In a remote Andean village of Peru, the Rural Development Program, funded by ANCP and supported by Caritas Australia's partner, Caritas Huacho, is helping 1500 farmers grow and harvest a wide variety of high-value, sustainable fruit crops which will provide a secure income and food for life.

Cristian is a farmer who has been participating in the program since 2012. Cristian's community lives a traditional life, and without irrigation, farmers have always relied on the rains to water crops.

"When there were no rains we suffered a lot, because sometimes the fields would not produce," says Cristian.

The program helped the young men secure land to farm with seedlings and agricultural training so that they could grow and harvest sustainable, high-value orchard crops, including peaches, custard apples and avocados. They also attended training they needed to build an irrigation system to water their fields. The farmers have helped one another to learn and achieve, and are now beginning to reap the rewards of their hard work– a healthy, nutritious new range of fruits in their diets and a steadily increasing income for all their families.

"The fact that I and the other partners can grow and develop together makes me proud," says Cristian. "We are less worried now, because we are focussed on development, and with that in mind we are improving ourselves, with the help of Caritas, on the best way to produce."

In 2015-16 ANCP funded 43 projects focusing on rural development and agriculture in 19 countries. These projects were delivered by 14 Australian NGOs and their in-county partners.