 2. Closer
approximation to
CENTA.
1.
Commercialization
2. More time for
nursery
development and
larger bags, 3
Agreement on the
variety to promote
Give more time for plant growth in the organic
technologies
Improve work with nursery managers
Better cared for plants with greater evolution Take
better care of bag size matter... Make more
evaluations about the quality and relevance of the
plant in the function of soils. Premises need to be
assessed to lower costs on the planting process... it
cannot always be achieved
Better support qualities of products to process
coffee It is very important to support on Coffee
Commercialization Techniques
Relevant Yes, organic was
necessary
Yes, but those who
needed it most
were notsupported
Yes, because it has introduced new production
techniques and has motivated the improvement of
commercialization conditions and value added
generation. The project has been more effective
with small producers and created associated
groups
37
Aspect Eastern Zone Paracentral Zone Western Zone
Project coordination
Yes, but did not
coordinate the coffee
variety to be
promoted
Yes, at all levels
There has been very good coordination among
regional leaders of both teams and the technical
team They work based on local coordination
meetings
Suggested changes
1. Strengthen CENTA￾CAFE, 2 Join efforts, 3
Improve nurseries
planting programs
More training on
commercialization
and nurseries
management
(a) Processing by producers, (b) introduction in
certain zones of rainwater collection, (c) continue
with mechanization efforts, (e) develop business
round tables to improve commercialization, (f)
study other agricultural diversification options,
especially on honeybee matters.
Sustainability of efforts
started by the project.
Sustainability is not
assured; more time is
necessary with the
subjects approached
by the project.
Sustainability is not
assured, organic
practice is too new,
the project term is
too short.
It is necessary to transfer technology and work
instruments from NCBA CLUSA to CENTA for a
continuity to exist on technical support, mainly on
organic subjects.
Source: Internally produced based on information of the NCBA CLUSA Monitoring System and complementary information.
Finally, for this component, it was not possible to completely conclude the associated activity to market
information systems and early warning for the strengthening of the coffee sector within GOES, with the
assistance provided by USDA through the incorporation of coffee field mapping.
b. Capacity building: producer groups/cooperatives
Average attainment of indicators for this component was 122.3% of the foreseen goal (see Figure 4-1). This
component has produced better assessed results from the project within the perceptions of the beneficiary
population, mainly on subjects associated to new agricultural production techniques. The focus has been on
the identification and training of extension agents among personnel of the cooperatives and producer
organizations as part of the FFSs methodology. The project has offered technical training to 519 extension
agents (128% of the originally established goal), who later worked with an estimate of 4000 farm producers
in FFSs led by producer organizations and cooperative extension agents. During the survey performed among
producers, it was possible to prove that 7 out of every 10-interviewees confirmed that their cooperative or
producer organization had a FFS, and at the same time, 9 out of every 10-interviewees confirmed participation
in a FFS (see Table 4-3a & b).
Regarding the number of FFSs established by region among the six mountain ranges participating in the
project shows that for the cases of Apaneca-Ilamatepec, Cacahuatique and El Bálsamo there is a greater
concentration of FFSs established, per the opinions provided by the interviewed producers (see Figure 4-2)8
8
Farmer Field Schools are a teaching and capacity building mechanism to offer farmers the opportunity to test alternatives and improve practices. To test
alternatives, a shared field plot is used by several farmers. The main result of this training is that farmers adopt the new alternatives voluntarily, and
implement them in their field plots. Through its implementation, FFSs use the informal education principles for adults that considers participating producers
are individuals without knowledge because they have acquired it through experience. Therefore, education through a Farmer Field School is not a matter of
making technical recommendations, but to encourage changesin what farmers do, respecting what people do well. For the development of learning in Farmer
Field Schools, the use of different tools is proposed for teaching, together with the agro-ecological and experimental analysis, generating scenarios for
observation and analysis of current realities, encouraging the practical application of knowledge in decision-making to solve specific problems.
38
Table 4-3a: Farmer Field Schools organized by cooperatives and producer organizations
REGION YES NO I DON´T KNOW TOTAL
Alotepeque-Metapan 67% 26% 7% 100%
Apaneca- Ilamatepec 78% 14% 8% 100%
Cacahuatique 69% 21% 9% 100%
Chinchontepec 65% 16% 20% 100%
El Bálsamo-Quezaltepeque 67% 24% 9% 100%
Tecapa-Chinameca 57% 28% 15% 100%
Average Total 68% 21% 11% 100%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Table 4-3b: Participation by surveyed producer on
a Farmer Field School
REGION YES NO TOTAL
Alotepeque￾Metapán 92.2% 7.8% 100.0%
Apaneca￾Ilamatepec 92.0% 8.0% 100.0%
Cacahuatique 92.6% 7.4% 100.0%
Chinchontepec 87.9% 12.1% 100.0%
El Balsamo -
Quezaltepeque 82.9% 17.1% 100.0%
Tecapa -
Chinameca 89.4% 10.6% 100.0%
General Total 89.9% 10.1% 100.0%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Figure 4-2: Responses from surveyed producers
related to how many FFSs their cooperative and
producer organizations have developed, on
average
Farmer Field Schools for this project have constituted a very practical and economical method to disseminate
knowledge and consolidate learning of new technologies in coffee production and agricultural diversification
among the project beneficiary population, besides being developed quite efficiently by the NCBA CLUSA
technical team.
During the survey performed with the project’s producer population, 55% identified NCBA CLUSA and the
project as the main technical assistance supplier in the last three years (see Table 4-4). Also 66.77% of
producers indicated that the technical attention received has been provided per their needs. When
disaggregating this information by mountain range, it is important to note that Tecapa-Chinameca is where
people considered that the technical assistance received from the project covered their needs (81.3% of the
responses) and that the Cacahuatique region is where a smaller proportion of producers considered it likewise
(60.5% of the responses), the detail of this information can be seen in Figure 4-3a.
An additional figure is that, on average, 91.3% of the responses indicated that the technical assistance
received from the project met their needs, that it was received in a timely manner (see Figure 4-3b), and
perceived a very efficient coordination of project efforts.
39
Table 4-4: Technical Assistance suppliers for coffee producers (per region)
REGION CENTA￾CAFE
MAG SALVADORAN
COFFEE
GROWERS
ASSOCIATION
PROCAFE NCBA
CLUSA
OTHER TOTAL
Alotepeque￾Metapán
34% 5% 3% 8% 47% 4% 100%
Apaneca￾Ilamatepec
30% 3% 0% 2% 59% 7% 100%
Cacahuatique 30% 6% 0% 3% 51% 9% 100%
Chinchontepec 38% 2% 0% 2% 56% 3% 100%
El Balsamo -
Quezaltepeque
33% 3% 1% 4% 51% 8% 100%
Tecapa -Chinameca 21% 1% 0% 1% 73% 3% 100%
General Total 31% 4% 1% 3% 55% 6% 100%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Figure 4-3a: Did technical assistance received
from the project cover your needs?
Figure 4-3b: Was the technical assistance received
from the project, appropriate?
100.0%
39.5%
60.5%
Cacahuatique
YES
35.7%
64.3%
chinchontepec
NO
18.7%
81.3%
Tecapa -
Chinameca
100.0%
9.0% 10.1% 6.8%
93.2%
Cacahuatique
YES
7.8%
92.2%
chinchontepec
NO
9.0% 9.3%
90.7%
Tecapa -
Chinameca
80.0% 34.2% 38.3% 36.0% 80.0%
60.0% 60.0%
40.0%
65.8% 61.7% 64.0%
40.0%
91.0% 89.9% 91.0%
20.0% 20.0%
0.0% Alotepeque -
Metapán
Apaneca -
Llamatepec
El Bálsamo -
Quezaltepeque
0.0%
Alotepeque -
Metapán
Apaneca -
Llamatepec
El Bálsamo -
Quezaltepeque
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Besides the training efforts with the FFSs for agricultural subjects, the project has conducted 42 trainings
(350% of the originally foreseen goal), with the participation of 350 cooperative officials, representing 84.8%
of the originally programmed goal. The above shows that the project's capacity with these officials has been
very limited, since during the first events performed, the average participation was lower than 10 participants
per events, a reason for the project to modify its strategy to carry out in-site events for the cooperatives and
producer organizations, and achieve greater participation, although the number of events increased.
Another important line of action in this component has been the creation and leverage of cooperative
networks, working in three specific cases: a network created with coffee cooperatives located on the San
Salvador volcano; the Network of Cooperatives that is part of the Coffee Forum; and support was given to the
Executive Directorate of the Plan Trifinio El Salvador to support the creation of a network of cooperatives and
producer organizations in northern El Salvador; however, this last effort was not able to be achieved.
In the case of the Coffee Forum (formed on January 3, 2013), the NCBA CLUSA project is carrying out an
organizational strengthening process with them on the following activities:
✓ Approval of funds to buy working equipment for mechanization processes in coffee plantations:
motor-sickles, augers, high-altitude pruners, aspersion pumps, to reduce costs in agriculture labor.
40
✓ Support for the creation of a brand for coffee sales.
✓ Workshops on marketing for the specialty coffee market
✓ Workshops on entrepreneurial partnership and cooperative networks
Regardless of the efforts performed, the results are very limited in these activities, because only two events
have been organized where six people have participated in the representation of said cooperatives.
Finally, in this component, 50 business plans with cooperatives and producer organizations are planned to be
developed with the assistance of the project, and to date 29 have been formulated (58% of the programmed
goal for the project).
c. Financialservices: facilitate agricultural lending.
The average attainment of the indicators in this component is 69.9% of the foreseen goal (see Figure 4-1), and
in general terms, it represents very modest results related to the proposed goals, within a context that
traditionally has not been very favorable for the Salvadoran coffee sector.
The project has mainly worked these initiatives with officers from BANCO HIPOTECARIO and BANCO DE
FOMENTO AGROPECUARIO, with whom cooperation agreements have been signed with the project, and two
awareness events have been developed for operational officials of both banks. To date there is information
specifying that 33 bank officers have participated in 3 events organized by the project. It is noteworthy that
during the technical discussion on coffee to banks, 25 banking officials registered as participants; and 5
participants registered for the Application of Sustainable Techniques and Technologies for Investment Plans
to Finance on Coffee Cultivation workshop that took place at Cooperative La Majada.
At the same time of, the awareness events with banking officials, the project organized twelve training
sessions on financial planning, management, and financing applications addressed to administrative and/or
financial personnel from cooperatives or producer organizations, an equivalent to 75% of the total goal
planned for the project, underlining the participation of 159 people, an equivalent to 45% of the total
programmed goal. This is important, considering that the project has only operated for 17 months during
which it has consolidated the implementation of the activities that have allowed it to achieve in good measure
what was programmed for 24 months.
These activities have had a moderate impact on the financial negotiation capacity of coffee growers benefited
by the project. Figure 4-4 shows that among the surveyed population for this evaluation, most regions have
limited access to bank financing, except the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region.
41
Figure 4-4: Access to financing to project beneficiaries (per region)
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Based on the registered information from the project data management system:
• 2,487 male producers (71%) and 1,021 (29%) female producers have received financial services to
negotiate a credit, totaling 3,508 individuals.
• Of the totals mentioned, the project registered 402 credits that have been granted, representing 11.4%
of the total individuals who have applied. From this total, 320 male producers (80%) and 82 female
producers (20%) have received financial services to negotiate a credit.9
• These amounts lead to the conclusion that a female producer has 60% probability of obtaining credit,
compared to a credit negotiated by a male producer.
• Regarding the distribution of credits per geographic area, there is a marked concentration in the Apaneca￾Ilamatepec (61%) region and the El Bálsamo-Quezaltepeque (37%) region, leaving only 8 credits approved
in the other four regions served by the project (2%).
• The 402 approved creditstotal $1,682,612, of which over 94.5% correspond to harvest collateralized loans
and 5.5% to planting credits. Of this total, only 22% have been granted to female producers.
The amounts described above, in terms of negotiated credit volume with the assistance of the project, are
equivalent to a 44.6% of the originally foreseen goal (for female producers, this represents 41.0% of the
foreseen goal in monetary terms). Regardless the above, when analyzing these indicators by the number of
beneficiaries served by gender, during this mid-term evaluation, the goal of males benefitted is 82.9%, and
females benefitted is 102.1%. This implies that credit amounts being managed, are in average of a minor size
than originally foreseen, since these have concentrated in harvest collateralized loans and to a lesser
proportion, in credits associated to new crops.
9
The project data management system does not allow the precise account of how many people accessed a financial service and could process a bank credit,
and how many of said applications were approved and disbursed.
42
The overall conclusion to be drawn from the analysis of this component is that the efforts and results obtained
by the project, although positive and focused in the right direction, in a short time, have not been sufficient
to open new opportunities to increase access to financing for the project beneficiaries, particularly in the case
of producers located in the Tecapa-Chinameca, Cacahuatique, Chinchontepec and Alotepeque-Metapán
mountain ranges. In these efforts, it is necessary to involve BANDESAL and its BANCA AGROPECUARIA
Program.
d. In-kind grants: inputs.
The average attainment of indicators in this component is 42.8% of the foreseen goal, representing one of the
two lowest averages of percentage progress among the nine project components. See Figure 4-1. Regardless
of the above, this component is showing very interesting results within the logic of the project's legacy given
to the Salvadoran coffee sector, which would be visible if only analyzing average attainment.
Basically, this component is associated with the in-kind grants budget for producers who participate in the
project with technical assistance services in new techniques or technologies, introduced by the project as
much for coffee production as well as for crops diversification that supplement the income for the producers
who are being served by the project.
At the time of this mid-term evaluation, NCBA CLUSA has been able to deliver 83% of in-kind donations
foreseen in the project (6,657 of 8,000) within a period equivalent to 55% of the life of the project. The above
haslogic,since it is expected that the greatest concentration of farm inputs be delivered during the first stages
of the project to monitor throughout the five years of execution.
Nevertheless, it is interesting to highlight that 83% of in-kind donations delivered have only reached 52% of
the foreseen investment in this component (budget of $1,400,000, of which by March 31, 2017, NCBA CLUSA
reported $729,857.04). This is due to the strategy developed by the project, that concentrated efforts in the
creation and strengthening of a nursery network that is producing the coffee seedlings to be delivered to the
coffee producers as part of the renewal efforts of the Salvadoran coffee orchard.
This effort has also been developed under the premise of an active co-investment activity with participating
producers, in three stages:
• NCBA CLUSA delivers basic supplies to create a nursery network: certified coffee seed and inputs for
the organic production of fertilizers and fungicides, for producers to contribute with labor, care, and
bag filling for seedlings;
• Training producers, using the already described methodology of FFSs, and finally,
• The nurseries deliver the seedlings to the producers who were previously trained in the new organic
production techniques, complementing the donation with inputs for organic fertilizers and fungicides,
and in most the cases, deliver equipment to optimize planting and caring of the donated plants.
To do this, the 6,657 in-kind donations have been delivered to a total of 3,703 producers, selected because
they already had coffee production processes compatible with the new technologiesintroduced by the project
and/or accepted to participate by producing seedlings in nurseries.
43
This scheme has proven to be very efficient and practical, and has allowed the project to provide services to
a total of 5,530 producers of both genders10 through March 31, 2017, a joint total which includes the 3,703
previously described plus 1,827 producers that have only received technical assistance from the project and
inputs from other programs of support to coffee production from CENTA-CAFÉ or other institutions. This joint
total is equivalent to 73.7% of the total goal for the project (7,500) to the date of the present evaluation. In
the surveys carried out, more than half of the producing population that participates in the project has stated
that the project has trained them in the creation and operation of coffee nurseries, with this percentage
growing to 70% in the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region (see Figure 4-5). In these matters, as shown in Table 4-5,
the role of the NCBA CLUSA technical team is remarkable.
Figure 4-5: Project beneficiaries who declare they have been trained in coffee nurseries.
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
For this new operation to be successful, the project must work harder with bank authoritiesto ensure funding,
given that these producers have underutilized or idle land that can be reactivated through this process.
Table 4-5: Entity that has trained on the establishment and management of coffee nurseries
REGION CENTA￾CAFE MAG
SALVADORAN
COFFEE
GROWERS
ASSOCIATION
PROCAFE NCBA
CLUSA OTHER TOTAL
Alotepeque￾Metapán 22% 6% 2% 12% 49% 9% 100%
Apaneca￾Ilamatepec 6% 0% 1% 3% 77% 13% 100%
Cacahuatique 12% 4% 1% 5% 73% 6% 100%
Chinchontepec 7% 0% 1% 3% 80% 9% 100%
10 Per the records of the project data management system, through June 30, 2017, 5,710 producers have benefited from the project (76.1% of the project’s
goal).
44
El Balsamo -
Quezaltepeque 15% 5% 1% 4% 61% 14% 100%
Tecapa -
Chinameca 9% 0% 2% 3% 81% 5% 100%
General Total 12% 3% 1% 5% 70% 9% 100%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
It is very relevant to point out that in the development of producers as coffee nursery managers there has
been a very significant trend of female participation undertaking the tasks of nursery care and administration
based on project resources.
This is a novel trend that should be systematized in greater detail by NCBA CLUSA, given that it can become a
transcendental legacy of the project and an alternative of the promotion of female participation of coffee
chain processes.
To the date of the present evaluation, progress in production areas worked under project concepts is growing
positively in new plantations, showing an attainment of 61.4% of the foreseen goal. However, progress in the
goal for continuous coffee is very low: 22.4% of the programmed goal, which requires the attention of NCBA
CLUSA in the coming months to verify that those of previous years (2015-2016 and 2016-2017) become
continuous to ensure progress in that indicator. This correlates with the progress in the number of producers
associated to said lands, which is equivalent to 56% of the goal programmed for male producers and 42% for
female producers.
However, the progress attained in the agricultural diversification process for producers served by the project
is significantly lower in terms of hectares (34.4%) and producers involved, which is 11.8% for male producers
with respect to the total programmed goal of the project and 8.4% for female producers.
These figures, based on the opinion of the producers polled as part of the present evaluation, are associated
with the crops selected for agricultural diversification (beans and vegetables) that are not very compatible
with most project beneficiaries’ plots because they are above 800 MaSL.
e. Inputs: develop agro dealers and/or other inputsuppliers.
The average attainment of indicators in this component is 299.5% of the foreseen goal (equivalent to tripling
the project’s goal, which is the highest percentage progress of the nine project components, see Figure 4-1).
This very high average execution is associated with the production activities in nurseries and to the delivery
of inputs for the preparation of organic fertilizers and fungicides for producers participating in the project.
Table 4.6 shows the indicators with the higher execution levels to the date of the present evaluation.
Additionally, an activity that has achieved a high impact in the progress seen in this component and that
additionally has benefited other strategic areas of the project is the carrying out of FIELD DAYS. Conceptually,
field days are open activitiesthat combine 2 strategic areas of the project, (i) the carrying out of demonstration
exercises of technical exchanges and practical formation in new technologies, and (ii) facilitating the
relationship among producers of agricultural inputs, especially in what relates to organic production with
coffee producers.
This activity has proven to be an unprecedented fact in the history of Salvadoran coffee production and has
served as an instrument to consolidate the advances of the project in the promotion of new techniques and
technologies of organic production for coffee, as well as for other crops. Another very important side benefit
45
is that it has served as the main attraction of the project to obtain the strategic support of MAG and CENTA
authorities.
Table 4-6: Indicators with greatest progress in Component 5
Program Goal Achieved
through
March 31
Progress
Number of private nurseries with extended production of rust resistant
varieties
30 48 160.0%
Number oftraining sessions on coffee seedlings multiplication performed
for nurseries’ personnel, cooperatives, and farmers.
6 50 833.3%
Number of cooperatives and producer organizations, and nursery
personnel trained in plants production.
60 573 955.0%
Training sessions on the production of organic pesticides and fertilizers
for personnel of cooperatives and producer organizations and/or lead
farmers.
30 126 420.0%
Source: Internally produced based on information of the NCBA CLUSA Monitoring System and complementary information,see Table 4-1b.
In total, during project execution and to the date of the present evaluation, the project has organized 217
field days, equivalent to 78% of the programmed goal. During those events and with the contacts generated,
106 links have been created between cooperatives, producer organizations and input suppliers (equivalent to
75.7% of the programmed goal). Per the records of the project data management system, all these activities
have benefited a total of 12,735 persons (59% of the programmed goal).
f. Accessto market: Facilitating buyer and seller relationships.
The average attainment of indicators in this component is 288.5% of the foreseen goal (equivalent to almost
tripling project goals to the date of the present evaluation, the second highest percentage progress of the
nine project components, see Figure 4-1).
To the date of the present evaluation, 18 business meetings have been held between buyers and sellers, an
increase of 50% with respect to the programmed goals for the entire project. Through those meetings, the
project data management system reports the creation of 268 links between sellers and buyers (which implies
triple the goal originally programmed). Of those links, relationships have been established with 18
international buyers, for which through the direct intermediation of the project, 34 coffee samples have been
sent. Currently, it is expected that orders will be placed for shipments of samples to the following potential
international buyers:
Pachamama Coffee
Cooperative First Crop Coffee CACIT Pact coffee Below Coffee
Inter-American
Coffee JBC Coffee Tashiro Coffee Co.
Ltd Just Go Coffee Novo Coffee
Ético Café Café El Salvador Wataru & Co. Ltd UCC Ueshima Coffee
Co. Ltd MOMOS COFFEE
CAFETENANGO. Dutch Barista Coffee
Company ELBGOLD
46
The previous work has nominally benefited 1952 persons: (i) 760 from 19 organizations in 2016, and (ii) 1192
from 34 organizations in 2017. This is equivalent to 26% of the programmed goal for the entire project.
Despite the progress seen, a significant percentage of producers served by the project have not had the
opportunity to participate in business round tables with potential buyers, however this is justified in the fact
that the great majority of the producers do not have specialty coffee and that their inclusion is a progressive
process.
Regarding the participation of cooperatives or producer associations, an average of 24.1% of the total
producers are aware of their organization's participation in these events (see Figure 4-6a). In the cases where
they have participated, 45% states that this opportunity was possible thanks to the efforts of NCBA CLUSA
with the present project.
Figure 4-6a: Participation in business round tables per coffee producing region
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Table 4-7: Organizing entity of business round tables per coffee producing region
REGION
COOPERATIVE
AND PRODUCER
ORGANIZATIONS
PROCAFE CENTA￾CAFE
SALVADORAN
COFFEE
GROWERS
ASSOCIATION
NCBA
CLUSA OTHER TOTAL
Alotepeque￾Metapán 18% 5% 20% 8% 35% 15% 100%
Apaneca￾Ilamatepec 49% 1% 4% 1% 32% 13% 100%
Cacahuatique 11% 3% 8% 6% 57% 15% 100%
Chinchontepec 32% 0% 18% 0% 46% 4% 100%
El Bálsamo -
Quezaltepeque 9% 4% 9% 9% 51% 18% 100%
Tecapa -
Chinameca 8% 0% 11% 26% 55% 0% 100%
47
REGION
COOPERATIVE
AND PRODUCER
ORGANIZATIONS
PROCAFE CENTA￾CAFE
SALVADORAN
COFFEE
GROWERS
ASSOCIATION
NCBA
CLUSA OTHER TOTAL
General Total 23% 2% 10% 7% 45% 12% 100%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
With all the previous efforts, it has been possible to this date to establish at least seven contracts of
international sales of specialty coffees, with prospects of creating permanent sales relationships with
international clients (see Figure 4-6b for some examples of such contracts).
Based on the previous figures, the project must make a more comprehensive effort to promote commercial
relationships between the coffee producers of the project and international buyers, taking advantage of the
positioning of NCBA CLUSA with international buyers, especially in the United States.
g. Market Access: Facilitate Private and/or Public Partnerships.
The average attainment of indicators in this component is 42.7% of the foreseen goals, one of the two lowest
percentages of the nine project components, see Figure 4-1.
The activities carried out in this component have been associated with the joint investment processes that
have been supported by the General Directorate for Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock DGDR-MAG and in association with national financial entities11
.
At the date of this evaluation,seven joint investments have been made, taking advantage of a joint investment
funds managed by DGDR-MAG with IFAD funding12. In later dates after the closing of this evaluation, four
additional joint investment projects were signed (for a total of 11). NCBA CLUSA and the project have made
efforts to include part of their producers in these funds, placing matching funds in the projects considered
within the business plan. This achievement of the project allows this issue to be considered a priority with
MAG and with other entities that support the national coffee industry.
11 As previously mentioned, efforts have been focused on public financial institutions: the participation of BANCO DE FOMENTO AGROPECUARIO and of BANCO
HIPOTECARIO has been achieved (equivalent to 67% of the foreseen goal of bank entities participating in the project).
12 The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations whose objective is to provide funding and mobilize
additional resources to promote the economic progress of residents of rural zones, mainly by improving agricultural productivity. It was established as an
international financial institution in December of 1977 as one of the main results of the world conference on food of 1974 and as a response to the drought
and famine that affected Africa and Asia in preceding years.
48
Figure 4-6b: Examples of international contracts from coffee sales sponsored by the project
49
In the survey carried out for the purposes of the present evaluation, an average of 8 of every 10 producers is
not familiar with this component, with very little variations among the six regions served by the project (see
Figure 4-7). Thisis a component that deserves greater promotion from the project in alliance with DGDR-MAG.
This component also considers the indicators of sales made by producers served by the project, including the
following:
• Value of sales by project beneficiaries (coffee): The goal of the project is US$ 51,150,960 and at the date
of this evaluation, per the project data management system, total coffee sales are US$ 20,772,930. This
value reflects sales of 2016 for US$ 4,302,164 and sales of 2017 for US$ 16,470,765.
• In terms of volume, the total goal of the project was established at 12,800 metric tons. Per the project
monitoring system, total cumulative sales to date are of 5,817 metric tons (45.4% of the project’s global
goal) of which 1,128 metric tons correspond to the 2015-2016 harvest and 4,689 metric tons to the 2016-
2017 harvest.
• The volume of complementary products, resulting from productive diversification efforts sold by project
beneficiaries, has as the project’s global goal of 2,000.00 metric tons. Per the project data management
system, the totalsales of diversified products are equivalent to 303.256 metric tons, or 15.2% of the global
goal programmed for the project. In monetary terms, the value of these salesis of $262,871.30, equivalent
to 11.7% of the project’s global goal.
• Combining coffee, vegetables and beans sales, there is an accumulated total of US$ 21,253,986,
equivalent to 39.8% of the project’s programmed goal.
Figure 4-7: Knowledge of PPP among surveyed producers, per region.
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
The above figures reaffirm the fact that the project must make a more intense and comprehensive effort to
work the issues of coffee positioning and commercialization in international markets, without forgetting about
the importance of the national domestic market at the same time. Special advantage must be taken of the
50
growth that has been observed in recent yearsin detailsales of gourmet coffee in El Salvador. In diversification
matters, as previously mentioned, there must be an evaluation of the results obtained with diversified crops
based on beans and vegetables.
It must not be forgotten that one of the advantages implied by the practice of organic agriculture is the access
to markets that can grant better prices than traditional ones, which compensates to some extent any
reductions in terms of productivity. This advantage has seen little development by our country in the local
market; however, the experience of NCBA CLUSA in international markets and their search for the benefit of
producers will favor this type of production and will be a great contribution for the project.
h. Training: Improved Marketing and Branding.
This is perhaps one of the most sensitive issues within the producer population served by the project, given
that most of them recognize that they have little experience and knowledge in these matters, as shown in
Table 4-8.
A series of capacity building activities have been developed in this component of the project, for which the
average attainment of the indicators, per the project data management system, reaches 123.9% of the
foreseen goal (see Figure 4-1). In these matters, it also relates to the management of convoking events
associated with this component: although 23 training events have been held in marketing techniques (an
increase of 44% with respect to the originally programmed goal), attendance was only 467 cooperatives and
producer organization representatives that were trained in marketing techniques (77.8% of the foreseen
goal).
Despite the previously described efforts, the activities developed in this component have had a very modest
impact on the marketing subjects within the coffee production sector. During the survey carried out with
producers participating in the project, it could be seen that:
• Less than half of the producers surveyed report knowing about quality and prices, two key topics for
promoting business with international coffee buyers (see Table 4-8a)
• One in five producers knows about mechanisms and channels of access to international coffee
markets (see Table 4-8a)
• Lessthan half of the beneficiary producers claim to have knowledge about international coffee buyers
(see Figure 4-8a)
• As a direct consequence of this, the Apaneca-Ilamatepec region has been able to establish more
commercial relations and exports (see Figure 4-8b).
Table 4-8a: Knowledge on key subjects on Coffee Commercialization
REGION QUALITY PRICE MARKET
CHANNELS
NONE OF THE
ABOVE TOTAL
Alotepeque-Metapán 40% 37% 9% 14% 100%
Apaneca- Ilamatepec 38% 39% 13% 10% 100%
Cacahuatique 37% 34% 7% 22% 100%
Chinchontepec 29% 31% 7% 33% 100%
El Bálsamo -Quezaltepeque 31% 32% 12% 25% 100%
Tecapa - Chinameca 36% 42% 3% 19% 100%
General Total 35% 36% 9% 20% 100%
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
51
Figure 4-8a: Knowledge of international coffee buyers in regions that the project serves
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
Figure 4-8b: Commercial agreements with international coffee buyers.
Source: Internally produced based on survey of coffee producers.
52
The approach to commercialization by linking producers with buyers through capacity building mechanisms,
businessround tables, meetings, etc. must translate into sales in an effective manner, as previously described.
Based on the limited knowledge of project beneficiaries, it will require the support of technicians to facilitate
these negotiations. For the time being, there is evidence that a series of coffee samples have been sent to
potential buyers with the support of the project’s technicians, but there are factors such as delivery logistics
for coffee lots that could be sold that sellers still have not faced.
i. Training: improved agricultural production techniques.
Figure 4-9 shows that 95% of the training provided by the project has been focused on the improvement of
agricultural production and in a specific way, and 5% on cooperative management issues. Among the trainings
conducted are the training about “agricultural production sector" and "food security", which corresponds to
74% of the total of events and in which a total of 12,935 people have benefited directly.
For the development of these training activities, the project has made an important contribution in the
elaboration of educational booklets that are developed within the FFSs. The topics covered include those
related to organic agriculture, bean cultivation and some vegetables, the management of some diseases with
organic products in beans and coffee. Marketing aspects are also addressed in terms of specialty coffees and
marketing techniques; knowledge extends to financial, organizational and accountability aspects. Table 4-9
shows a detail of the educational booklets prepared by the project (see also Figure 4-10).
Figure 4-9: NCBA CLUSA Trainings Distribution
53
Table 4-9: Educational booklets developed by the project.
Title Description
Soil health The importance of 3M
Principles of Organic Agriculture Fundamental Definitions
Fermented Grass Materials and procedures
Organic Insecticides Insecticide and M5 repellent, insecticide APICHI,
Floripundia nematicide
Fungicides Bordeaux broth, silica sulphocalcium broth
Mountain Micro-organism Reproduction activation of MM, Bocashi
Liquid mountain microorganisms Functions, reproduction and activation
Solid microorganisms Materials, procedure and use
Organic fertilizers type Bocashi Materials, procedure and use
The use of Trichoderma Benefits, uses and doses
Biofertilizers Definition, procedure and uses
Biofertilizers and controllers Based on chichicaste, based on phototrophic
microorganisms, insect and disease controllers, insecticide
and M5 repellent, APICHI insecticide, floripundia
nematicide, mineral broth
Organic production of seedlings and
nurseries
Procedure, nutrition, control weeds, pests and diseases
Protocol for the development of
nurseries and nurseries
Definition, procedure and costs
Substrates For plantings of vegetables and coffee
Cultivation of green pepper Procedure, pests and diseases, harvest
Production and marketing of squash Production, pests, diseases, harvesting, commercialization,
marketing and costs
Management of foliar diseases of the
bean crop
Description and control
54
Title Description
Mychorriza in bean production Benefits and Usage Procedure
Food and nutritional security Definitions, nutrients, healthy eating, associate coffee
beans, partnership with vegetables
Coffee rust General aspects, disease severity estimates, management
techniques, organic controllers
Reactivation of one hectare of land for
sowing coffee plantations
Materials, procedure and benefits
Good post-harvest and post-harvest
practices for specialty coffees
Definitions, recommendations and post-harvest
management
Marketing Techniques Definitions, techniques, certifications,
Accountability Definition and procedure
Basic, intermediate and advanced
financial education
Information on financial markets, financial education and
community savings groups
The average attainment in the indicators for this component is 91.8% of the foreseen goal (see Figure 4-1). In
this last component of the project, the best results are in the total number of new individuals directly
benefited by the project (291.1%) and the number of training sessions in improved techniques and
technologies (278.87%). In both cases, results are almost tripled with respect to the foreseen goal.
Regarding the indicator "Total number of individuals directly benefiting as a result of USDA assistance",
disaggregated by males and females, at the date of this midterm evaluation, the cumulative attainment was
75.9% and 68.7% respectively.
This is followed by the number of new individuals that have received short-term training in the subject of
“agricultural productive sector” or “food security” (95.0%). However, the disaggregation by gender is between
48% male and 54% female. The indicator regarding of the number of FFSs established (93.8%) reflects good
results towards this goal.
Above 70% is the number of individuals benefiting indirectly as a result of the assistance from the USDA
(73.7%) and the number of radio programs transmitted on coffee rust mitigation practices with the assistance
of USDA (72.7%)
The results with respect to employment generation are lower for males (24.9%) in contrast to a progress of
68.3% for female beneficiaries. Activities that have contributed to improving employment are related to
nurseries, the production of organic inputs and the maintenance of active areas of coffee plantations.
55
Figure 4-10: Educational training materials published by the project.
56
6. ANALYSIS CRITERIA: SUSTAINABILITY
An analysis is performed in this section of the probability that the beneficiaries from the project’s interventions
continue beyond the implementation period with the maintenance and management of what has been
implemented and even initiating new interventions.
The project is focusing on the strengthening of the capacities of government and civil society entities to develop
a practical model of strategic attention for the reactivation and strengthening of coffee production at the national
scale, and to build a solid coordination structure at the territorial level that facilitates the implementation of that
agenda at the local scale, with a broad basis of producers.
a. Sustainability of actionsin the national environment
In the opinion of the evaluator, the design of the project correctly identified support institutions for the
achievement and development of the priorities of the coffee industry at the national and local level. The
project based its activities on solid and sustainable organizations.
This project has contributed to the strengthening of national coffee industry institutions and has transferred
a range of innovative technologies and good practices in essential matters that provide sustainability to the
national coffee agenda, particularly in productive diversification, timely accompaniment with technical
assistance, training events and formation processes in the first links of the coffee value chain (see Figure 2-1,
previously illustrated in last chapter). However, strengthening is still required for the project’s training agenda
in the matters of marketing, promotion of commercial links and exports.
The previous chapter provided details on important success stories and complementary results attributed to
the project’s execution. These examples illustrate how the project has contributed to the results reached by
the national institutions that ensure producers are more sustainable. However, sustainability depends not
only on the strengthening of institutions, but also on the use attributed to the designed instruments and to
the obtained results. If these are not applied and/or used by beneficiaries, it will not be possible to achieve
their sustainability. Greater sustainability of this application can be achieved if, in effect, low cost agriculture
improves the profit margins. Above all else, producers are interested in more money in their pockets.
The other aspect of sustainability is linked to the political and economic will of the authorities to provide
continuity to activities that improve structures or knowledge to continue with the obtained results. In this
issue, the project must increase its activities to consolidate its relationship with government authorities
associated with the coffee production sector, to establish mechanisms that ensure the allocation of financial
and technical resources for continuity, both in the national budget and in activities with international
cooperation.
In this area, it is essential to promote the transfer of knowledge, instruments and documentation generated
by the project to public and private institutions that serve the national coffee industry that favors continuity
of the project’s initiated actions, particularly with CENTA-CAFÉ, given that they channel the requirements for
programming resources and actions to support coffee growers, in coordination with the Salvadoran Coffee
Council.
In this issue, it is also advisable to seek closer ties with public and private entities that support the coffee
marketing and exporting efforts, such as PROESA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (on the public side) and
business associations. In this area, the project can also bring producers closer to the owners of gourmet coffee
chains that are growing significantly in the domestic market.
57
From the national institutional perspective, the sustainability of the project's legacy is strongly associated with
the effectiveness of the transfer of instruments and products, good practices and lessons learned to the
governmental authorities and civil society carried out by the project's technical team.
Also important is an extensive evaluation of the results obtained with the processes of training, and exchanges
of experiences. This is an important task that should begin as soon as possible.
At the national level, it is crucial that the project’s technical team initiate the necessary work to begin to
systematize the legacy of the project and continue to encourage the involvement of civilsociety and academia
to participate in some of these processes: All to strengthen the capacity to follow up and sustain the legacy of
the project, as well as to promote synergies, articulation of efforts and complementarities under a reinforced
modality of collaborative work in the public sector and the Salvadoran private sector. It is important to
approach the National School of Agriculture, as the leading national institution in the training of agronomists
who can become the replicators of the Low-Cost Production System promoted by NCBA CLUSA with this
project.
In this regards, the evaluator was able to visualize that the coffee related institutions have the capacity to
incorporate the new production technologies introduced by the project and to continue perfecting the
project’s model, to incorporate other key actors of the Salvadoran coffee industry, and have room for
improvement with inter-agency coordination between government and civil society beneficiaries.
b. Sustainability of actionsin the local environment
At the local level, the sustainability of actions in the six regions intervened by the project is based on
continuing the work with CENTA-CAFE, for which the project leaves an important legacy of instruments,
strategic equipment and capacity-building processes, among which are the technical and educational booklets
on organic agricultural and coffee commercialization. The combination of all the elements previously
described and the connectivity of local governance structures with national strategic levels described in the
previous paragraph can guarantee the continuity of the project’s actions. However, this issue must be
constantly monitored and dealt with by NCBA CLUSA.
It is important to note that during the working sessions with the CENTA-CAFÉ technical team, it was
emphasized that in the central, paracentral and eastern regions, they consider that the project will not be
sustainable through organic agriculture because this type of agriculture requires long-term cultural changes
(which exceed the execution time for the present project), of which NCBA CLUSA has provided an important
and valuable step in the right direction, but in the future it will need to be continued by national government.
The Salvadoran coffee producer has traditionally developed its crops through the intensive use of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides. The investigations and recommendations of the official extension agent have
oriented the producers for many years to the use of these products; However, in practical terms, producers
are aware of the effectiveness of their use, understand the risks to human health and the imbalance of the
soil, so it is the safest bet to achieve as much production in the short term as possible. Awareness of
environmental issues is being introduced gradually in the productive sector with educational processes that
may even require a generational step.
58
c. Public-private partnerships
At the date of the present evaluation, the only public-private partnerships registered are those accomplished
for project beneficiaries under the alliance between NCBA CLUSA and the General Directorate for Rural
Development –DGDR-MAG. Table 5-1 shows the data related to this joint effort in the mode of public-private
partnership, detailing the NCBA CLUSA matching funds.
From the beginning of the project until June 2017, a total of 11 Public and Private Partnerships, which has
translated in 11 co-investment projects for a total amount of US $499,004.98 contributed by DGDR-MAG and
matching funds for US $22,885.83 from the Project (as previously mentioned, at the closing of the mid-term
evaluation – March 31, 2017 – Seven PPP had been signed).
In terms of the number of public-private partnership, the goal originally programmed for the entire project
(7) has been exceeded. In terms of amounts, this joint investment corresponds to 28.5% of the goal foreseen
for the entire Project. Despite the progress shown, thisis a subject that isstill pretty much unknown and taken
advantage of by the producers of the project.
The General Directorate for Rural Development – MAG in its intervention strategy in the agricultural sector
works with legally constituted producer groups. On its part, NCBA CLUSA seeks the grouping of beneficiaries
and the development of PPP that generate more value to their interventions. Both coincide in the need of
making productive investments within the coffee value chain, especially at the post-harvest processing stages.
The projects under the General Directorate for Rural Development (AMANECER RURAL and PRODEMOR
CENTRAL) manage a joint investment fund with the beneficiary organizations in a process of organizational
strengthening, technical assistance and formulation of business plans that allow them to qualify for these
funds.
The project has made efforts to include part of its beneficiaries in these funds, contributing with matching
within the business budget of those PPP. Table 5-1 shows the date related to this joint effort in the mode of
public-private partnership, detailing the matching funds of NCBA CLUSA.
It is a total of 11 projects for a total amount of US $499,004.98 and matching funds of US $22,885.83. All
projects are directly related to coffee milling, an important part of the chain that can develop other aspects
related to commercialization for the producers/millers of the project in the respective influence zone.
In the opinion ofthe DGDR-MAG Director, “the relationship has achieved a coordination synergy, allowing 
achievements such as a more efficient production, technological innovation and progress in the marketing 
techniques of producers. He recommends for the project, a greater integration of efforts at the national level 
and the consideration of producers located below 800 MaSL that also require support in their coffee 
plantations. It is important to hire specialists in the coffee milling phases that can maximize the investments
made in the different projects or in new ones that can be made. Besides, he considersthat it is a very relevant 
project in response to the needs of coffee producers; however, its period is too short to achieve results in
coffee productivity”.
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Table 5-1: Investment in NCBA CLUSA-RURAL DEVELOPMENT MAG partnership projects
Project Name Beneficiaries
Co-investment/NCBA
CLUSA
Amount Approved
M F Total Investment
Technical
Assistance Total
FY 2015
Expansion of the coffee plantation
drying courtyard and warehouse of
supplies Cooperativa Las Tablas de
R.L.
23 20 43 9,723.51 43,757.90 4,600.00 48,357.90
Implementation of ecological coffee
mill to increase competitiveness of
ACALEM de R.L.
45 19 64 8,615.00 45,000.00 6,350.00 51,350.00
FY 2016
Organic Coffee mill and green
coffee marketing Cooperativa El
Refugio de R.L.
15 30 45 $3,729.00 $36,500.00 $3,500.00 $40,000.00
Improved coffee milling process
and roasted coffee packaging
Cooperative San Carlos Dos de R.L.
98 22 120 N/D 44,972.08 4,600.00 49,572.08
Establishment of ecological wet
mill to strengthen coffee post￾harvest processing Asociacion
Agropecuaria de Productores de
Cafes Especiales de R.L.
16 11 27 3,000.00 45,000.00 7,000.00 52,000.00
Establishment of ecological wet
mill to strengthen coffee post￾harvest processing ACACPAS de R.L.
San Pedro Puxtla
17 3 20 2,632.76 45,000.00 7,000.00 52,000.00
Improvement coffee mill to increase
demand of Fair Trade offer and
reduce the environmental impact
thru the adoption of ecological
technology Cooperativa Los Pinos
de R.L.
79 19 98 N/D 45,000.00 0 45,000.00
Establishment of ecological wet
mill to strengthen coffee post￾harvest processing, improve
competitiveness for Cooperative
Santa Adela de R.L.
80 10 90 8,000.00 43,375.00 4,800.00 48,175.00
FY 2017
Establishment of ecological wet
mill to strengthen coffee post￾harvest processing Cooperativa
Altos del Volcan de R.L.
12 5 17 $3,048.50 $30,000.00 $5,300.00 $35,300.00
Implementation of ecological coffee
mill and management of process
byproducts Cooperativa San
Antonio de R.L.
52 5 57 $2,000.00 $25,000.00 $2,500.00 $27,500.00
22,885.83 448,604.98 50,400.00 499,004.98
Source: DDR-MAG, information rendered during programmed interview for this evaluation
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7. PROGRESSS IN SCOPE OF PROJECT RESULTS
Besides the matrix of program follow-up by component analyzed in Chapter 4 of the present report, the Project
has established a Result Management Matrix, which is basically the result of carrying out integrations, operations
or combinations with the 78 indicators previously illustrated in Table 4-1.
The consultant team has developed an update of the current progress of indicators as they were defined in the
conceptual design of the project and are integrated in Table 6-1. With regards to the explanations or comments
of the evaluation team, please refer to the analyses of Chapter 4.
Table 7-1: Progress on results indicators
Results indicator Baseline Goal Measure Mid-Term % Progress
Result 12: Increased Agricultural Productivity
12.1 Volume of coffee harvested per hectare (average yields for coffee) (kg/ha)
as a result of USDA assistance (custom) 0 158 462.9 293.0%
12.2 Number of hectares under crop diversification as a result of USDA
assistance (custom) 0 2000 687.3 34.4%
12.3 Total number of individuals benefiting directly as a result of USDA
assistance (male) (standard FFPr) (FFPr Indicator 17) 0 5250 3984 75.9%
12.4 Total number of individuals benefiting indirectly as a result of USDA
assistance (standard FFPr) (FFPr Indicator 18) 0 37500 27650 73.7%
12.5 Volume of commodities (metric tons) sold by project beneficiaries (coffee)
(FFPr Indicator 14) 0 12800 5817 45.4%
12.6 Total number of individuals benefiting directly as a result of USDA
assistance (female) (standard FFPr) (FFPr Indicator 17) 0 2250 1546 68.7%
12.7 Total number of individuals benefiting directly as a result of USDA
assistance (new) (standard FFPr) (FFPr Indicator 17) 0 1900 5530 291.1%
12.8 Total number of individuals benefiting directly as a result of USDA
assistance (continuing) (standard FFPr) (FFPr Indicator 17) 0 5600 2399 42.8%
12.9 Number of individuals who have received short term agricultural sector
productivity or food security training as a result of USDA assistance (male) (FFPr
Indicator 16)
0 5250 2819 53.7%
12.10 Number of individuals who have received short term agricultural sector
productivity or food security training as a result of USDA assistance (female)
(FFPr Indicator 16)
0 2250 4101 182.3%
12.11 Number of individuals who have received short term agricultural sector
productivity or food security training as a result of USDA assistance (new) (FFPr
Indicator 16)
0 3375 3206 95.0%
12.12 Number of individuals who have received short term agricultural sector
productivity or food security training as a result of USDA assistance (continuing)
(FFPr Indicator 16)
0 4125 1435 34.8%
Result 7: Increased Capacity of Government Institutions
7.1 Number of targeted producers benefiting from improved extension services
provided by the government extension agent (custom) 0 5000 890 17.8%
Result 6: Improved Capacity of Key Groups in the Agriculture Production Sector (Coops and Small Shareholder Farmers)
6.1 Number of cooperatives/producer organizations with certified extension
officers/agents as a result of USDA assistance (FFPr illustrative) 0 50 91 182.0%
6.2 Number of producers benefiting from improved producer organization
extension and other services as a result of USDA assistance (custom)
0 7500 2572 34.3%
Result 11: Increased Use of Improved Agricultural Techniques and Technologies
11.1 Number of hectares under improved techniques or technologies as a result
of USDA assistance (coffee) (new) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 1) 0 15000 9209 61.4%
11.2 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies as
a result of USDA assistance (male) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 2) 0 5250 2941 56.0%
61
11.3 Number of hectares under improved techniques or technologies as a result
of USDA assistance (diversified crops) (new) (diversification will be at farmers'
discretion; targets will be revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator 1)
0 2000 687.3 34.4%
11.4 Number of hectares under improved techniques or technologies as a result
of USDA assistance (diversified crops) (continuing) (diversification will be at
farmers' discretion; targets will be revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator 1)
0 30000 0 0.0%
11.5 Areas under crop diversification (Ha) as a result of USDA assistance
(custom) 0 2000 687.3 34.4%
11.6 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies as
a result of USDA assistance (female) (FFPr and FtF) FFPr Indicator 2) 0 2250 938 41.7%
11.7 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies as
a result of USDA assistance (coffee) (new) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 2) 0 3000 2518 83.9%
11.8 Number of private enterprises, producers’ organizations, water user
association, women's groups and community based organizations (CBOs) that
applied improved techniques and technologies as a result of USDA assistance
(new) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 7)
0 15 120 800.0%
11.9 Number on hectares under improved techniques or technologies as a result
of USDA assistance (coffee) (continuing) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 1) 0 15000 9209 61.4%
11.10 Number of private enterprises, producers’ organizations, water user
association, women's groups, and community based organizations (CBOs) that
applied improved techniques and technologies as a result of USDA assistance
(continuing) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator 7)
0 35 127 362.9%
11.11 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies
as a result of USDA assistance (coffee) (continuing) (FFPr and FtF) (FFPr Indicator
2)
0 4500 2499 55.5%
11.12 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies
as a result of USDA assistance (diversified crops) (new) (diversification will be at
farmers' discretion; targets will be revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator 2)
0 1800 486 27.0%
11.13 Number of individuals who have applied new techniques or technologies
as a result of USDA assistance (diversified crops) (continuing) (diversification will
be at farmers' discretion; targets will be revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator 2)
0 2700 0 0.0%
Result 5: Increased Availability of Improved Inputs
5.1 Number of specific improved inputs (improved coffee varieties, organic
fertilizers and pesticides, other seeds and inputs) available to producers in
target region as a result of USDA assistance (FFPr illustrative)
0 10 10 100.0%
5.2 Number of input suppliers actively selling high quality inputs to producers by
the end of the program (custom) 0 10 10 100.0%
Result 4: Increased Use of Financial Services
4.1 Percent increase in the number of agricultural and rural loans provided to
target beneficiaries as a result of USDA assistance (custom) 0 50.00% 80.26% 160.5%
4.2 Number of financial institutions expanding services to target beneficiaries as
a result of USDA assistance (custom) 0 3 2 66.7%
4.3 Number of individuals receiving financial services as a result of USDA
assistance (male) (FFPr Indicator 4) 0 3000 2487 82.9%
4.4 Number of individuals receiving financial services as a result of USDA
assistance (female) (FFPr Indicator 4) 0 1000 1021 102.1%
4.5 Number of loans disbursed as a result of USDA assistance (FFPr Indicator 5) 0 1775 402 22.6%
4.6 Value of loans provided as a result of USDA assistance (male) FFPr Indicator
6) 0 $3,069,594 $312,292 10.2%
Value of loans provided as a result of USDA assistance (female) FFPr Indicator 6) 0 $861,690 $1,370,320 159.0%
Result 10: Increased Knowledge of Farmers of Improved Agricultural Techniques and Technologies
10.1 Percentage of producers demonstrating a threshold level of proficiency in
targeted new harvesting techniques (custom) 0 80.00% 60.06% 75.1%
Result 9: Expanded Trade of Agricultural Products (Domestic, Regional, and International)
9.1 Value of sales by project beneficiaries (diversified crops) (diversification will
be at farmers' discretion; targets will be revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator
13)
0 $7,200,000.00 $498,329.00 6.9%
9.2 Number of jobs attributed to USDA assistance (male) (FFPr Indicator 15) 0 17436 4342 24.9%
9.3 Number of jobs attributed to USDA assistance (female) (FFPr Indicator 15) 0 7400 1263 17.1%
9.4 Value of sales by project beneficiaries (coffee) (FFPr Indicator 13) 0 $51,150,960 $20,772,930 40.6%
62
9.5 Volume of commodities (metric tons) sold by project beneficiaries
(diversified crops) (diversification will be at farmers' discretion; targets will be
revised after baseline) (FFPr Indicator 14)
0 2000 303.256 15.2%
9.6 Volume of commodities (metric tons) sold by project beneficiaries (coffee)
(FFPr Indicator 14) 0 12800 5817 45.4%
Result 3: Increase Leverage of Private-Sector Resources
3.1 Number of private institutions that are providing monetary of in-kind
resources in support of trade expansion of program targeted crops as a result of
USDA assistance (FFPr illustrative)
0 20 7 35.0%
3.2 Number of public-private partnerships formed as a result of USDA assistance
(FFPr Indicator 8) 0 4 7 175.0%
3.3 Value of new public and private sector investment leveraged as a result of
USDA assistance (public) (FFPr Indicator 9) 0 $1,750,000 $499,004 28.5%
3.4 Value of new public and private sector investment leveraged as a result of
USDA assistance (private) (FFPr Indicator 9) 0 $1,750,000 $299,149 17.1%
Result 2: Improve Marketing of Agricultural Products
2.1 Percentage of targeted cooperatives demonstrating improved understanding
of market needs, quality, pricing, transportation / logistics, promotional efforts
and using it in their marketing efforts (custom)
0 80.00% 63.30% 79.1%
Result 8: Increased Access to Markets to Sell Agricultural Products
8.1 Number of distinct markets to which selected agricultural products are
exported as a result of USDA assistance (coffee) (FFPr illustrative) 0 5 9 180.0%
Result 1: Improved Linkages Between Buyers and Sellers
1.1 Number of agreements signed (contracts, MOUs, etc.) between buyers and
sellers as a result of USDA assistance (FFPr illustrative) 0 20 7 35%
8. CONCLUSIONS
The program is highly relevant in its objectives and responds to the evident needs to strengthen Salvadoran
coffee production, from the producers to the institutional structure that serves the sector. The project slowly
started earning the trust of MAG and CENTA through CENTA-CAFE. Given that the project’s technical approach
was open and collaborative towards working as a team with the governmental institutions on matters related to
coffee, these institutions as well asthe Salvadoran Coffee Council are combining technical strengths governmental
counterparts to face present challenges in coffee production. This has been very important in the training
implemented by the project with CENTA-CAFE technicians, the territorial coordination work, and the field
activities that have been jointly organized.
The program shows a high degree of technical appropriation/middle management by partner entities within
the project. A high level of interest was noted, coupled with motivation and participation at the technical level
and mid-management among CENTA-CAFE personnel. In practice, an adequate coordination was achieved with
CENTA-CAFE at all levels, especially with extension agents who found real projectsupport towardsthe joint efforts
of FFSs and field days, as well as the training sessions.
The main achievement of the project has been the introduction of a low-cost system for coffee production,
which includes training in the creation of coffee nurseries, promotion and training in organic agriculture,
introduction of mechanization with the use of Pole Pruners, Motorized Sprayers, Brush Cutters, and Earth
Augers, all of which comprise the basic mechanization kit, as well as the promotion of commercialization with
trainings and events facilitating producer and buyer relationship. In this regard, it is particularly important to
note that the training activities were carried out mainly using the FFS model, correctly developed in parallel to the
actions of CENTA-CAFÉ. In addition, it grouped the producers and the distribution of the in-kind grants, which
strengthened with inputs and equipment these structures within the agricultural communities.
63
The project has contributed to the strengthening of the institutional structure of national coffee production,
and has transferred a range of innovative technologies and good practices on key subjects that offer
sustainability to the coffee agenda, particularly on productive diversification, appropriate support with technical
assistance, trainings, and teaching processes in the first links/subjects of the coffee productive chain. However,
the training agenda of the project is still needs to be strengthened regarding marketing, trade links promotion,
and exports.
Progress obtained on nursery formation is quite noteworthy, although it still is necessary to support them
technically, and especially, through persistent systematization and results promotion. The processesthe project
has developed in this important subject are changing the cultural models among the coffee producers, associated
with the size of the seedlings, and the size of the nursery bags. In the culture of the coffee growers, during planting
it is traditionally customary to select plants with the greatest development and in larger bags, because in their
opinion this guarantees the plant will survive the transplant. However, technically it has been demonstrated that
the size of the bags and the plants used by the project, have established good coffee plantations in the field.
On the nursery subject, the project has developed an innovative and positive trend, growing participation of
female producers caring and managing coffee nurseries. This is a new trend that should be systematized in
greater detail, since it may turn into a transcendental legacy of the project, and an alternative to the promotion
of female participation within the processes of coffee production chain.
The program is satisfactorily fulfilling the goals set in most of its indicators, as of the date of this evaluation. In
general terms, 24.4% of indicators are in a critical phase of execution, with less than 40% progress as of the date
of this evaluation (with a55% project progress), 48.7% of indicators are geared towards compliance within the
accelerated terms for compliance, and notably, there are 26.9% of indicators whose goals have already been
surpassed significantly at the time of this evaluation. Nevertheless, there are areas where more intensive effort is
necessary to reach the planned results, or a change in strategy that allows finding new paths to reach said goals.
In the opinion of the assessors, these are the most significant cases:
• It is necessary to increase actions associated to increase the number of trade agreements with international
buyers for coffee being produced with efforts supported by the project (including a monitoring system for said
agreements). NCBA CLUSA must take the maximum advantage from its international negotiation capacity, and
the contacts available in the North American and European markets.
• In the "Financial Services" component, very modest progress has been seen: credits managed with project
assistance represent 44.6% of the total target originally foreseen (among female producers, this represents
41.0% of the foreseen goal, in monetary terms). The indicators related to the number of beneficiaries served
by gender, at the time this mid-term evaluation show a progress of 82.9% of the male attended, and female
attended 102.1%. This implies that credit amounts being managed, are in average of a minor size than
originally foreseen, since these have concentrated in harvest collateralized loans and a lesser proportion, in
credits associated to new crops. The above implies that efforts and results obtained by the project, although
positive, are not enough to increase the access to financing for project beneficiaries. In these efforts, it is
necessary to involve BANDESAL and its BANCA AGROPECUARIA Program.
• In the capacity building for improve marketing and branding component, there has been no positive influence
on the market subjects within the coffee sector. During the survey performed with the producers participating
in the project, it became evident that in four of the six regions served, there is an average knowledge regarding
key subject of coffee exports, and very few have been able to reach concrete commercial relations and exports.
64
Lesson learned 2: The project promotes the reactivation and improvement of coffee plants through the
• It is necessary to monitor the results in sales and production of crops that support the project agricultural
diversification for the coffee sector. The results obtained to date with beans and certain varieties of vegetables
have not achieved the expected results, therefore it is necessary to study other crop options that allow better
technical and economic results.
• The positioning of the project may allow widening the spectrum of PPP that benefit from the commercialization
and positioning activities of coffee producers with international buyers. Besides generating valuable co￾investment spaces that multiply the results obtained to date, particularly with DGDR-MAG and IFDA, for which
NCBA CLUSA may provide the necessary technical resources for the formulation and implementation of
projects (besides counterparts multiplying the investment from USDA funds).
The project data management system presents some deficiencies in the information integration module, and
report generation, as well as data base export. These problems appeared during the work sessions where the
table information was reviewed and integrated with the information developed by the indicators.
9. LESSONS LEARNED
Based on the experiences collected during the evaluation process, the following lessons learned have been
compiled from the project.
Lesson learned 1: This project has the components and strategic design to be taken as the central axis of a
country project, which responds to the needs of the National Coffee Plan and the beneficiary production
population, but requires support from the public and private sectors. The project promotes the recovery of the
coffee sector of the country starting from the introduction of a low- cost production system, with simple
technologies and easy to implant. The instruments and methodologies developed by the project must be shared
and disseminated among national public and private institutions with the premise that this model of work is
assimilated and incorporated into the productive culture of coffee at the national level.
project oriented towards increasing productivity in the coffee crop, especially with the planting of varieties
resistant to this fungus, will hardly show results within the term of the project if we consider that plantations
started theirsignificant cropsstarting in the third year. It is possible that the degree of resistance of these varieties
allow the project to show a contribution to the decrease of impact on the plantation, what may be done at the
end of the project, having the evaluations of the agricultural cycles 2017/2018 and 2018/2019.
Lesson learned 3: At the local level, the Project is generating important changes in the coffee producers served,
mainly in their attitudes and in the opening to incorporate new organic practices of production and use of
organic fertilizers, as well as to introduce new technologies of production taking care of the balance with the
environment.
The documentation of these achievements is a very important factor for the sustainability of the project, and is a
key factor to consolidate the future impact of the project, on both, the producers as well as to the attention to
Salvadoran coffee sector Institutions.
for the coffee production situations, expressed by producers, and parallel to government actions. Actions of the
introduction of enhanced rust tolerant varieties and the use of organic agriculture, actions quite appropriate
65
Lesson learned 5: The project’s promotion of low-cost production systems needs to be evidenced with the
10. RECOMMENDATIONS
Capacity-building in low-cost organic agriculture and the provision of in-kind grants, such as improved rust￾tolerant varieties, have led producers to recognize an alternative in improving productivity in the face of market
challenges of coffee prices.
Lesson learned 4: It is necessary to carry out a consultation and dialog process with the beneficiaries - especially
civil society -, before and during the project's execution to legitimize the interventions. The best resultsin terms
of execution and follow-up have been achieved in cases when the project technical teams, CENTA-CAFE
technicians and benefited population were taking into consideration for the implementation of project actions.
Thus, the promotion of the participation in cooperatives and producer organizations integrating partnership
networks for support and the modality of interaction in the use of Farmer Field Schools methodology, were very
positive progress for the project, empowering actions and products destined to strengthen their role within the
framework of the national coffee agenda. On these matters, we still have as pending chapter, a closer work with
coffee associations.
registration of producers’ information who apply these techniques, therefore at the end of the project NCBA
CLUSA can capitalize this experience and document it to be available as a public asset, to ensure continuity of
what the project has initiated. The documentation of the technical and financial results of the model proposed
by NCBA CLUSA is key to demonstrate the benefits of the same. In this sense, the efforts made by NCBA CLUSA in
the dissemination of the Project results with the public and private institutions that serve the coffee sector have
been modest. In this sense, the evaluator considers it strategic to work extensively on documenting and
disseminating "success stories" and project achievements.
To the extent that efforts are made to consolidate and publicize the results obtained by this project, the public
and private institutions that serve the coffee sector may establish new programs and/or lobby for cooperation
that will give continuity to the model promoted by NCBA CLUSA in this project.
Based on the study of compiled information in this technical evaluation, the evaluation team presents the
following recommendations to NCBA CLUSA:
Increase Project Communicational Positioning
During the interview granted by the Vice-Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, it was possible to prove that the
interest for the activities performed by the project to benefit Salvadoran coffee production has increased
significantly, reason why it is wise to take advantage of this present mid-term evaluation to propose a relaunching
of the project with greater strategic back-up from MAG authorities, Salvadorian Coffee Council, CENTA-CAFÉ, and
private institution involve in the coffee growing sector.
The relaunch of the project should focus on multiplying the existing relations with the public and private
institutions that serve the Salvadoran coffee industry. Therefore, in a complementary way, it is suggested that in
the following months NCBA CLUSA design with the accompaniment of public institutions and private serving the
66
Salvadoran coffee industry, a calendar of strategic activities with the producing population in the six regions
served by the project, including the Project's communication relaunch.
The project should foster a relationship with national academic entities (and national chapters of international
entities, such as CATIE) to involve them in applied research activities. In this line of action, it is also important to
approach the National School of Agriculture as the leading institution in the training of agronomists in our country
and that can become the replicators of the techniques of organic agriculture.
Increase Access Options to Banking Funding for the Producers' Population
This relaunching must include and approach the Salvadoran public banks' authorities already participating in the
project - BFA and BH - and try to involve BANDESAL in the financing efforts for the producers of the project.
BANDESAL has resources and first tier financial lines that may favor the development of investments in coffee
plantation renewal performed by the project in the coming years; they also have financial lines to support the
development of female producers, what can favor productive enterprises in nurseries already favored by the
project, to take them to a better concept of Nursery managers as agriculture products suppliers. Within this line
of action, it is also important the project approaches private banks.
For the strategy to create and strengthen a network of nursery managers that continues being successful, the
project needs to work more intensively with banking authorities to assure financing, given the fact these
producers have underutilized or idle land that may be reactivated through this process, but not within the
availability of a current harvest collateralized loan.
Assess new options for productive diversification.
Assess, with the technical support of CENTA's scientific research teams, new options of crops for the agricultural
diversification component are possible, since in practice the products presently being used (beans and vegetables)
have proven not to be very compatible with coffee production, particularly when above 800 MaSL. International
experiences suggest considering:
• Fruit crops of medium cycle13
• Coffee partnership with honey production, since the coffee plantations are excellent for honeybees, since
plants diversity in the coffee farm offers good flower resources for the bees. Flowers of the coffee plants
produce very sweet high quality nectar, and bees contribute and improve production of coffee plantations,
making ripening and size of the fruit uniform with the crossed pollination they provide.
Within this context, beekeeping is an activity that may be developed by the producer's family members,
including their sub-products (propolis, pollen, royal jelly, and apitoxin). also, the diet of beekeepers may
improve, and people may eat what is locally produced. Bees do not require a great financial or time
13 See research performed by CENICAFE in http://www.cenicafe.org/es/publications/arc056(03)269-280.pdf
67
investment, and on the other hand, products may be sold at the local level or internationally, being able to be
exploited together with coffee (what may be positioned as "coffee honey" in the market).
Increase efforts in commercial and market promotion
It is necessary that NCBA CLUSA takes advantage of its local and regional institutional capacity to work with other
subject of positioning and commercialization of coffee in international markets, without forgetting also, the
importance of the national domestic market. Here it is key: (i) to consolidate and monitor international buyers
contact identified to date and for whom contact and sample delivery have been organized. (ii) search for new
buyers taking advantage of the international positioning of NCBA CLUSA, especially in the United States, Canada,
and Europe, (iii) involve in these efforts to commercial promotion entities of the government and private sector,
especially the Network of Commercial Charges of the Salvadoran Ministry of Foreign Relations, and (iv) design an
ad-hoc monitoring system for these matters. On these matters, BANDESAL as well as the Ministry of the Economy
with FONDEPRO, may be key allies in financial subjects that make these negotiations among producers, viable.
NCBA CLUSA may also include this subject in the national market to position coffee produced with the support of
the project. Special advantage would be taken of the growth observed in the last few years in the retail sale of
gourmet coffee in El Salvador. About diversification, as has already been mentioned, the results obtained must be
assessed with the diversified crops based on beans and vegetables.
It should not be forgotten that one of the advantages in the organic agriculture practice, is the access to markets
that may recognize better prices than the traditional, what counteracts somehow some decrease in terms of
productivity. This advantage has not been well developed in our country for the local market; however, NCBA
CLUSA's experience in international markets and their search to benefit producers, will favor this type of
production and will be a great contribution to the project.
Operational Aspects of the Project
It is necessary to develop an evaluation process of the effectiveness of all training events and exchange of
experiences to establish opportunity and improvement niches that multiply the effectiveness of these efforts of
capacity building. This is the other area where the PPP may work with private academic institutions.