Zamorano Contributions to the Development of Latin America

Zamorano is a Pan American university dedicated to the integral training of high-quality human capital, committed to the responsible management of natural resources, rural transformation and global competitiveness. Founded in 1942 as the Pan-American Agricultural School, Zamorano has graduated over 5,000 agronomists and engineers in agricultural science and production, agribusiness management, food agroindustry and socioeconomic development and environment.

Students come from most Latin American countries. As graduates, they work in all fields of agriculture with recognized success. They make many contributions to the public sector, private business, nonprofit non-governmental and international cooperation organizations, and as individuals. The added impact of this group of professionals in the agricultural and rural development of the continent is hard to estimate, but is clearly very significant. Many agricultural industries in Central American and Andean countries have been and continue to be established by the pool of graduates from our institution.

Additionally, its vigorous institutional outreach annually helps thousands of Central American rural families. Projects, activities and events in technological innovation, technical assistance and training for small and mid-size enterprises show notable effects on the increase in revenues, job generation and rural welfare.

This is accomplished because the institution has a proven capacity to integrate solid livestock science and technologies applied with effective methods for transference to the beneficiaries (mainly training and technical assistance); the willingness and ability to work productively and harmoniously with their partners on the same grounds; a solid record of quantifiable impact with the principal projects; and a capacity for intelligent dialogue on the main aspects of competitiveness. A final but essential capacity is the renowned ability that Zamorano has to develop human capital, youth and adults, for rural growth and development.

Zamorano focuses on satisfying the need for knowledge, technologies and specialized services in the rural sector of Latin America , extending to the components of agribusiness performance, primary production, agro-industrial transformation, natural resource management, local strengthening and the improvement of the social and environmental conditions in which they take place.

Zamorano Projects

Farm Reactivation Program (1999-2000) The project invested US$8.7 million from USAID and was carried out by Zamorano with collaboration from over 80 local organizations. It contributed to increasing productivity, jobs and income, benefiting over 12,000 families of small farmers in the areas most affected by Hurricane Mitch. This was accomplished through training and technical assistance in renewed farming technologies, improved marketing management and modern agribusiness administration. The agribusiness systems targeted were cattle breeding and processing of milk, coffee, beans, plantains, beekeeping and "farmhouse" chicken.

Competitiveness in small and mid-sized businesses. Zamorano has been directly involved in increasing the profitability of rural companies in Central America through the Rural Business Development Program (PROEMPREZA), financed by the IDB and later by the European Community. Since 1996, this project has contributed to the development of small and mid-size agricultural businesses. Zamorano continues to assist this agribusiness sector in optimizing its production and applying modern know-how in marketing, processing and quality control, all while acting with environmental responsibility. The project has recently supported over 100 small agribusinesses, training over 1,500 partners in nine departments of Honduras. Special emphasis is placed on gender roles in rural economy, supporting groups of women participants to obtain greater success in their efforts. In time, the owners of such companies show a high level of self confidence, make better business decisions and are more economically, socially and environmentally responsible.

Integrated Pest Management. The Zamorano Program for Integrated Pest Management in Central America (PROMIPAC) has been operating successfully in Nicaragua over the last ten years, and in El Salvador over the last five. Financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, it responds to the needs of farmers to properly handle their crops and pests, in order to increase food quantities and quality, increase income and minimize the risks to human health and the environment. Over 80 public and private organizations in El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras, and 40,000 farmers have actively and successfully participated in this program to date.

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