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Nicaragua Compact

In July 2005, the Millennium Challenge Corporation signed a five-year, $175 million compact with the Government of Nicaragua to support those living in the Leon and Chinandega region by significantly increasing incomes of rural farmers and entrepreneurs. The investments in three strategic projects will reduce transportation costs, improve access to markets, strengthen property rights, increase investments, and raise incomes for farms and rural businesses. The compact in Nicaragua entered into force (EIF) in May 2006, formally initiating the five-year timeline for project implementation. The compact closed out in May 2011.

On July 3, 2009, MCC terminated funding under the compact in response to a pattern of actions by the Government of Nicaragua inconsistent with MCC’s eligibility criteria. Funding was terminated for all activities in the Property Regularization Project and for activities in the Transportation Project, including upgrading a major stretch of the Pacific Corridor highway, which were not already under contract. Due to that partial termination, MCC has reduced the amount of funding available to Nicaragua from $175,000,000 to $113,500,000.

  • Original Amount at Compact Signing:
    $113500000
  • Amount spent:
    $112703083
  • Signed:
    July 15, 2005
  • Entry Into Force:
    May 27, 2006
  • Closed:
    May 27, 2011

Project Results

Property Regularization Project

  • $0
    Original Compact Project Amount
  • $7,158,799
    Total Disbursed

Estimated Benefits

Estimated Benefits for the Property Regularization Project
Time Estimated Economic Rate of Return (ERR) over 20 years Estimated beneficiaries over 20 years Estimated net benefits over 20 years
Not specified 0 $30,000,000

Project Description

This project was terminated effective July 3, 2009.  Prior to termination a pilot project was implemented that resulted in 2,865 property titles.

Transportation Project

  • $58,000,000
    Original Compact Project Amount
  • $57,884,159
    Total Disbursed

Estimated Benefits

Estimated Benefits for the Transportation Project
Time Estimated Economic Rate of Return (ERR) over 20 years Estimated beneficiaries over 20 years Estimated net benefits over 20 years
Not specified 97,110 $32,400,000

Project Description

This project aims to reduce transportation costs between Nicaraguan production centers and national, regional and global markets.

  • Upgrade 18 kilometers of highway between Villanueva and Guasaule to better link producers in northwestern Nicaragua to commercial centers in Honduras and El Salvador, and
  • Upgrade 50 kilometers of rural secondary routes to improve community access to markets and social services.

Rural Business Development Project

  • $32,900,000
    Original Compact Project Amount
  • $32,709,497
    Total Disbursed

Estimated Benefits

Estimated Benefits for the Rural Business Development Project
Time Estimated Economic Rate of Return (ERR) over 20 years Estimated beneficiaries over 20 years Estimated net benefits over 20 years
Not specified 21,985 $51,000,000

Project Description

This project aims to increase profits and wages in farms and non-farm businesses that help develop higher-profit agriculture and agribusiness enterprises in the departments of León and Chinandega.

  • Provide business development services, disseminates market information, and develops improved production techniques, and
  • Provide technical assistance to small and medium farms and agribusinesses transition to higher profit activities;