Partnership with Indigenous Peoples
USAID integrates a human rights lens into economic development interventions by promoting the economic inclusion of the most vulnerable sector of the population in Paraguay: Indigenous Peoples in the Northern Zone. The purpose of our project is to generate increased income for the communities. USAID aims to address language barriers, geographic isolation, deficient infrastructure, health, and education services, and lack of organization to promote and support traditional business models. This project will multiply the Government of Paraguay’s extreme poverty reduction efforts – primarily focused on increasing access to basic services – by promoting inclusive value chain development through a) strengthening organization and representation of indigenous peoples working in agricultural production; b) connecting indigenous populations with the private sector and local governments; and c) providing direct technical assistance to level the playing field between indigenous communities and other small producers.
Learn more about the Inclusive Value Chains for Rural Development Program, implemented by the Federación de Cooperativas de Producción (FECOPROD).
Indigenous Voices and Program Highlights
USAID is supporting legal registration and identification of 24,026 individuals—half of whom are women—in 237 Indigenous Peoples’ communities, and helped enroll 3,865 indigenous people in social services and conditional transfer programs. Beneficiaries now have access to basic services including health and education, improved livelihoods and food security, and a licit source of income, all of which prevents them from being exploited and engaging in illicit activities.
Learn more about USAID’s Economic Growth Work.
About 300 kilometers north of the city of Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, is the Vy'apavẽ Indigenous community. The community’s name in Guaraní, the native language and second official language of the country, means “happiness.” Honey has always been important to the community, as ancestors used it to treat sore throats, coughs, and other related health issues, but obtaining the honey was always difficult. "In the past we had to cut down trees to get some honey for our consumption, but thanks to the USAID project we received beehive boxes with their own queen bees," said Nicolás Arce, a young beekeeper.
USAID’s Inclusive Value Chains project is providing assistance to Indigneous Peoples for improved livelihoods and food security. To date, USAID has assisted more than 3,270 individuals, including Nicolás, from 14 IP communities in Paraguay to produce and sell honey, yerba mate, medicinal herbs and grains.