Bolivia – Integrated Community Development Fund (ICDF)

Improving Social & Productive Infrastructure

Since 1972 ACDI/VOCA has been a leading provider of long- and short-term technical assistance in Bolivia, the poorest country in South America. Over the years, ACDI/VOCA volunteers and consultants have completed more than 500 technical assistance assignments in Bolivia in all aspects of agriculture, agribusiness and enterprise development. In addition, since 2001, ACDI/VOCA has worked in community development in Bolivia under its Yungas Community Alternative Development Fund (YCADF), improving the social and productive infrastructure of more than 200 communities throughout the Yungas region. Through this program in Yungas, ACDI/VOCA provided or improved 55 potable water and sanitation systems, 38 schools, 12 agricultural processing facilities, 57 grants for agricultural production equipment and/or training, 13 roads or bridges, and 2 regional bus terminals. Through its training and technical assistance, ACDI/VOCA has ensured each community’s ability to operate and maintain its infrastructure after assistance ended.

Since 2005 ACDI/VOCA has been able to to build upon these successes through the USAID-funded, $42 million, five-year Integrated Community Development Fund (ICDF) to create economic opportunities in the Yungas and Chapare regions. The objective of the ICDF project is to meet basic human needs and alleviate poverty by improving social and economic conditions, thereby discouraging the expansion of illicit coca production within and beyond the Yungas and tropics of Cochamamba (TC).

Under ICDF, ACDI/VOCA focuses on developing education opportunities, smallholder crop and livestock production, social infrastructure, productive infrastructure, and strengthening civil society. As of September 2007, 294 projects have been completed, including 189 community development projects, 69 small grant projects and 87 subaward projects. ICDF programs have benefited 11,589 families and generated over 400 new permanent jobs.

Community Development Programs

Since 2002 ICDF has built on YCADF programs to improve access to clean water and sanitary facilities in the Yungas. ACDI/VOCA has built more than 1,200 household bathrooms (UHF) for families in the Yungas. ACDI/VOCA has also built bathrooms in community schools. This benefits children and combines the infrastructure projects with formal educational programs. Other ICDF community development projects have included building two classrooms, a chemistry laboratory, and a computer laboratory, and refurbishing a high school’s infrastructure. Currently, ACDI/VOCA is in the process of providing school and office furniture, continuing UHF implementation, and installing sewage systems, among other projects.

Economic Development Programs

ICDF economic development programs have helped develop business plans, supported academic exchanges, strengthened value chains, and vaccinated cattle against hoof and mouth disease. Recently, ACDI/VOCA worked with the Association of Organic Beekeepers of the Popoy District of Alto Beni. This project, which was initiated in November 2006, increased the number of beehives from 3 to 40 by September 2007. In this same timeframe, ACDI/VOCA assistance resulted in an increase in the annual production of honey from 9 pounds to 137 pounds. As a result of ACDI/VOCA’s technical assistance, association members learned how to diversify their products to include jelly, pollen and beeswax.

Coca Reduction/Rationalization

Since the inception of the ICDF project, 85,771 hectares of coca have been rationalized in the TC and the Yungas. In August 2007 ACDI/VOCA provided technical support and guidance in the preparation, negotiation and signing of an agreement between the Vice Ministry for Coca and Integrated Development (VCDI) and three centrals in La Asunta for the rationalization of 100 Ha of coca. This was the first rationalization agreement ever signed with the local authorities in La Asunta. In response to this agreement, ACDI/VOCA negotiated five immediate-impact projects for implementation.

Emergency Response

ICDF’s emergency response component is the primary means of mitigating the effects of natural disasters and catastrophes in the Yungas and Chapare regions. In August 2007, ACDI/VOCA completed an emergency request from VCDI to provide vaccinations against hoof and mouth disease. ACDI/VOCA vaccinated 44,795 head of cattle in the TC, which accounts for 93 percent of the total cattle in that region. Over 2,500 families from all 5 municipalities benefited from this emergency response. Additionally, as part of a community development program, the ICDF provided emergency response supplies and equipment to various communities in the TC and Yungas.

Cost Share

To date, the ICDF project has booked a total of $244,531 in cost share from volunteer consultancies and community contributions. The volunteer consultancies have contributed $121,753 in donated time. Community contributions, required from all ICDF project beneficiaries, have thus far totaled $122,778 but another $600,000 should be booked in the first months of 2008.

In the near future, ACDI/VOCA will to continue to support the VCDI in achieving coca rationalization agreements while working with groups to identify new interventions for implementation in support of coca rationalization agreements. ACDI/VOCA will also complete the design of 40 planned projects for Yungas and TC, begin activities with 54 Yungas microenterprises, and implement approximately 20 new social and economic projects.

For more information, contact David Lindgren at dlindgren@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 3/08

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