Quito, July 28 (teleSUR-RHC)-- Representatives of some of Ecuador's most established indigenous and farmers organizations converged on the Central University's rural campus in Uyumbicho to discuss strategies as how to increase production and enhance the quality of their goods.

The Superintendent for Control of Market Power has committed to facilitating access for their products to be sold in large supermarket chains, and the Central University will provide technical support to their communities. "We examined the strengths and weaknesses of each of our organizations, and what we saw generally was that we are very strong in managing our lands, and our comrades have extensive ancestral knowledge,” President of the Ecuadorean Indigenous Federation Jose Agualsaca told teleSUR English.

“It is important that this knowledge can go hand in hand with science and technology, so these policies can go forward in the best way possible." The National Farmers Coordinator Eloy Alfaro, Association of Producers of Porvenir and the Ecuadorean Indigenous Federation were some of the organizations present. They discussed how their local economies can benefit from further incorporation.

Supermarkets across Ecuador are currently required to dedicate 15 percent of their total inventory to medium and small-scale producers.

"In this meeting we learned how the market works. In what market we are going to compete. And to compete we have to be prepared. We are becoming prepared in how to adapt these technologies, so they can be used to increase production, and we discussed how we can have a special price when on the market, so our goods can be competitive and so this can generate an income for us to live on," said Oscar Bermeo, president of the Association of Producers of Porvenir.

The government is looking to improve quality of life and strengthen local economies as part of the national development plan called “Good Living.” The Superintendent for Control of Market Power has set a goal that by 2017, the goods of medium and small-scale producers will represent 33 percent of supermarket inventory.

Meetings and workshops will be held across Ecuador's provinces with indigenous and farmers organizations, in an effort to incorporate small-scale producers into the national economy, open the market for their goods, and promote social justice.