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As part of the 2002-2004 USAID-funded grant, PADF worked with Migrantes por Ayoquezco, a hometown association based in California, to implement nopal production and marketing activities in Ayoquezco, Oaxaca, Mexico. With PADF’s technical assistance, Migrantes por Ayoquezco (MIGPAO), developed a U.S.-based investment corporation called Chapulín, established a joint-venture called PANA with the local group of women nopal producers (MENA), raised over $30,000 in investment funds, explored ways to import nostalgia products to the U.S. market, and leveraged $600,000 in risk capital from a Mexican government institution to significantly increase levels of production, processing capacity, and marketing of nopal and other nostalgia products through the construction of a new processing plant. With the assistance of a local NGO, FUPROCA, about half of the 68 participants received organic certification and international export approval of their nopal (the remaining participants were scheduled to receive certification after the project ended). This it the first project in Mexico to accomplish this goal. In addition, through new organic and planting techniques and a drip irrigation system, nopal production increased for participants from 4,500 to 11,500 plants per hectare.
The representatives of Chapulín agreed to contribute a certain portion of their investment to the purchase of land that would be used as the site of a joint venture factory. The joint venture, called PANA, is the manufacturer of various nostalgia products including nopal, mole, and Oaxacan chocolate. These products will be sold in the local market in Mexico and Chapulín will be able to purchase the products and sell them in the United States.
At the end of the USAID-funded portion of the project, Chapulín negotiated an agreement with a Mexican government entity, FOCIR, to invest approximately $600,000 in risk capital to further develop the construction of the plant and purchase needed production equipment.
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