150,000 coffee saplings were provided to the Queshapari and Marontuari Ashaninka communities, based in Pichari district and Cashiroveni community members residing in Kimbiri, both situated at the Valley of the Apurimac, Ene and Mantaro Rivers (VRAEM).
The saplings were donated by the Agriculture and Irrigation Ministry through the National Institute of Agrarian Innovation (INIA). The measure has become part of the land conversion process this sector carries out in the area.
Each community received 50,000 coffee saplings, integrally produced at the INIA's garden centers. These are high-quality grains, which guarantee a higher production and harvest aimed at favoring the recipients’ household economies.
Beneficiaries will also be provided technical assistance throughout the next three years thanks to the Agricultural Experiment Station (EEA) known as: "La Perla del VRAEM" (VRAEM's Pearl). This entity was recently founded to develop projects and enhance skills of local producers.
According to EEA director, Alfonso Reynaga, the organization donated the saplings to those farmers, whose crops were affected by the stripe rust.
Marontuari community leader Julio Mendoza affirmed the coffee growing is a “big challenge.” However, the donation will help to improve the inhabitants' quality of life, he added.
It was announced INIA will continue donating coffee saplings to communities, which have met the requirements to become beneficiaries.
Peru's Agriculture Minister develops an ambitious land conversion process in VRAEM.
It aims at replacing illegal coca crops with alternative products such as coffee and cocoa, among others, which will allow the producers to obtain higher revenues and a better quality of life by profiting from legal products to draw the interest from customers in overseas.
(END) NDP/MAO/RGR
Published: 5/25/2015