Latin America

2008/2009 Allocation | $5.5 million

Snapshot

Latin America is a region of acute inequality. Nearly 200 million people (36.5%) live in poverty, and 71 million people (13.4%) live in extreme poverty. Poverty is particularly high amongst indigenous peoples and people living in rural areas.

NZAID priorities

The Latin America Development Programme (LADP) is guided by a five-year strategy (2004 – 2009). The strategy has recently been extended out until 2010. The overall goal of the LADP is to contribute to the elimination of poverty. More specifically, the LADP aims to foster good governance (in Brazil and the Southern Cone) and sustainable rural livelihoods in the Andean regions of Bolivia , Ecuador and Peru , and in Central America ( El Salvador , Guatemala , Honduras and Nicaragua ). There is a particular focus on addressing poverty in rural areas and among indigenous peoples.

NZAID's Progress

A Mid-Term Review of the LADP was completed in early 2008. This made a number of recommendations, and concluded that:

"The Latin America Development Programme is on track to achieve the development, engagement and capability outcomes that are detailed in the (Programme) strategy document. The components of the programme have been implemented in line with the approved strategy, and NZAID, posts and partners in Latin America and New Zealand are effectively implementing the individual projects or other activities ... NZAID should be commended for (its) dedicated contribution to reducing poverty in Latin America "

Sustainable Rural Livelihoods

With NZAID support, two multilateral agencies are working to improve livelihoods of poor farming communities in the Andes :

The International Potato Centre and partners are working to improve the capacity of Andean farmers to access local markets in Peru , Ecuador and Bolivia .
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and partners are working to improve food security through recovery of traditional Andean crops and produce in Peru and Ecuador .

New Zealand and Nicaraguan non-governmental organisations have been working together in Nicaragua under the Latin America NGO Facility:

Caritas Aotearoa Zealand and partner Asociación para la Diversificación y el Desarrollo Agrícola Comunal (ADDAC) have been working to improve incomes and food security in the Municipality of Rancho Grande .
Christian World Service New Zealand and partner, Consejo de Iglesias Pro-Alianza Denominaciónal (CEPAD), have been working to improve soil quality and food security, strengthen community decision-making and promote human rights in Nueva Guinea and Managua.
World Vision New Zealand and World Vision Nicaragua are working to improve the livelihoods of people in communities in Larreynaga Province through sustainable agriculture and natural resource management systems.

Governance

NZAID is partnering with the Government of Argentina and the United Nations Development Programme in a three-year initiative to strengthen engagement between civil society and local government.

Other Activities

NZAID Development Scholarships | for Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay.
Short Term Training Awards | offer targeted training in New Zealand for people from Argentina , Brazil , Chile , El Salvador , Guatemala and Peru .
Latin America Development Assistance Fund - Partnerships for Sustainable Development (LADAF-PSD) | open to New Zealand organisations contributing to relevant development programmes or processes of in-country partners . No further rounds are planned for the remainder of the LADP strategy timeframe.
Head of Mission Funds | managed by each of New Zealand 's four embassies in Latin America for small discrete development projects.