Maintaining an integral vision of the ecosystem, with end-to-end processes, the Walmart de México Foundation recently celebrated 10 years with one of its flagship initiatives, Small Producer, through which it has managed to transform the ecosystem of the Mexican countryside for small producers. , eliminate entry barriers and provide direct access to modern markets with resources such as information, connectivity, training and infrastructure, in addition to changing paradigms in companies to become facilitators that open their commercial channels, integrate small agricultural producers and promote them to grow.
“The program has overcome these challenges and the impact of the program has been measured with very good results. A capacity development model was built and tested with a focus on market needs and transformation in companies to facilitate access by small agricultural producers as suppliers, ”said Gisela Noble, Director of the Walmart Foundation.
Small Producer is an example of a sustainable program over time, through which the company has managed to involve monetary resources, the sales floor, the purchasing power and the time and talent of associates from all commercial and logistics areas.
“For 10 years, the Walmart de México Foundation has told a story of pride and productive inclusion, through its Little Producer program,” added Gisela Noble.
It should be noted that in this decade, the Small Producer initiative has promoted inclusive agriculture, provided access and generated a connection of the Mexican countryside with new commercial markets, with the training of more than 23,500 producers from almost 2,000 communities in 18 states of the country with 37 products in total and more than 59,645 tons of products sold have been registered, equivalent to more than 1,100 million pesos for producers in the direct sales phase.
In addition, during 2020 Walmart and Central America bought 418 million pesos annually from small producers, while small producers achieved 81% higher income, for personal benefit and that of their families, while in job creation, growth of 18% was achieved. local level.
“We are fortunate that year after year we have managed to increase our reach and, most importantly, maintain continuity with several of the small producers. The program has the objective of teaching them to be independent, but also to actively integrate, becoming an ally for the promotion of agriculture in Mexico ”, emphasized the spokeswoman for the Walmart Foundation.
From the foundation’s point of view, the transformation of the ecosystem will only be possible if more companies manage to identify entry barriers by adapting purchasing conditions to the needs and limitations of small producers, such as paydays. This year, since the foundation, they integrated the alliance of 11 large companies with the aim of achieving greater participation in direct purchases from small producers and thereby strengthening their entry, sustainable growth and the transformation of the ecosystem that inspires other companies to transform and add to this change
“For next year our objective is to continue increasing the impact of the program and to continue providing the members of Small Producer with the necessary training, guidance and support to facilitate their integration from cultivation, harvest and postharvest; in addition to logistical and administrative processes that require managing as producers and agribusinesses, formal suppliers with environmental, social and government schemes that cover the international certification standards ”, stated Gisela Noble.
The Walmart Foundation is in the testing phase of the model of access to connectivity for small producers and digitization, as well as the models of integration of young people, where they have already authorized financing by the company for growth in more than 3,000 new producers, Identification of new products and regions to meet the market demands of new purchasing partner companies and the projected growth in sales for all in 2022.
The Small Producer program will continue to connect producers in the Mexican countryside with different commercial markets, allowing the generation of an economic benefit derived from the increase in productivity, income, and job creation with a special focus on the inclusion of young people and women.
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx