Open Call: Capacity Building Program for Family Farmers in Cusco (Peru)

Deadline: 19-Jun-2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) is seeking qualified organizations to implement the second stage of a family farmer capacity-building program in Cusco, Peru. With an indicative budget of USD 341,800, the initiative aims to strengthen family farming, improve food safety and quality standards, enhance market access, and support the implementation of Peru’s Public Procurement Law No. 31071.

Program Overview

The World Food Programme (WFP) has launched a Call for Expression of Interest to support the implementation of a capacity-building initiative for family farmers in Cusco, Peru.

The project forms part of the broader initiative, “Sharing the Table: Transforming Food Systems with Family Farming to Reduce Hunger in Peru.” The program seeks to strengthen family farming systems, improve farmer participation in public procurement opportunities, and promote sustainable food system transformation.

The initiative supports Peru’s Public Procurement Law No. 31071, which encourages government institutions to purchase food products directly from family farmers.

Funding Information

• Implementing organization: World Food Programme (WFP)
• Country: Peru
• Region: Cusco
• Indicative budget: USD 341,800
• Funding mechanism: Call for Expression of Interest
• Target sector: Family farming and food systems development

The selected implementing partner will deliver technical assistance, training, and capacity-building activities for family farmers and collection centers.

Program Objectives

The initiative aims to:

• Strengthen family farming systems.
• Improve market access for smallholder farmers.
• Increase participation in public procurement opportunities.
• Improve food safety and product quality.
• Strengthen agricultural value chains.
• Promote sustainable agricultural practices.
• Enhance farmer incomes.
• Improve nutritional quality of food supplied to public programs.
• Strengthen collection center operations.
• Support food system transformation in Peru.

The program combines agricultural development, food security, and economic inclusion objectives.

Background: Public Procurement Law No. 31071

Peru’s Public Procurement Law No. 31071 promotes the inclusion of family farmers in government food procurement processes.

The law seeks to:

• Increase income opportunities for small-scale producers.
• Strengthen local agricultural economies.
• Improve food security.
• Promote local sourcing.
• Enhance nutritional quality in public food programs.
• Support rural development.

Through this initiative, family farmers gain access to institutional markets while public food programs receive fresh and locally produced foods.

Key Focus Areas

The project focuses on:

• Family farming development
• Smallholder farmer support
• Agricultural market access
• Food safety systems
• Food quality management
• Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
• Product traceability
• Collection center strengthening
• Agricultural value chains
• Sustainable food systems
• Operational management
• Administrative capacity building
• Commercial development
• Agricultural logistics

Activities are designed to improve both production and commercialization capacities.

Understanding Collection Centers

Collection centers play a central role within the initiative.

These centers function as territorial logistics hubs that:

• Aggregate products from multiple farmers.
• Facilitate quality control processes.
• Support product traceability.
• Improve market access.
• Connect producers with buyers.
• Strengthen supply chain efficiency.
• Facilitate compliance with food safety standards.

Collection centers help bridge the gap between family farmers and both public and private market opportunities.

Target Beneficiaries

The program is expected to directly support:

• 1,000 family farmers through training and technical assistance.
• 260 farmers through specialized extension services focused on market requirements.
• Three collection centers through institutional strengthening activities.

Beneficiaries include both farmers already connected to collection centers and those with the potential to participate in future market opportunities.

Expected Activities

The selected organization will be expected to implement activities such as:

• Capacity-building workshops.
• Technical assistance for farmers.
• Extension services.
• Food safety training.
• Product quality improvement programs.
• Traceability system development.
• Agricultural best practice training.
• Market readiness support.
• Collection center strengthening.
• Operational process improvement.
• Administrative management training.
• Commercial management support.
• Processing and logistics optimization.

Activities should contribute to measurable improvements in production, commercialization, and compliance standards.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)

A major component of the initiative involves strengthening compliance with recognized agricultural and food safety standards.

Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) focus on:

• Safe food production.
• Sustainable farming methods.
• Environmental protection.
• Worker safety.
• Product quality assurance.

Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) focus on:

• Safe food processing.
• Quality control systems.
• Hygiene standards.
• Operational procedures.
• Risk management.

Compliance with these standards helps farmers access larger and more competitive markets.

Strengthening Food Safety and Traceability

The project seeks to improve compliance with food safety requirements throughout the supply chain.

Key areas include:

• Product traceability systems.
• Quality assurance mechanisms.
• Food safety controls.
• Documentation systems.
• Market compliance standards.
• Supply chain transparency.

Improved traceability increases buyer confidence and supports participation in institutional procurement programs.

Why This Initiative Matters

Family farmers play a critical role in food production, rural livelihoods, and national food security.

This initiative is important because it:

• Supports rural economic development.
• Improves farmer incomes.
• Expands access to institutional markets.
• Strengthens food safety systems.
• Promotes sustainable agriculture.
• Enhances food quality and nutrition.
• Reduces barriers to market participation.
• Strengthens local food systems.
• Supports public procurement reform.

The project contributes to long-term resilience and sustainability across Peru’s agricultural sector.

Expected Results

The initiative aims to achieve:

• Improved technical skills among 1,000 farmers.
• Enhanced market readiness.
• Increased compliance with food safety standards.
• Stronger traceability systems.
• Improved agricultural productivity.
• Strengthened collection center operations.
• Expanded public and private market access.
• Higher utilization of collection center capacity.
• Increased commercial opportunities for family farmers.

These outcomes are expected to contribute to sustainable agricultural growth and reduced rural poverty.

How the Program Works

The implementation process generally includes:

• Selection of an implementing organization.
• Assessment of farmer and collection center needs.
• Delivery of training and technical assistance.
• Implementation of food safety and quality improvements.
• Strengthening of traceability systems.
• Enhancement of collection center operations.
• Support for market linkage development.
• Monitoring of progress and results.

The program combines technical capacity building with practical market integration strategies.

How to Apply

Interested organizations should:

• Review the Expression of Interest requirements.
• Confirm organizational eligibility and experience.
• Demonstrate expertise in agricultural development and capacity building.
• Present experience working with family farmers and producer organizations.
• Show knowledge of food safety and market systems.
• Demonstrate capacity to operate in Cusco.
• Prepare the required technical and administrative documentation.
• Submit the application according to WFP procedures.

Applicants should clearly explain how they will achieve project objectives and deliver measurable outcomes.

Tips for a Strong Application

• Demonstrate experience with family farming programs.
• Highlight expertise in food safety and quality systems.
• Show experience in agricultural value chain development.
• Present successful market access initiatives.
• Demonstrate strong training and extension methodologies.
• Include experience working with rural communities.
• Show capacity to strengthen collection centers.
• Provide realistic implementation plans and performance indicators.

Organizations with strong technical expertise and local implementation experience are likely to be more competitive.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Insufficient experience with agricultural development projects.
• Weak understanding of food safety requirements.
• Limited capacity-building methodology.
• Lack of market access experience.
• Unrealistic implementation plans.
• Inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems.
• Weak understanding of public procurement mechanisms.
• Failure to address collection center strengthening needs.

Careful planning and evidence-based approaches can significantly improve proposal quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the purpose of this initiative?

The project aims to strengthen family farming, improve food safety and market access, and support implementation of Peru’s Public Procurement Law No. 31071.

Where will the project be implemented?

The initiative will be implemented in Cusco, Peru.

What is the total budget available?

The indicative budget for the initiative is USD 341,800.

How many farmers will benefit?

Approximately 1,000 farmers will receive training and technical assistance, while 260 farmers will receive specialized extension services.

What are collection centers?

Collection centers are logistics hubs that aggregate products from farmers, support food safety compliance, improve traceability, and facilitate access to public and private markets.

What standards are promoted by the project?

The project promotes Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), food safety standards, and product traceability systems.

What outcomes are expected?

Expected outcomes include improved farmer capacities, stronger collection centers, increased market access, improved food safety compliance, and higher incomes for family farmers.

Conclusion

The WFP Capacity Building Program for Family Farmers in Cusco represents a significant investment in sustainable agriculture, food security, and rural economic development. Through technical assistance, food safety improvements, market access support, and collection center strengthening, the initiative aims to help family farmers participate more effectively in public procurement systems while contributing to stronger and more resilient food systems in Peru.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.