International development assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

International development assignment - Essay Example The following discussion will focus on this Brazil responsible sourcing project and the first three years of project implementation. Initially, the project will be outlined, then its organization and performance will be evaluated. Finally, a concluding section will assess its impacts and effects. The Brazil Responsible Sourcing Project partners are the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), TransFair USA, Walmart Stores and local Brazilian partner Sebrae-MG. Thus, the project unites the private sector (Walmart), government agencies (USAID) and non-governmental agencies (TransFair USA). It also includes a local (Brazilian) partner, Sebrae-MG a Brazilian agency dedicated to provide, through access to new knowledge, new business opportunities for micro and small enterprises. The three-year project was initiated in 2007. In total, project partners contributed $1.9 million. Of that amount, $144,000 were infrastructure upgrade grants. (USAID, 2009) By 2008, â€Å"eleven producer families [had] used the grants to build coffee drying patios on their properties so their coffee beans could reach proper quality,† according to Coopfam president Luà ­s Adauto de Oliveira. Coopfam was one of five Brazillian cooperatives that received project infrastructure grants. (USAID, 2008) The project objective was â€Å"to help smallholder farmers increase exports of Organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee by 400% and 350% respectively.† (USAID, 2009) The concept behind the project was to provide farmers with better access to global markets, thus increasing their income. A second objective was to provide retailers in the United States with enhanced access to premium-quality coffee beans. (USAID, 2009) The most noteworthy organizational aspect of the project was the number and diversity of project partners. The local Brazilian partner agency, Sebrae-MG, specializes in organizing and coordinating interested parties in developing programs that are