Consolidation and Enhanced Livelihood Initiative – Central Region (CELI-Central) Quarterly Report – October 2015-December 2015

USAID has committed a total of $13.4 million to these projects, supporting strong organizational structures, participative business planning, improved planning and marketing capacities, and training to foster a generational shift. CELI-Central's focus has increasingly been on empowering and mobilizing smallholder producer associations, and expanding private sector investment in rural communities to create economic opportunities for community stakeholders within the context of licit markets and the rule of law. In a complementary initiative, CELI-Central tailored an approach to accelerate the creation of two tailor-made Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) with an investment of $1.2 million from USAID, and the participation of organizations in the rubber- and coffee-producing sectors in Caquetá, Cauca, and southern Tolima. These opportunities are being strengthened by CELI-Central's bundle of activities for the management and improvement of tertiary road networks in consolidation regions. The initiative has been documenting advances towards its objectives over the past quarter, with a focus on empowering smallholder producer associations and expanding private sector investment in rural communities. In Caquetá, CELI-Central has been working with smallholder producer associations to improve their organizational structures and business planning capacities. The initiative has also been supporting the development of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in the rubber-producing sector, with a focus on creating economic opportunities for community stakeholders. In Cauca, CELI-Central has been working with smallholder coffee producers to improve their marketing and sales capacities. The initiative has also been supporting the development of PPPs in the coffee-producing sector, with a focus on creating economic opportunities for community stakeholders. In southern Tolima, CELI-Central has been working with smallholder producer associations to improve their organizational structures and business planning capacities. The initiative has also been supporting the development of PPPs in the coffee-producing sector, with a focus on creating economic opportunities for community stakeholders. Overall, CELI-Central's focus on empowering smallholder producer associations and expanding private sector investment in rural communities has been a key driver of progress towards its objectives. The initiative's bundle of activities for the management and improvement of tertiary road networks in consolidation regions has also been critical to its success.