I’m Jorge, a papaya farmer in El Salvador. Like many of my fellow farmers here, I grow papayas on about an acre of land.

Here in El Salvador, we have warm weather and the sunlight papayas love.

Papayas take just 7 months to grow, which is relatively fast compared to other crops.

One of the biggest challenges with papaya farming in El Salvador comes when it’s time to sell our harvests. We either have to travel long distances to reach a buyer with no guarantee of making a sale, or sell to a middleman who takes much of the profit.

This changed when we began working with the Clinton Giustra Enterprise Partnership’s Acceso enterprise, which helps us sell our produce to the largest supermarket chain in El Salvador, Super Selectos.

All we have to do is get our papayas to a nearby Acceso collection center, which buys the fruit directly from us for resale to Super Selectos.

By selling to a guaranteed vendor, we’re able to sell all of our papayas securely and for a higher price. This year, I more than doubled my profit!

With higher incomes, we can invest in our futures. We can purchase:

Livestock

for access to animal byproducts like fresh milk and eggs.

Home Improvements

like a tin roof to keep our homes sturdy and strong.

More Land

to expand our earning potential for next year.

Fertilizer & Seeds

for the next growing season.