Fundación Tropicalia, alongside the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB/MIF), fulfilled the implementation of the program Inclusion of Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) in the Sustainable Tourism Supply Chain in Miches, an initiative that pursues improving market access of producers and entrepreneurs in the region and generate an inclusive supply chain that can meet market demands for the tourism sector.
In a celebration where authorities from the tourism, agricultural, and environmental industries, representatives from IDB, business and multilateral organizations participated, Fundación Tropicalia presented results and goals achieved with the program’s implementation. The initiative had a joint investment of USD $965,775 dollars, beginning its execution in 2013.
The program for inclusion of the MSEs in the tourism supply chain is also internationally recognized as a model best practices. “The United Nations World Tourism Organization declared Fundación Tropicalia as one of the most innovative non-profit organizations in the world in the tourism industry, precisely for having promoted this project”, said William Phelan, President of Fundación Tropicalia, during his speech.
Throughout four years of work, Fundación Tropicalia and the IDB/MIF have managed to diversify the local agricultural supply, find new markets for Miches’ products, train farmers in organic production, create new microfinance products that enable credit access for locals, and develop a business program that encourages local entrepreneurship, among other initiatives. The project also included water and carbon footprint studies, to measure the impact that agricultural activities have on water sources for each agricultural crop, and compare greenhouse gasses emissions associated with production, processing, and crop supply.
Another of the main achievements of the program was to promote from Fundación Tropicalia the creation and consolidation process of the Cooperative of Production and Multiple Services of Miches, known as COOPROMI, established to organize, group, and commercialize the different sectors of goods and services in the municipality. In 2016, the cooperative was formally incorporated through a Presidential Decree, and currently has over a hundred and twenty members.
Specialized institutions such as the Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana, ADOPEM Bank, ADOPEM ONG, and BANFONDESA, as well as dozens of expert consultants from agriculture and entrepreneurship, have also participated in this program to strengthen Miches’ talent and human resources, to create conditions that enable the municipality to respond the growing tourist demand it lives today. Other personalities that have individually contributed to this project are Marcos Díaz, Mercedes Canalda, and Edison Santos, with a series of motivational talks for project participants and residents of the community.
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