Ecuador: Agricultural Technology Package Subsidy Program for Small and Medium-Sized Producers (2022)

In 2022, Ecuador's Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) announced a productive support intervention for small and medium-sized producers through subsidies for agricultural technology packages. The measure, announced to begin on July 1, 2022, allocated USD 14 million to reduce the cost of acquiring agricultural inputs and technologies required for crop production. The packages could include fertilizers, seeds and other productive inputs defined for the crops covered by the program. The intervention sought to mitigate rising production costs, facilitate producers' access to agricultural inputs and contribute to maintaining and improving farm productivity. The support mechanism consisted of a partial subsidy for agricultural technology packages rather than a general credit program, debt-forgiveness scheme or unrestricted cash transfer. The measure formed part of the Ecuadorian government's actions to support the agricultural sector in response to rising input prices during 2022.