Today, the World Farmers Markets Coalition (WorldFMC) officially launches the “Ande in Rete – Farmers Markets and Multifunctionality for a Sustainable Future – Part 1” project with a kick-off meeting bringing together Italian and Latin American partners committed to strengthening farmers markets and sustainable local food systems across the Andean region.
Promoted by the Italian-Latin American International Organization (IILA), the project is implemented by the World Farmers Markets Coalition (WorldFMC) in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and Coldiretti. It is carried out in close collaboration with local counterparts across the Andean region: Xarxa Consum Solidari and the Comité Central de Mujeres de la UNORCAC (CCMU) in Ecuador; the Asociación de Productores Agropecuarios con Visión y Emprendimiento (APAVE) in Colombia; Punto Verde Agroecológico Huánuco, Agroferias Campesinas Lima, and the Regional Government of Cajamarca in Peru; and EcoFeria Cochabamba in Bolivia.
The kick-off meeting marks the beginning of a twelve-month collaborative journey aimed at strengthening farmers markets through capacity building, knowledge exchange, and the promotion of multifunctional agriculture. Inspired by the Italian experience, the project will support farmers market organizations in becoming more resilient, sustainable, and better connected while fostering regional cooperation and the development of local food systems.
During the meeting, participants shared the project’s vision, objectives, implementation roadmap, and the first activities that will be carried out over the coming months. The discussion also highlighted the importance of establishing strong collaboration among local partners and the WorldFMC network to ensure the project’s long-term impact.
Over the next twelve months, the project will focus on assessing the needs of participating farmers market organizations, developing tailored training programmes, facilitating knowledge exchange among markets, and promoting best practices in governance, direct marketing, and multifunctional agriculture. A dedicated online learning programme through the WorldFMC Academy, together with study visits and peer-to-peer exchanges, will provide participants with practical tools and opportunities to strengthen their organizations.
The project also aims to lay the foundations for a permanent network of Andean farmers markets, fostering regional cooperation, improving market management, supporting food sovereignty, and creating new opportunities for family farmers through sustainable local food systems.
The kick-off meeting represents an important milestone in this journey. By bringing together expertise from different countries and encouraging collaboration between local actors and international partners, the project takes its first concrete step toward building stronger farmers’ markets and more resilient rural communities throughout the Andean region.
WorldFMC is proud to lead this initiative alongside its partners and looks forward to sharing the project’s progress, achievements, and stories over the coming months.
