Nicaragua is the largest country in Central America, and agriculture is one of the engines of economic and social development. The agricultural sector contributes 16.1 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 33 percent of formal employment and the food security of the population. There are 260 000 producers involved in agricultural production.
Agriculture is a vital sector that will feed a projected global population of 9.5 billion by 2050. Smallholder farmers produce more than 70 percent of the world's food. Globally, there are approximately 570 million smallholder farmers, who own less than two hectares of land. However, smallholders in most developing countries face challenges such as access to finance and insurance, unfair wages, access to agricultural resources and lack of market access.