URUGUAY

Abstract and Main Features

El Plan Nacional Para el Fomento de la Producción con Bases Agroecológicas – The preliminary National Plan for the Promotion of Production Based on Agroecology in English – aims to promote the production, distribution, and consumption of agroecology-based products in line with Law 19.717 and its implementing Decree 159/019, with the overarching objective of strengthening food sovereignty and security, protecting the environment, and improving quality of life through agroecological approaches. The governance is led by a 13-member Honorary National Commission composed of public institutions and civil society, situated within the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP)’s Directorate for Rural Development (DGDR), which is responsible for elaborating, coordinating, and monitoring the plan. The methodology centers on five thematic working groups that convened around 90 participants from producer organizations, technical practitioners, and academia, complemented by open sessions to engage broader stakeholders. As an initial output, the process produced an early, global proposal outlining the main axes of action to inform the upcoming five-year budget, to be followed by the development of the full plan. 

Some of the main features of this strategy include: 

• The promotion to the transition to agroecological farming,  
• the conservation of biodiversity and natural resources,  
• the access to safe and healthy food, and the strengthening of local markets, 
• The expansion of training, research, and technical support in agroecology, 
• The support to family farmers, as well as urban and peri-urban community gardens, with emphasis on women and youth, plus consumer groups and public institutions (e.g., schools and hospitals) that can stimulate demand. 

Objectives 

Under the Article 9 of the Law, eleven guidelines have been set up:  

• Promote and facilitate the incorporation of agroecological practices and the transition to agroecological production systems, access to markets, and strengthen existing systems, as a contribution to sustainable development and improving the quality of life of the population.  
• Promote the accessible supply of safe, quality food, contributing to adequate and healthy nutrition, in order to strengthen the Republic’s food and nutritional sovereignty and security.  
• Promote the sustainable use of natural resources and the conservation of ecosystems and their biodiversity.  
• Encourage the conservation and use of indigenous genetic resources and recognize the rights of farmers to reproduce them and ensure their availability.  
• Promote an increase in the number of producers under agroecological food production, distribution, and consumption systems.  
• Promote local and neighborhood markets for agroecological products, encouraging interaction between producers and consumers, and strengthening a culture of responsible consumption.  
• Promote training and research in agroecology.  
• Promote comprehensive extension and technical assistance systems with a focus on agroecological systems and bases.  
• Budget for the activities of the National Plan programs and identify possible sources of financing.  
• Coordinate and integrate all public policy plans and instruments that may promote the achievement of the objective set forth in Article 4 of this law, articulating them according to specificities and considering criteria of equity for young people and women.  
• Identify national and international tariff and para-tariff barriers to market access and promote their removal. 

Key Target Groups  

Key target groups of this Plan are family producers as principal subjects, urban and peri urban community gardens, omen and youth emphasized across programs, as well as consumer groups and public institutions (schools, hospitals) as demand drivers. 

Expected Results 

The Plan expects to reach the following results:  

• Increased area and number of agroecological production systems. 
• Expanded local markets, public procurement of agroecological products, and short supply chains. 
• Conservation and enhanced use of native/creole genetic resources; improved soil and ecosystem functions. 
• Strengthened training, research, and extension capacity; establishment of Territorial Agroecology Nuclei (NATs). 
• Improved logistics, processing and certification via strengthened Participatory Guarantee Systems (PGS). 

Plan Development Process 

The Plan was developed with a cross-party support based on the Law 19.717 and its implementing Decree 159/019. 

An Honorary Commission was kicked off early September 2019 with all designated institutions : Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment (MVOTMA), Ministry of Public Health (MSP), Ministry of Social Development (MIDES), University of the Republic (UDELAR), National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII), Technological University (UTEC), National Administration of Public Education (ANEP), and the Office of Planning and Budget (OPP), along with the Congress of Mayors, participated. Sessions were also opened to other stakeholder groups and citizens.

Five Working Groups were created, as stipulated in the Law: 1) Promotion & production; 2) Access & distribution; 3) Genetic resources; 4) Training, research & extension; and 5) Governance & social dialogue. 

90 people contributed across the Working Groups, including producers, technicians, professors, researchers, etc. 

Though the Law granted 12 months (and6 months extension) to elaborate the Plan, the Honorary Commission decided in its second session to produce, in a shortened period of 4 months, main action axes and a global proposal to inform the national five-year budget. 

The preliminary lines are a basis for subsequent social territorial dialogue and concrete actions. 

Ministries and Stakeholders Involved in the Process 

• Public bodies and institutions: Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), Ministry of Housing, Territorial Planning and Environment (MVOTMA), Office of Planning and Budget of the Presidency of the Republic (OPP), Ministry of Public Health (MSP), Ministry of Social Development (MIDES), Technological University (UTEC), National Administration of Public Education (ANEP), National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), andUniversity of the Republic (Udelar)
• Civil society: Red de Agroecología del Uruguay, Red Nacional de Semillas Nativas y Criollas, Red de Huertas Comunitarias del Uruguay, Comisión Nacional de Fomento Rural, Asociación de Fruticultores de Producción Integrada, Asociación Nacional de Productores de Leche. 
• Additional participants in subcommissions: Administración Nacional de Educación Pública, Asociación de Fruticultores de Producción Integrada, Asociación Barrial de Consumo, Asociación Uruguaya de Ganaderos del Pastizal, Centro de Estudios Uruguayo de Tecnologías Apropiadas, Comisión Nacional de Fomento Rural, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Instituto Nacional de Colonización, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Agropecuaria, Intendencia de Canelones, Intendencia de Montevideo, Intendencia de Rio Negro Ministerio de Ganadería Agricultura y Pesca, Ministerio de Desarrollo Social, Ministerio de Salud Pública, Ministerio de Vivienda Ordenamiento Territorial y Medio Ambiente, Programa de Pequeñas Donaciones (PPD) de PNUD, Unidad Agroalimentaria Metropolitana, Universidad de la República. 

Implementation 

The Plan has set up a governance model to ensure the proper implementation: 

• The establishment of an Honorary Commission: autonomous to formulate initiatives and can request technical collaboration from public bodies). 
• The establishment of Territorial Agroecology Networks (NATs): multi actor networks for teaching, research, extension, and coordination in territories; creation via open calls; mapping of actors; regional meetings; long-term plans and periodic evaluation.

The Plan has set up four axes of implementation:  

• Axis 1 on Production: National Program to foster agroecological production, with projects on transition assistance; urban/community gardens; strengthening SPG; biodiversity and production volumes; fiscal incentives; machinery access; credit lines. 
• Axis 2 on Access/Distribution/Consumers: Programs on public procurement of agroecological products; expansion of fairs/markets and short circuits; logistics and storage; direct sales and consumer groups; local processing; tourism and public awareness campaigns; regional market protocols and certification homologation. 
• Axis 3 on Genetic Resources: Programs for ecosystem function restoration (soil indicators, pollinator protection, farm-level transitions) and for conservation, participatory selection/breeding, bio inputs, centres for seeds/seedlings/microbes, and legal frameworks enabling free use and exchange of native/creole varieties. 
• Axis 4 on Training/Research/Extension: Programs for formal and nonformal education (undergraduates, postgraduates, educator training); national research strategy (calls and agendas aligned with Territorial Agroecology Networks and producer demands); inclusion of agroecology in training/research and extension services; urban agroecology education and school gardens. 

Budget and Funding 

The Commission explicitly sought to align the preliminary proposal with the national five–year budget process, stating that without budget allocation it is not possible to comply with the Law. The plan foresees budgeting the activities of the National Plan’s programs and identifying possible sources of financing.  

NB: This brief did not receive an official review by the Uruguayan Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries.

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Image Credit: Red de Agroecología Uruguay