Abstract
The Alliance to Create Opportunities for Rural Development through Agro-Enterprise Relationships (ACORDAR) was initially designed in early 2007 for a period of 30 months and it was extended up to 5 y ears, closing operations in October 2012. The objective of the program was to contribute, in the first phase, to an increase in net income of 75% of the participating families by 20% over the baseline figure. The program endeavored to ensure permanent employment, and strengthen the commercial capacity of 5,400 poor rural families in 44 Municipalities in the first phase, which expanded up to 7,000 in 50 municipalities, in the second phase, in alliance with the municipal governments and the private sector. The program also hoped to train 6,328 farmers on different topics related to value chains, and produce 9,094 hectares of crops with improved management practice technologies. (Excerpt, modified)