Ecuador
Ecuador
11
Projects
US$ 303.22 million
Total Project Cost
US$ 140.02 million
Total IFAD financing
281,767
Households impacted
The Context
Ecuador is a middle-income country. Its economy is highly dependent on oil and agricultural exports. In the last decade, Ecuador has increased social spending and investments in infrastructure, hospitals and schools.
Income inequality remains a problem, with almost half the rural population living in poverty compared to a third of people nationwide. The rates of extreme poverty in rural areas are double that of the total population.
More than one in three people live in rural areas where unemployment and underemployment are high, salaries are low, and there is limited access to markets and productive assets, such as land and credit.
In early 2024, Ecuador faced a significant wave of violence involving an armed conflict between the government and organized crime groups. This surge of violence has deeply shaken Ecuador's social and political landscape.
The Strategy
IFAD diversifies the rural economy by promoting cooperatives and investments that generate employment and income for poor rural families.
Key activities include:
improving access to assets and resources; and
increasing the capacities of rural poor producers to engage in productive policies
Country Facts
- 61 per cent of rural women work in agriculture and livelihoods.
- Ecuador has one of the highest hunger rates in South America, impacting about 2.5 million people.
- More than one third of the population suffers from moderate or severe food insecurity.
Country documents
Region: Latin America and the Caribbean
Experts
