LIVESTOCK & AGRICULT

closed

The Livestock and Agricultural Development Project for Paraguay seeks to: (i) support on-farm development on 940 ranches and small livestock farms through the provision of credit; (ii) consolidate development of 16 land settlement schemes in Eastern Paraguay by providing credit to 3,000 small mixed-farms, and constructing rural roads; (iii) improve the food crop marketing system by completing the wholesale market in Asuncion. The project also includes technical assistance for the components and for undertaking an agricultural census, including the establishment of a permanent system for gathering agricultural statistics. The realization of the project's benefits will depend on the successful implementation of technical assistance at all levels. For the livestock component, there is the risk that unusually drastic reduction of beef prices may deter ranchers from seeking investment credit at the levels assumed under the project. The settlement development component also depends on the timely provision of rural roads.