Ecuador presents a USD 166.8 million sustainable investment portfolio in Rome

Ecuador presented in Rome, during the World Food Forum 2026 and at FAO's investment forum under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, a portfolio of sustainable investment projects worth USD 166.8 million, led by Vice President María José Pinto. It comprises three projects: cocoa (USD 83.2 million) to strengthen the value chain for premium markets, with collection centers, commercial traceability and tailored financing; regenerative livestock (USD 71.1 million), with climate-related conversion, traceability and infrastructure; and the tuna chain, "Blue Transformation" (USD 12.5 million), with energy efficiency, port and industrial modernization and by-product use. Projected internal rates of return range from 14.4% to 20.6%, and estimated direct beneficiaries of over 351,000 (cocoa), about 115,000 (livestock) and about 20,000 (tuna).