Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC)
2000 M Street NW
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Tel: 202-589-2600
Email: iesc@iesc.org
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IESC Trade Safe grant gives health food producer a chance to advance culinary innovation in the Dominican Republic
Head of IESC’s Trade Safe project Brian Rudert and USDA’s Fred Giles present cold chain grant to Valerie Garcia of Valance RD Bilanx, S.R.L.
Chef and owner of Valance, Valerie…
read moreFarmer Field Schools Promote Successful Application of Food Safety Knowledge
Luis Peña exhibiting the freshness of his bell pepper crops.
P&T Valley Farms is a newly established family-owned company in the Dominican Republic (DR) located near the border with Haiti. Managed by Luis Peña, the company’s business plan is to switch from traditional crops such as…
read moreNew cold chain facility to improve food safety and facilitate trade
Improved cold chain management is essential for food quality and safety and for maximizing the shelf life of perishable goods. IESC, in association with program subpartners the Global Cold Chain Alliance-World Food Logistics Organization (GCCA-WFLO) and LixCap, completed a comprehensive market opportunity study of cold chain facilities in the Dominican Republic (DR), engaging…
A WOMAN WITH A STRONG CONVICTION DETERMINED TO CONQUER COCOA PRODUCTION
There is no secret formula for success, as the ingredients have always been the same: have clear goals and objectives and work tirelessly to achieve them. In agriculture, success separates producers from harvesters. Bárbara Caba, a cocoa producer in northeast Dominican Republic, is living proof of this.
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read moreA game-changing initiative helps Dominican exporters comply with new food safety regulations
In the Dominican town of Jarabacoa is an agricultural export company called EDELCA, which exports bell peppers and Beefsteak tomatoes to the United States. The company focuses on the ethnic market segment, specifically, the Dominican diaspora in New York and Miami.
EDELCA has been around since 1995 but has had a spotty history — at one point, the…
read moreYOUNG ENTREPRENEURS WALK A LONG ROAD TO EXPORT AVOCADOS
New avocado producers in Pedernales, Dominican Republic, are introducing new growing techniques that are transforming the economy of the southeastern province. As avocado farms grow, they displace more traditional, but less lucrative, crops.
Gilberto and Cesarina Espinal, along with Gilberto’s brother Sendy, are young entrepreneurs with an interest in avocados dating back to 2018….
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Cocoa Producer Finds Success Learning from Other Farmers
Nagua is a small town in the Dominican Republic, and locals would not describe it as an agricultural hub. But Nagua native Pedro Martínez is committed to continuing the family…
Biofcacao is a growing cocoa processing and export company nestled in the hilly Dominican town of Villa Altagracia. The company draws on local producers and is an important driver of the local economy.
Biofcacao has been around since 1998. In the last few years, the company has earned several international certifications to respond to increased global demand for Dominican cocoa. These certifications include Rainforest Alliance and UTZ, USDA…
read moreThere are a few reasons why people might prefer an alternative to pizza made with classic wheat-based dough, for example, food allergies or taste preferences. Dominican Chef Valeria García saw an opportunity for her to re-imagine pizza and transform the way diners consume this popular dish. After studying abroad at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, she created a recipe for pizza dough that uses cauliflower-based…
read moreGualberto Acebey is not your typical cocoa producer. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he is always taking risks and trying new things. At a young age, Acebey started making craft chocolate in San Francisco de Macorís, the cocoa capital of the Dominican Republic….
read moreNew Ideas and Industry Expertise Improve Vegetable Sales from Dominican Republic
It is not easy to be an exporter of any product, but exporting fresh produce carries higher inherent risks. In the Dominican Republic, the Asian Vegetable Producer Association (ASAGEN) encountered a steep learning curve when they started their business in 2013. Out of their first 19 shipments, 13 were rejected at their destination because mismanagement of the cold…
Entrepreneurs Use the Power of Their Network to Adapt and Respond in a Crisis
Since November 2017, a group of more than 100 young entrepreneurs in Dominican Republic have formed a network for the purpose of exchanging technical knowledge, sharing experiences, and exchanging business contacts. The idea for the network emerged from a new generation of younger exporters wanting to change the status quo. In their view, business as usual in the…
Gourmet cocoa products with special tastes of the Caribbean
Belarmino Rodríguez using the cacao powder filler machine.
Belarmino Rodríguez is well known for his infectious enthusiasm for his work. He started his own business in 1991 with a particular goal in mind: to establish a unique Caribbean line of wellness and gourmet food products. The name of his company was…
read moreCommitment to Safe Practices Reaps Rewards for Dominican Exporters
In October 2016, fruit and vegetable exporter Exportadora Cruz Bautista found itself in a troublesome situation. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration detected salmonella in a shipment of hot peppers on their way the United States from the Dominican Republic. The presence of the bacteria landed the exporter on the “automatic detention” list, which means that every single one…
Helping a $70 million export industry battle a microscopic pest
Guido Morel on his farm in La Vega, the heart of oriental vegetable production in the Dominican Republic.Photo: Arquimedes Forchue Almonte
Guido Morel’s Chinese eggplant and Indian Bitter melon grow amid rows of vibrant yellow marigolds and sunflowers on his farm in the heart of oriental vegetable…
read moreby Riamny Méndez
Narcisa Bautista recalls that in 1981, when she began working as a secretary at a produce export business in La Vega, Dominican Republic, there were no women in charge of such export companies.
Eighteen years later, when Narcisa became owner of the same company at which she began as a secretary, there were still no women in charge of similar companies. Narcisa grew her career and developed leadership skills in a…
read moreBy Julissa Almanzar
The smell of chocolate in the air is heady, even a bit distracting, as I sit down to talk with about 10 women who run Chocolala and Chocal, two factories in the northern Altamira region of Dominican Republic. They came together to tell the history of their businesses and how hard they have worked to build them, persevering despite significant personal and societal obstacles, and how their economic empowerment is in turn…
read moreBy Lily Alcock
Margarita de los SantosIt’s obvious within the first few minutes of talking with Margarita de los Santos that she is a powerhouse. Quick to crack a joke but just as eager to get down to business, Margarita is the sort of magnetic person who has a natural ability to inspire you to match her tempo. Daughter and mother, aunt and friend, she is part of…
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