The private sector is interested in joining efforts along with the Executive Power to mitigate the impacts of El Niño climate phenomenon.
Remarks were made by Agriculture Minister Juan Manuel Benites while holding a meeting with representatives of the National Confederation of Private Business Institutions (Confiep).
During the gathering, Minister Benites –who also serves as Multisectoral Commission coordinator- requested business leaders to join efforts led by the Executive Power aimed at mitigating the impacts.
"What we need is to strengthen the articulation of government, businesses and citizens to face a phenomenon of such magnitude," Minister told.
Since 2014, S/.3.1 billion (about US$1.00 billion) were allocated for preventive actions.
"I want to express that the government won't skimp on resources or efforts in order to mitigate impacts of this natural phenomenon in the country," he underlined.
35,000 members of the military, helicopters, planes, BAP Tacna vessel, mobile bridges, prefabricated homes, drinking water plants, among others will be deployed to the emergency area, he said.
With regard to agriculture, following measures have been adopted: Desilting rivers and arroyos, implementing the Catastrophic Crop Insurance; it will cover over 500,000 hectares of crops in Peruvian High Andean regions on this occasion. Likewise, 700 reservoirs will be activated in the Highlands, in order to tackle drought situations. Pest vigilance and control actions are also included.
At the meeting, the head of the portfolio was accompanied by Agricultural Policies Deputy Minister Cesar Sotomayor and National Water Authority (ANA) representative Juan Carlos Sevilla. Confiep was represented by its chairman Martin Perez and other business leaders.
(END) NDP/AVV/MVB